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Zeng J, Chen L, Peng X, Luan F, Hu J, Xie Z, Xie H, Liu R, Lv H, Zeng N. The anti-depression effect and potential mechanism of the petroleum ether fraction of CDB: Integrated network pharmacology and metabolomics. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28582. [PMID: 38586416 PMCID: PMC10998071 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The combination of Chaidangbo (CDB) is an antidepressant traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription simplified by Xiaoyaosan (a classic antidepressant TCM prescription) through dismantling research, which has the effect of dispersing stagnated liver qi and nourishing blood in TCM theory. Although the antidepressant effect of CBD has been confirmed in animal studies, the material basis and possible molecular mechanism for antidepressant activity in CBD have not been clearly elucidated. Herein, we investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of CDB antidepressant fraction (petroleum ether fraction of CDB, PEFC) on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression-like behavior in mice using network pharmacology and metabolomics. First, a UPLC-QE/MS was employed to identify the components of PEFC. To extract active ingredients, SwissADME screening was used to the real PEFC components that were found. Potential PEFC antidepressant targets were predicted based on a network pharmacology approach, and a pathway enrichment analysis was performed for the predicted targets. Afterward, a CUMS mouse depression model was established and LC-MS-based untargeted hippocampal metabolomics was performed to identify differential metabolites, and related metabolic pathways. Finally, the protein expressions in mouse hippocampi were determined by Western blot to validate the network pharmacology and metabolomics deduction. A total of 16 active compounds were screened in SwissADME that acted on 73 core targets of depression, including STAT3, MAPKs, and NR3C1; KEGG enrichment analysis showed that PEFC modulated signaling pathways such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, endocrine resistance, and MAPK to exert antidepressant effects. PEFC significantly reversed abnormalities of hippocampus metabolites in CUMS mice, mainly affecting the synthesis and metabolism of glycine, serine, and threonine, impacting catecholamine transfer and cholinergic synapses and regulating the activity of the mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, Western blot analysis confirmed that PEFC significantly influenced the main protein levels of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in the hippocampus of mice subjected to CUMS. This study integrated metabolomics, network pharmacology and biological verification to explore the potential mechanism of PEFC in treating depression, which is related to the regulation of amino acid metabolism dysfunction and the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in the hippocampus. The comprehensive strategy also provided a reasonable way for unveiling the pharmacodynamic mechanisms of multi-components, multi-targets, and multi-pathways in TCM with antidepressant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuseng Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Li Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Clinical Medical College and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Xi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Fei Luan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 712046, China
| | - Jingwen Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Zhiqiang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Hongxiao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Rong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Haizhen Lv
- Department of Pharmacy, Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment, Xi'an, 710100, China
| | - Nan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
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Zhao Q, Liu J, Chen L, Gao Z, Lin M, Wang Y, Xiao Z, Chen Y, Huang X. Phytomedicine Fructus Aurantii-derived two absorbed compounds unlock antidepressant and prokinetic multi-functions via modulating 5-HT 3/GHSR. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 323:117703. [PMID: 38185260 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Fructus Aurantii (FA), a well-known phytomedicine, has been employed to evoke antidepressant and prokinetic multi-functions. Therein, systematically identifying bioactive components and the referred mechanism is essential for FA. AIM OF THE STUDY This study was planned to answer "2 W" (What and Why), such as which components and pathways contribute to FA's multi-functions. We aimed to identify bioactive compounds as the key for opening the lock of FA's multi-functions, and the molecule mechanisms are their naturally matched lock cylinder. MATERIALS AND METHODS The phytochemical content of FA extract was determined, and the compounds were identified in rats pretreated with FA using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The contribution strategy was used to assess bioactive compounds' efficacy (doses = their content in FA) in model rats with the mechanism. The changes in functional brain regions were determined via 7.0 T functional magnetic resonance imaging-blood oxygen level-dependent (fMRI-BOLD). RESULT Eight phytochemicals' content was detected, and merely six components were identified in rats in vivo. Meranzin hydrate + hesperidin (MH), as the primary contributor of FA, exerted antidepressant and prokinetic effects (improvement of indexes for immobility time, gastric emptying, intestinal transit, CRH, ghrelin, ACTH, DA, NA, 5-HT, CORT, and 5-HT3) by regulating 5-HT3/Growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) pathway. These results were validated by 5-HT2A, 5-HT3, and GHSR receptor antagonists combined with molecule docking. MH restored the excessive BOLD activation of the left accumbens nucleus, left corpus callosum and hypothalamus preoptic region. CONCLUSION Absorbed MH accounts for FA's anti-depressant and prokinetic efficacy in acutely-stressed rats, primarily via 5-HT3/GHSR shared regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiulong Zhao
