[Treatment of premenstrual syndrome with Chinese medicine formula, baixiangdan capsule: implications for neuron viability and GABA(A) receptor modulation in rat cortex].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of Baixiangdan capsule (BXD), a Chinese medicinal formula, on the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) rats with Liver-qi invasion and the possible underlying micro-mechanisms.


METHODS
Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two groups, nomal group and BXD group After evaluated by macro-behavior observation and open-field test, MTT assay and the whole-cell patch clamp recording were performed respectively to evaluate the effects of serum from BXD capsule-treated rats on the viability and GABA(A) R-induced currents of cortical neurons in vitro.


RESULTS
In the open-field test, the crossing score, rearing score and total score of BXD rats decreased significantly (P < 0.05), compared by the normal rats. Compared with cells exposed to serum of normal rats, the viability values of those incubated with serum of BXD group for 24 h and 48 h significantly increased (P < 0.05), measured by MTT assay. The results of whole-cell patch clamp recording showed that concentration-response relationship curves revealed an EC50 value of (29.0 +/- 4.4) micromol x L(-1) and a Hill coefficient of 1.07 for normal-exposed cultures, (63.5 +/- 8.2) micromol x L(-1), 1.04 for BXD-exposed cultures after incubation for 24 h. Furthermore, the difference in EC50 values was statistically significant (P < 0.01), that in the Hill coefficient was not obvious.


CONCLUSIONS
BXD capsule could significantly decrease crossing score and total score of open-field test and effectively enhance the neuron viability and GABA(A) receptor activity in rat cortex. Paeonimetabolins I and paeonol may play a significant role in treating PMS model rats with Liver-qi invasion by BXD capsule, and paeonol may target at GABA(A) receptor, especially.
Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250001, China.
Shiguang
S
Sun
Mingqi
M
Qiao
Huiyun
H
Zhang
D000098:Acetophenones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001565:Benzoates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005960:Glucosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019413:Qi; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006027:Glycosides
D000098:Acetophenones; D001565:Benzoates; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005960:Glucosides; D039821:Monoterpenes; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C015423:peoniflorin; D006027:Glycosides; C013638:paeonol