The anesthetic drug, ketamine (KTM) has been shown to induce therapeutic effects against major depressive disorder (MDD), however the related underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, HT22 neuronal cells were treated with glutamate to imitate oxidative stress injury in MDD, and it was hypothesized that the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor mediates KTM‑induced neuroprotection via ameliorating mitochondrial function in glutamate‑treated neuronal cells. Compared with the control, glutamate decreased cell viability and intracellular antioxidants, including glutathione (GSH), catalase and superoxide dismutase 2 levels, and inhibited mitochondrial function simultaneously. Moreover, glutamate increased lactate dehydrogenase release, cellular apoptosis level, cleaved caspase‑3 expression and intracellular oxidants, such as reactive oxygen species, oxidized GSH and mitochondrial superoxide in the cells. The presence of KTM, however, significantly decreased the glutamate‑induced oxidative stress injury, ameliorated the antioxidant/oxidant levels in the cells, enhanced mitochondrial function and upregulated CB1 receptor expression (P<0.05). Co‑administration of the CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 markedly abolished the KTM‑induced cytoprotective effects and ameliorations of antioxidant/oxidant levels and mitochondrial function, and also reversed CB1 upregulation (P<0.05). These observations indicated that KTM decreases the oxidative stress injury caused by glutamate in HT22 neuronal cells, and the neuroprotective effects may be mediated by the CB1 receptor.

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