title: Three Chinese herbal medicines promote neuroproliferation in vitro, and reverse the effects of chronic mild stress on behavior, the HPA axis, and proliferation of hippocampal precursor cell in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study investigated whether Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) could reverse the effects of chronic mild stress (CMS) in a depression-like mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of three Chinese herbals, Rhizome Chuanxiong, Radix Scutellaria and Radix Phellodendri on promoting neuroproliferation were evaluated in vitro first and followed by in vivo study of mice which were received by an experimental setting of CMS for 14 days. The effects of the three CHMs on depression were evaluated using a behavioral test, named a forced swimming test (FST). The possible anti-depressive mechanisms of these three CHMs, including the modulation of HPA axis and promoting the hippocampal precursor cell proliferation, were evaluated by measuring plasma corticosterone levels and BrdU incorporation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The in vitro results of MTS assay showed that Rhizome Chuanxiong, Radix Scutellaria and Radix Phellodendri could promote the proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in a concentration-dependent manner. The oral administration of these three CHMs for 14 days reversed not only the elevation of plasma corticosterone levels and body weight loss, but also the decreasing of hippocampal precursor cell proliferation and abnormal behavior in the CMS induced depression-like mouse model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicated that Rhizome Chuanxiong, Radix Scutellaria and Radix Phellodendri have the potential to ameliorate depression. The possible mechanisms were the inhibition of HPA axis hyperactivity and the increasing of hippocampal precursor cell proliferation. These findings supported the multicomponent and multitargeted approach of Chinese herbal medicine.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. paolhaa@gmail.com
authors.forename: Li-Heng
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Pao
authors.forename: Shao-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Gao-Ge
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shih-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Kuo-Hsing
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D003345:Corticosterone