title: [Effects of Chinese herbs on enkephalin mRNA and prodynorphin mRNA gene expression in rat hippocampus with chronic immobilization stress].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the changes of enkephalin mRNA and prodynorphin mRNA gene expression in rat brain regions with chronic immobilization stress and the influence of Chinese herbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We copied the rat model of chronic immobilization stress (3 h daily , repeated 7 d or 21 d), and primers of enkephalin or prodynorphin were respectively added for RT-PCR reaction (BETA-actin as inner contrast). Gel image analysis system was used to scan and analyze and odds of optical density of target gene and inner contrast strip were taken as quasi-quantified data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prodynorphin mRNA expression in hippocampus markedly increased in 7 d group (P < 0.01), while enkephalin mRNA prodynorphin mRNA expression in hippocampus markedly increased in 21 d group (P < 0.01). All three recipes were able to decrease the gene expression of prodynorphin mRNA (P < 0.01), and xiaoyao powder as well as sijunzi soup were able to decrease the gene expression of enkephalin mRNA (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of xiaoyao powder on the above two gene expression was better than jinkuishenqi pill.
authors.affiliation: Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Jia-xu
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jian-xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hong-yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004745:Enkephalins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004399:Dynorphins