Chemical component analysis of the traditional Chinese medicine Guipi Tang and its effects on major depressive disorder at molecular level

• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12182
• Publication Date: 2022-12-09T07:17:53Z
• Authors: Tingting Li; Xiangting Li; Jingsi Zhang; Zhonghai Yu; Fan Gong; Jun Wang; Haiyan Tang; Jun Xiang; Wen Zhang; Dingfang Cai
• Keywords: Component (thermodynamics)

Guipi Tang (GPT) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine that to treat major depressive disorder. However, the molecular mechanisms of its effects remain unclear.This study aimed investigate antidepressant-like GPT and explore underlying mechanisms.Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) procedure treated with various doses GPT, fluoxetine treatment as positive control. Behavioural tests (including sucrose preference test, novelty-suppressed feeding open-field test forced swim test), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay conducted. The levels Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3, PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, BDNF, TrkB CREB or p-CREB assessed at protein level using western blotting immunofluorescence.GPT consists mainly known drugs, such liquiritin ginsenosides. It reversed behaviours decreased cell apoptosis in hippocampi CUMS rats. significantly upregulated p-Akt, downregulated caspase-3 Bcl-2.GPT had anti-depressive activity indicated by amelioration depression-like behaviour inhibition hippocampal neuronal This was mediated partly modulating PI3K/Akt and/or BDNF/TrkB/CREB pathway, which, glycosides, main components might be involved.