Berchemia berchemiaefolia(BB) is a genus of plants in the family Rhamnaceae. Traditionally BB has
been already used for liver defender in Korea. But the study about antidepressant-like activity and related
molecular mechanisms of BB were not studied well. The effects of subacute treatment with BB(86 and 285
mg/kg, p.o.) on immobility and FST-induced changes of immune parameters were investigated by using the
forced swimming test (FST) in rats. As a result, BB immobility decreases with a dose-dependency in the
FST. The levels of cortisol, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α of treatment group were significantly decreased than
those of the FST group. Similarly p-p65 and p-65 activity of treatment group were decreased than those of
the FST group. In all, these results indicate that BB extract can be a very effective treatment for
Antidepressant-like effects of Berchemia berchemiaefolia via NFkB signal transduction in rat models of depression
depression, suggesting that the down-regulation of NFkB activity is related to Antidepressant Effect of
Berchemia berchemiaefolia.