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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.

Sec. Neuropharmacology

Studying the Potential Ameliorative Effect of Biosynthesized Selenium Nanoparticles using Epigallocatechin Gallate against Depression in Rats

Provisionally accepted
Khaled M. Alam-ElDeinKhaled M. Alam-ElDein1Ahmed H.I. FaraagAhmed H.I. Faraag2Nabil A. El-YamanyNabil A. El-Yamany2Ahmed Esmat Abdel MoneimAhmed Esmat Abdel Moneim2*Mohamed Saleh AbdelfattahMohamed Saleh Abdelfattah2Manal ElkhadragyManal Elkhadragy3Heba M. ElmasryHeba M. Elmasry2
  • 1Badr University in Cairo, Badr City, Egypt
  • 2Helwan University, Helwan, Egypt
  • 3Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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Abstract Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder with multifactorial origins involving oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter imbalance, and HPA axis dysfunction. Conventional treatments are often limited by side effects and suboptimal efficacy, confirming the need for alternative therapies. This study investigates the antidepressant-like and neuroprotective potential of selenium nanoparticles biosynthesized using epigallocatechin gallate (SeNPs-EGCG) in a rat model of depression induced by chronic mild stress. Behavioral assays demonstrated that SeNPs-EGCG significantly reversed depression-like behaviors, evidenced by increased sucrose preference and grooming frequency in the SeNPs-EGCG treated group compared to the depressed group. Biochemically, SeNPs-EGCG restored antioxidant defense by increasing GSH, SOD, and CAT levels, while reducing lipid peroxidation (LPO) to near-normal levels. Neuroinflammatory markers such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, and NF-κB were markedly downregulated in the SeNPs-EGCG group. Molecular results also showed a slowing down of pro-apoptotic signals (Bax and Caspase-3) and upregulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and neurotrophic factor BDNF. Importantly, SeNPs-EGCG modulated key monoamines, increasing serotonin and DA levels. Compared to both EGCG and sodium selenite controls, SeNPs-EGCG demonstrated superior efficacy, comparable to the standard antidepressant escitalopram. The results underscore the multi-targeted mechanism of SeNPs-EGCG and suggest its promising role as a novel nano-based therapeutic strategy for depression.

Keywords: antidepressant, BDNF, behavioral tests, biosynthesis, Depression, EGCG, Neuroinflammation, NF-κB

Received: 23 Aug 2025; Accepted: 12 Dec 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Alam-ElDein, Faraag, El-Yamany, Abdel Moneim, Abdelfattah, Elkhadragy and Elmasry. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Ahmed Esmat Abdel Moneim

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Supplementary Material