Antidepressant-like Effects of Monarch Drug Compatibility in Banxia Houpu Decoction

AimTo investigate the possible synergistic antidepressant-like actions of rhizome pinelliae (monarch drug) with magnolia bark (minister drug), folium perillae (guide drug), ginger rhizome (assistant drug) in Banxia Houpu decoction.MethodsThe influences of mixture of honokiol and magnolol (HMM), polysaccharides (PMB) from magnolia bark, essential oil (OGR) and polysaccharides (PGR) from ginger rhizome, essential oil (OFP) and polysaccharides (PFP) from folium perillae on the ability of total alkaloids (ARP) and polysaccharides (PRP) from rhizome pinelliae to attenuate abnormalities of behaviors and neurotransmitters using the forced swimming test (FST) in mice.ResultsAmong compatibility groups, the ineffective dose of PRP altered swimming immobility time when given in combination with an effective dose of HMM. This combination was the most effective and led to a synergistic effect. In addition, combination of PRP with OFP also produced a synergistic effect. These two combinations increased serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) levels simultaneously in prefrontal cortex in the mouse FST.ConclusionThe minister and guide drugs enhanced the monarch drug to exert antidepressant-like actions by attenuating abnormalities in the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems, resulting in a synergistic effect on immobility reduction in the FST. However, the assistant drugs showed no interaction to the monarch drug.