ABSTRACT
Depression, a chronic syndrome with significant and lasting depression and sleep disturbance, is the most common mental disorder.Recent studies have shown that melatonin plays an important role in the occurrence and development of depression.rI1iis review describes the antidepressant effects of melatonin from HPA axis, cytokines, neurosynaptic plasticity and monoamine neurotransmitters, and summarizes the melatonin receptor agonists agomelatine, ramelteon and piromelatine antidepressant effects.A theoretical basis is expected to provide a reference for the study of melatonin's antidepressant mechanism.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the discrepancies between chemical constituents in Dao-di herb and non Dao-di herb of Huangqin (the root of Scutellaria baicalensis), study the impact of habitat and growth pattern (including cultivated and wild Huangqin) on chemical substances of Huangqin, and then provide evidence for the identification of Dao-di herb and quality evaluation of Huangqin.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The chemical constituents in Huangqin collected from different habitats and under different growth patterns, were analyzed using HPLC fingerprint. The fingerprints obtained were then evaluated by hierarchical clustering analysis, principal component analysis and components peak area pattern.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The fingerprints' chemical profiles of Dao-di herb and non Dao-di Huangqin had significant disparity. The fingerprints of modem Dao-di herb Huangqin samples originated from Chengde (Hebei Province) were significantly different from those from other habitats, though the fingerprints of the non Dao-di Huangqin collected from Chifeng (Inner Mongolia) and Chengde had high similarity to each other. The chemical characteristics of Huangqin samples collected from the habitats recorded in ancient herbals, such as Qingyang (Gansu Province), Yan'an (Shaanxi Province), Linyi (Shangdong Province), Changzhi and Jinzhong (Shanxi Province) were similar. The fingerprints of modern non Dao-di samples collected from Dingxi and Longnan (Gansu Province) and Shangluo (Shaanxi Province) had high similarity. In addition, the content of acteoside in wild Huangqin was higher than that in cultivated Huangqin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Dao-di herb and non Dao-di herb of Huangqin could be distinguished using the developed HPLC fingerprints. The results obtained may provide evidence for the quality control and pharmcodynamical research of Dao-di herb and non Dao-di Huangqin.</p>