title: Neurological mechanism of Xiaochaihutang's antidepressant-like effects to socially isolated adult rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Xiaochaihutang (XCHT) has antidepressant effects in multiple animal models of depression in our previous studies. But the antidepressant effects and exact mechanisms of XCHT in a rat model of chronic social isolation stress (CSIS) have never been studied. We therefore aimed to investigate the effects of XCHT on depressive/anxiety-related behaviours of CSIS-exposed rats and understand the neurological mechanism involving neurogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We established the CSIS model and then investigated the effects of XCHT on behavioural change. HPLC-MS/MS was adopted to quantify neurotransmitter levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Immunofluorescence technology was used to study the effects of XCHT on neurogenesis; while expressions of 5-HT1A receptor signalling pathway in the hippocampus were measured using Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Xiaochaihutang significantly alleviated depressive/anxiety-like behaviours of CSIS-exposed rats. XCHT significantly regulated levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the CSF without affecting Glu, GABA and ACh. XCHT also significantly increased neurogenesis in CSIS-exposed rats. Additionally, XCHT reversed CSIS-induced decrease of 5-HT1A receptor expression and promoted the expression of BDNF in the hippocampus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that XCHT could significantly regulate the depressive/anxiety-like behaviours induced by CSIS, which are likely attributed to the promotion of hippocampal neurogenesis and neurotrophin expressions through the activation of serotonergic system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China. wucf@syphu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chun Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Jing Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Ying Xu
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Food and Wine, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Guang Yue
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Kuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Zhi Qian
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Long Wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Ting Shuo
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Shao Jiang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; C461320:shosaiko-to; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D012701:Serotonin
keywords: 5-HT1A receptor; chronic social isolation stress; neurogenesis; neurotransmitter