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Study of the antidepressant effects of oleacin, a rare compound from olives
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
Researchers are exploring natural compounds as potential alternatives to traditional antidepressants, which often produce mixed results. Of particular interest are compounds that activate the TrkB receptor, as this receptor stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule thought to play a key role in preventing and treating neuroinflammation and depression.
Due to its structural similarity to oleocanthal, a compound known for its anti-inflammatory properties, oleacin (OC) is seen as a promising candidate for combating depression-causing inflammation.
A new study published in the journal Cell Communication and Signaling found that treating SH-SY5Y cells, a model of human neurons, with OC resulted in increased BDNF gene expression. Careful gene expression analysis revealed activation of cell cycle and neurogenesis/maturation processes, as well as a reduction in the inflammatory response.
A single oral dose of OC increased BDNF expression in the brain of a transgenic mouse model, suggesting activation of the TrkB receptor. In a mouse model in which depressive symptoms were induced by a bacterial toxin called lipopolysaccharide (LPS), mice given OC orally for 10 days showed less depressive behavior in a tail suspension test compared to control mice.
OC treatment also reduced LPS-induced overexpression of inflammatory cytokine genes (Tnfα, Il1β and Il6) and restored LPS-induced Bdnf expression levels in the mouse brain hippocampus. Gene expression profiling of the brain hippocampus showed that OC treatment regulates BDNF/TrkB-stimulated signaling pathways. Similar results were confirmed in SH-SY5Y cells treated with a combination of OC and LPS.
These results suggest that OC may have a protective effect against neuroinflammation-induced depression.