Kai-Xin-San series formulae alleviate depressive-like behaviors on chronic mild stressed mice via regulating neurotrophic factor system on hippocampus

• Published in: Scientific reports 2017-05, Vol.7 (1), p.1467-15, Article 1467
• Main Authors: Zhu, Yue, Chao, Cheng, Duan, Xiuzhu, Cheng, Xiaoxuan, Liu, Pei, Su, Shulan, Duan, Jinao, Dong, Tina Tingxia, Tsim, Karl Wah-Keung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 38/77; 631/378/1686; 631/378/1689/1414; 64/60; 82/80; Animals; Antidepressive Agents - chemistry; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - agonists; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - genetics; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Carbazoles - pharmacology; Depression - drug therapy; Depression - genetics; Depression - metabolism; Depression - physiopathology; Disease Models, Animal; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - chemistry; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Ginseng; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - drug effects; Hippocampus - metabolism; Hippocampus - physiopathology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Indole Alkaloids - pharmacology; Locomotion - drug effects; Male; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; multidisciplinary; Nerve growth factor; Nerve Growth Factor - agonists; Nerve Growth Factor - genetics; Nerve Growth Factor - metabolism; Neurotrophic factors; Receptor, trkA - agonists; Receptor, trkA - antagonists & inhibitors; Receptor, trkA - genetics; Receptor, trkA - metabolism; Rodents; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Stress, Psychological - drug therapy; Stress, Psychological - genetics; Stress, Psychological - metabolism; Stress, Psychological - physiopathology; Sucrose; Swimming; Trk receptors
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01561-2

Kai-xin-san (KXS) is a famous Chinese medicinal formula applied for treating stress-related psychiatric diseases with the symptoms such as depression, forgetfulness and dizziness. In clinic, the composition ratio of KXS is always varied and KXS series formulae are created. Here, we aim to compare the anti-depressive effect of different ratios of KXS and reveal its action mechanism on regulation of neurotrophic factor system. Firstly, daily intra-gastric administration of chemically standardized extracts of KXS series formulae for seven days significantly alleviated the depressive symptoms of chronic unpredictable mild stressed mice displayed by enhanced sucrose consumptions and decreased immobile time of forced swimming coupled with increased locomotor activities. KXS might fulfill this effect by up-regulating the expressions of NGF, BDNF and Trk receptors in hippocampus, which were confirmed by the treatment of corresponding blockers tPA-stop and K252a. The ratio with higher amounts of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Polygalae Radix exerted most profound effect on anti-depression and regulation enzymes in metabolic pathway of neurotrophic factors. These findings suggested that KXS was beneficial for enhancing supplies, up-regulating receptors, and restoring the dysfunction of metabolic pathway of neurotrophic factors, which might account for its anti-depression effect.