Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
2545227 Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2014 10 Pages PDF
Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevanceXiaochaihutang (XCHT) has been used in China for thousands of years to treat “Shaoyang syndrome”, which involves depressive-like symptoms. However, few studies have investigated its antidepressant effects and pharmacological mechanism of action. The present study was designed to confirm the antidepressant effect of XCHT using a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model and explore its potential mechanism of action by investigating the monoamine neurotransmitters (dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine) and neurotrophins (BDNF and NGF).Materials and methodsThe CUMS model was established in rats, and the antidepressant effect of XCHT (0.6, 1.7 and 5 mg/kg/day, given by gastric gavage for 4 weeks) was investigated using the open field test (OFT), food consumption test and sucrose preference test. The concentrations of 5-HT and DA in the hippocampus were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). The expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and their receptors tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) and tyrosine receptor kinase A (TrkA) in the hippocampus were measured by immunohistochemical staining analysis.ResultsCUMS caused a significant decrease in OFT, food consumption and sucrose preference in rats, and these depression-like behaviors were significantly improved by XCHT (1.7 and 5 g/kg/day). Moreover, XCHT significantly increased the concentrations of 5-HT (0.6 and 5 g/kg/day) and DA (5 g/kg/day), and improved the BDNF, NGF, TrkB and TrkA expressions in the hippocampus (1.7 and 5 g/kg/day), which was reduced in CUMS rats.ConclusionThe results obtained suggested that XCHT may have therapeutic actions on depression-like behavior induced by CUMS in rats possibly mediated by increasing the monoamine neurotransmitter concentration and neurotrophin expression in the hippocampus.

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