molecules Article Effects of Puerarin on the Ovariectomy-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior in ICR Mice and Its Possible Mechanism of Action Ariyawan Tantipongpiradet 1, Orawan Monthakantirat 1, Onchuma Vipatpakpaiboon 1, Charinya Khampukdee 1 , Kaoru Umehara 2, Hiroshi Noguchi 2, Hironori Fujiwara 3, Kinzo Matsumoto 3, Nazim Sekeroglu 4 , Anake Kijjoa 5,* and Yaowared Chulikhit 1,* 1 Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand;
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[email protected] (Y.C.); Tel.: +351-220428331 (A.K.) Received: 23 September 2019; Accepted: 11 December 2019; Published: 13 December 2019 Abstract: Daily treatment of ovariectomized (OVX) ICR mice with puerarin, a glycosyl isoflavone isolated from the root bark of Pueraria candollei var. mirifica, and 17β-estradiol attenuated ovariectomy-induced depression-like behavior, as indicated by a decrease in immobility times in the tail suspension test (TST) and the forced swimming test (FST), an increase in the uterine weight and volume, a decrease in serum corticosterone levels, and dose-dependently normalized the downregulated transcription of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and estrogen receptor (Erβ and Erα) mRNAs.