ABSTRACT
Depression is a common emotional mental disorder. Patients not only continuously showed depression, pessimism and apathy in mood, but also have gastrointestinal symptoms such as anorexia and constipation in body. Widely attention has been also received in the potential biological role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of depression. It plays an important role in the interaction between the intestine and the brain, not only affecting the intestinal barrier function, but also maintaining the homeostasis of host through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. In recent years, the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the advantages of obvious therapeutic effects and few side effects when treating neuropsychiatric diseases, such as depression. The pharmacological mechanism of TCM exerting antidepressant effects by regulating the structure of gut microbiota, reducing displacement, and maintaining the normal function of gut microbiota has been also widely concerned. By investigating the relevant literature in recent years, this paper summarizes the antidepressant effect of TCM in different directions such as Chinese medicine monomer, single medicine and compound medicine. And this paper reviews the antidepressant effects and mechanisms of TCM at different levels, such as the correction of gut microbiota structure, the regulation of immunity, the transplantation of gut microbiota and the regulation of its metabolites. This paper will provide a basis for further explaining the mechanism of gut microbiota in depression and the mechanism of antidepressant effect of TCM.
ABSTRACT
By consulting ancient herbal medicines， medical and prescription books， combined with modern documents， the textual research of Morindae Officinalis Radix has been conducted to verify the name， origin， changes in production areas， quality evaluation， harvesting， and processing methods， so as to provide reference and basis for the development and utilization of the famous classical formulas. After textual research， the production areas of Morindae Officinalis Radix has experienced great changes from north to south in history. The original plants involve 11 families， 14 genera and 21 species， and the mainstream varieties in ancient times were Damnacanthus officinarum and D. indicus， and the basis of Morindae Officinalis Radix in modern times has changed into the dry roots of Morinda officinalis produced in Guangdong province and other places. The medicinal parts of Morindae Officinalis Radix in ancient and modern times are all roots， and the quality is better if it has many beads， thick flesh， and purple color. Ancient medical books recorded that it was usually harvested in February and August， dried in the shade， and used to remove the wood core. And the modern harvesting and processing method is to dig throughout the year， first remove the fibrous roots， dry in the sun until 60%-70% dry， gently beat flatten and dry in the sun. The processing methods of the past dynasties are mainly salt-， vinegar-， wine-processed， etc. Based on the systematic research of Morindae Officinalis Radix， from the perspective of clinical experience and safety and effectiveness， it is recommended that the famous classical formulas should be developed from the mainstream variety since modern times， namely Morindae Officinalis Radix.
ABSTRACT
@#【Objective】To provide a rabbit model for dry eye using a dry environment induced by Controlled Drying System.【Methods】Twenty-four male New Zealand rabbits were used in the experiment. They were randomly divided into control group and dry group，each one with 12 rabbits. The dry group was randomly housed in Controlled Drying System（CDS）for 14 days. The relative humidity，airflow and temperature were kept at（22±4）%，3~4 m/s and（23~25）℃， respectively. The control group were fed in a normal environment where relative humidity，airflow and temperature were kept at 60%~70%，0.2 m/s and（23~25）℃. The Schirmer test，corneal fluorescein staining，conjunctival lissamine green staining were performed during the experimental process on days 0，3，7，and 14. On the last day，the rabbits were euthanized and the eye tissues were made into paraffin-cut sections. After staining，we evaluated the corneal epithelial thickness and goblet cell number in the conjunctiva using light microscopy. MUC5AC in the conjunctival epithelium was detected by immunofluorescence. The apoptosis level changes on the ocular surface were evaluated using Caspase- 3 by immunohistochemistry. 【Results】 Decreased tear production ，increased corneal fluorescein staining and increased conjunctival lissamine green staining were found on days 3，7，and 14 in the dry group compared with the control group（P < 0.001）. Corneal epithelial thickness of control group and dry group were （58.0±7.2）μ m and（47.8±7.6）μ m ，which showed corneal epithelial thickness of dry group was decreased（P＜0.05）. Goblet cells in the conjunctiva of control group and dry group were 15 ± 4 and 10 ± 2，which showed goblet cells of dry group was decreased（P＜0.01）. The expression of MUC5AC（consistent with goblet cells deficiency） was also reduced. Caspase- 3 was highly expressed on the corneal epithelium in the dry group. IOD/field of control group and dry group were（17±2）% and（20±2）%（P＜0.01）.【Conclusions】 Dry environment can make rabbits have pathological changes of dry eye on ocular surface epithelium. This dry eye model of rabbit caused by Controlled Drying System would be an effective tool to study the pathogenesis of dry eye.