title: Multiple pharmacological actions of Yiqi Huatan Decoction in a model of depression in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of Yiqi Huatan Decoction (, YHD) on a model of depression in rats under different pathological conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 8: normal, model, YHD, and maprotiline. The model group, YHD group and maprotiline group used separate feeding and rats were exposed to chronic and unpredictable stress to build the depression model. From day 2, the YHD group and maprotiline group were respectively given YHD (7 g/kg) and maprotiline (10 mg/kg) by gastrogavage once daily. The normal and model groups were given the same volume of drinking water. The medication duration were 21 days. At the end of the experiment, the serum levels of copper and zinc were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy, plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (COR) were detected by radioimmunoassay, and levels of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the hypothalamus were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography-eletricochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the content of copper and zinc in the serum of rats in the normal group, serum copper levels in model rats were significantly increased and zinc content was significantly reduced (both P<0.05). Plasma concentrations of ACTH and COR in the model group were significantly increased compared with those in the normal group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The contents of NE, DA, and 5-HT in the hypothalamus of rats in the model group were significantly reduced compared with those of the normal group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with those in the model group, the serum copper content and plasma concentrations of ACTH and COR were significantly decreased (all P<0.05); meanwhile, serum zinc content and hypothalamic contents of NE, DA, and 5-HT were significantly increased in rats of the YHD group (all P<0.05). The same effects were also shown in the maprotiline group except for 5-HT (all P<0.05)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pharmacological actions of YHD for depression might be related to improving trace-element anomalies, reversing endocrine dysfunction, and modulating the disorders of monoaminergic neurotransmitters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province 361005, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shao-Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yong-Zhu
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ji-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C583788:yiqi huatan; D012701:Serotonin; D003300:Copper; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D015032:Zinc; D004298:Dopamine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine