title: Effect of Zuogui Pill () on monoamine neurotransmitters and sex hormones in climacteric rats with panic attack.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of Chinese medicine prescription Zuogui Pill (, ZGP) on monoamine neurotransmitters and sex hormones in climacteric rats with induced panic attacks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight climacteric female rats were randomized into 6 groups with 8 rats in each group: the control group, the model group, the low-, medium- and high-dose ZGP groups and the alprazolam group. Rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose ZGP groups were administered 4.725, 9.45, or 18.9 g/kg ZGP by gastric perfusion, respectively. The alprazolam group was treated by gastric perfusion with 0.036 mg/kg alprazolam. The control and model groups were treated with distilled water. The animals were pretreated once daily for 8 consecutive weeks. The behaviors of rats in the open fifield test and the elevated T-maze (ETM) were observed after induced panic attack, and the levels of brain monoamine neurotransmitters and the plasma levels of sex hormones were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the control group, the mean ETM escape time and the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenalin (NE) of the model group were signifificantly reduced (P<0.05), Compared with the model group, the mean ETM escape time and the 5-HT and NE levels of all the ZGP groups increased signifificantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, no signifificant difference was observed in the levels of sex hormones between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pretreatment with ZGP in climacteric rats may improve the behavior of panic attack, which may be related to increased 5-HT and NE in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecologic, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China.|Post-doctoral Research Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecologic, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China. jiaoshouw@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D002979:Climacteric / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; C552040:zuogui
keywords: Chinese medicine; Zuogui Pill; climacteric; monoamine neurotransmitter; panic attack; sex hormone