- Institute of TCM-Related Comorbid Depression, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Medical College, Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Li Chen
- Institute of TCM-Related Comorbid Depression, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhao Gao
- Institute of TCM-Related Comorbid Depression, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Muhai Lin
- Medical College, Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Medical College, Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Zhe Xiao
- Medical College, Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Medical College, Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Xi Huang
- Institute of TCM-Related Comorbid Depression, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Medical College, Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen, 361102, China.
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Gao Z, Lu C, Zhu Y, Liu Y, Lin Y, Gao W, Tian L, Wu L. Merazin hydrate produces rapid antidepressant effects by activating CaMKII to promote neuronal activities and proliferation in hippocampus. Brain Res 2024; 1822:148665. [PMID: 37924927 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
In our previous studies, we demonstrated that merazin hydrate (MH) had rapid antidepressant effects, but the deep mechanism needed to be further investigated. In this study, we used depressive-like model, behavioral tests, molecular biology and pharmacological interventions to reveal the underlying mechanisms of MH's rapid antidepressants. We found that a single administration of MH was able to produce rapid antidepressant effects in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) exposed mice at 1 day later, similar to ketamine. Moreover, MH could not only significantly up-regulated the expressions of cFOS, but also obviously increased the number of Ki67 positive cells in hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). Furthermore, we also found that the phosphorylated expression of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) was significantly reduced by CUMS in hippocampus, which was also reversed by MH. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of CaMKII by using KN-93 (a CaMKII antagonist) blocked the MH's up-regulation of cFOS and Ki67 in hippocampal DG. To sum up, this study demonstrated that MH produced rapid antidepressant effects by activating CaMKII to promote neuronal activities and proliferation in hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Gao
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Chao Lu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yaping Zhu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yuxin Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yuesong Lin
- Nanjing Luhe District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 211500, China
| | - Wenming Gao
- Nanjing Luhe District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 211500, China
| | - Liyuan Tian
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Lei Wu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing 210029, China.
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Study on Antidepressant Effect and Mechanism of Crocin Mediated by the mTOR Signaling Pathway. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:3126-3136. [PMID: 35804209 PMCID: PMC9282155 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03668-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Crocin is a monomer of Chinese traditional herbs extracted from saffron, relieving depression-like behavior. However, its underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. Herein, we explored whether crocin's antidepressant effect depended on the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. The model of PC12 cells injury was established by corticosterone, the changes in cell survival rate were tested by the CCK-8 method, and the changes in cellular morphology were observed under a fluorescence microscope. The depression model was established by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and its antidepressant effect was estimated by open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST). Western blot was used to monitor the protein expression. The results showed that crocin could effectively improve cell survival rate and cellular synaptic growth, alleviate the depressive behavior of CUMS mice, and promote the expression of BDNF, P-mTOR, P-ERK, and PSD95. However, when rapamycin was pretreated, the antidepressant effects of crocin were inhibited. In summary, crocin plays a significant antidepressant effect. After pretreatment with rapamycin, the anti-depression effect of crocin was significantly inhibited. It is suggested that the mechanism of the anti-depression effect of crocin may be related to the mTOR signaling pathway.
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