title: Free and Easy Wanderer Plus (FEWP) improves behavioral deficits in an animal model of post-traumatic stress disorder by stimulating allopregnanolone biosynthesis.
abstract: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe psychiatric condition defined as a "trauma and stress-related disorder". Dampened allopregnanolone biosynthesis has been implicated as a possible contributor to PTSD aetiology. Free and Easy Wanderer Plus (FEWP) is a traditional Chinese medicine previously shown to be effective in PTSD treatment. However, little is known about the role of allopregnanolone in the anti-PTSD effects of FEWP. To evaluate this, the single prolonged stress (SPS) model was used in the present study. SPS-induced rats were administered FEWP (at doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, p.o.) after induction of SPS from days 2 through 15. After exposure to SPS, behavioral assessments were determined, including the open-field test, the contextual fear paradigm, and the elevated plus-maze test. The experimental model rats were decapitated at the end of the behavioral tests and the level of allopregnanolone in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The behavioral deficits of the SPS-induced rats were significantly reversed by FEWP (at doses of 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, p.o.). The level of allopregnanolone was increased by administration of FEWP. In summary, this study indicated that the anti-PTSD effects of FEWP were associated with allopregnanolone biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Clinical Pharmacy Department of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Kun
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, PR China.
authors.forename: Guan-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China.
authors.forename: Jia-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Clinical Pharmacy Department of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-Chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Clinical Pharmacy Department of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, PR China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University Medical College, Jiangyin 214400, PR China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Clinical Pharmacy Department of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, PR China.
authors.forename: Yong-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Clinical Pharmacy Department of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, PR China. Electronic address: cjslym@163.com.
authors.forename: Ji-Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, PR China. Electronic address: brain120@qq.com.
authors.forename: Cheng-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005239:Fear; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D011280:Pregnanolone
keywords: Allopregnanolone; Behavioral deficits; FEWP; PTSD