Shugan Jianpi Yangxin Prescription Regulates Orexin-A and Its Receptors in Mouse Model of Insomnia / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the interventional effects of Shugan Jianpi Yangxin prescription on the expression of orexin-A （OXA）， orexin-1 receptor （OX1R）， and orexin-2 receptor （OX2R） in the mouse model of insomnia. MethodThe mouse model of insomnia was established by intraperitoneal injection of DL-4-chlorophenylalanine （PCPA）. Fifty BALB/c mice were randomized into a blank group， a model group， an eszopiclone （0.13 mg·kg-1） group， and low- and high-dose （8.4 and 33.6 g·kg-1， respectively） Shugan Jianpi Yangxin prescription groups and treated with the corresponding drugs for 14 consecutive days. The weight changes of mice were monitored， and Morris water maze and pentobarbital-induced sleep tests were conducted. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to examine the expression of OXA in the hypothalamus. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of OXA and 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） in the hypothalamus， serum， and spleen. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to determine the mRNA levels of OXA， OX1R， and OX2R in the hypothalamus. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group had decreased body weight （P<0.01）， increased escape latency （P<0.01）， increased sleep latency （P<0.01）， shortened sleep duration （P<0.01）， elevated OXA level and lowered 5-HT level in the hypothalamus， serum， and spleen （P<0.05）， and up-regulated mRNA levels of OXA， OX1R， and OX2R in the hypothalamus （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the low- and high-dose groups of Shugan Jianpi Yangxin prescription showed increased body weight （P<0.05， P<0.01）， shortened escape latency （P<0.05）， shortened sleep latency and prolonged sleep duration （P<0.01）， and lowered OXA level and elevated 5-HT level in the hypothalamus， serum， and spleen （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the two doses of Shugan Jianpi Yangxin prescription down-regulated the mRNA levels of OXA， OX1R， and OX2R in the hypothalamus （P<0.01）. ConclusionShugan Jianpi Yangxin prescription exerts sedative and hypnotic effects in mice by increasing the content of 5-HT in the brain and inhibiting the expression of OXA and its receptors in the hypothalamus.

Network meta-analysis of triple therapy for the prevention and treatment of acute nausea and vomiting caused by emetogenic chemotherapy drugs with moderate and high risk / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of the triple therapy of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists， neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists and dexamethasone （referred to as “triple therapy”） in the prevention and treatment of acute nausea and vomiting caused by moderately and highly emetogenic chemotherapy drugs. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed， Embase， the Cochrane Library， CNKI and Wanfang data， randomized controlled trials （RCTs） about triple therapy or 5-HT3 receptor antagonist combined with dexamethasone （referred to as “dual therapy”） were collected during the inception to May 2023. After literature screening， data extraction and literature evaluation， network meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 16.0 software. RESULTS A total of 59 RCTs were included， involving 23 418 patients and 15 interventions. Results of network meta-analysis showed that fosaprepitant + palonosetron + dexamethasone （FPD） was most effective in terms of acute nausea and vomiting control rate， followed by fosaprepitant + granisetron + dexamethasone （FGD） and aprepitant + ramosetron + dexamethasone （AMD）. In terms of acute nausea control rate， FPD was the most effective， followed by aprepitant + palonosetron + dexamethasone （APD） and FGD. In terms of acute vomiting control rate， FPD was the most effective， followed by FGD and APD. CONCLUSIONS Fosaprepitant + palonosetron + dexamethasone is better than other triple therapy or dual therapy in preventing acute nausea and vomiting caused by moderately and highly emetogenic chemotherapy drugs.

Role of 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptors in the regulation of anxiety reactions / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) type 3 receptor (5-HT3R) is the only type of ligand-gated ion channel in the 5-HT receptor family. Through the high permeability of Na+, K+, and Ca2+ and activation of subsequent voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), 5-HT3R induces a rapid increase of neuronal excitability or the release of neurotransmitters from axon terminals in the central nervous system (CNS). 5-HT3Rs are widely expressed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala (AMYG), hippocampus (HIP), periaqueductal gray (PAG), and other brain regions closely associated with anxiety reactions. They have a bidirectional regulatory effect on anxiety reactions by acting on different types of cells in different brain regions. 5-HT3Rs mediate the activation of the cholecystokinin (CCK) system in the AMYG, and the γ‍-aminobutyric acid (GABA) "disinhibition" mechanism in the prelimbic area of the mPFC promotes anxiety by the activation of GABAergic intermediate inhibitory neurons (IINs). In contrast, a 5-HT3R-induced GABA "disinhibition" mechanism in the infralimbic area of the mPFC and the ventral HIP produces anxiolytic effects. 5-HT2R-mediated regulation of anxiety reactions are also activated by 5-HT3R-activated 5-HT release in the HIP and PAG. This provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of anxiety disorders or the production of anxiolytic drugs by targeting 5-HT3Rs. However, given the circuit specific modulation of 5-HT3Rs on emotion, systemic use of 5-HT3R agonism or antagonism alone seems unlikely to remedy anxiety, which deeply hinders the current clinical application of 5-HT3R drugs. Therefore, the exploitation of circuit targeting methods or a combined drug strategy might be a useful developmental approach in the future.

Up-regulation of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Rostral Ventromedial Medulla Contributes to Chronic Postsurgical Pain by Promoting 5-HT Release / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNFα） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） in rostral ventromedial medulla （RVM） in chronic postsurgical pain （CPSP） induced by skin/muscle incision and retraction （SMIR）. MethodsSD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups： ① Sham group； ② SMIR group； ③ SMIR+TNFα/IL-1β neutralizing antibody group； ④ SMIR+TNFα/IL-1β group and ⑤ SMIR+vehicle group. 50% paw mechanical withdrawal threshold （MWT） was measured by the up-down method， immunofluroscence was used to detect the TNFα and IL-1β expression and ELISA for the 5-Hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） level. ResultsSMIR elicited persistent nociceptive sensitization， upregulated TNFα and IL-1β expression in RVM neurons and astrocytes. Microinjection of TNFα or IL-1β neutralizing antibody into RVM inhibited the development of nociceptive sensitization and decreased the level of 5-HT in both RVM and spinal dorsal horn. While microinjection of recombinant TNFα or IL-1β into RVM enhanced the development of nociceptive sensitization and increased the level of 5-HT in both RVM and spinal dorsal horn. ConclusionUp-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines in RVM may contribute to SMIR induced CPSP by promoting 5-HT release.

Syndromes and Mechanisms of Depression Induced by Second Hit in Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the syndromes and mechanisms of depression induced by maternal separation （MS） combined with chronic restraint stress （RS） in mice. MethodOn postnatal day 0 （PD0）， the offspring mice were randomized into a blank group （NC） and a modeling group. The mouse model of depression was established by MS+RS for 21 days. After removal of female mice on PD21， the modeled mice were randomized into model， Wenyang， Jieyu， Wenyang Jieyu， and fluoxetine groups， with 15 mice in each group. The sucrose preference， tail suspension， and open field tests were carried out to evaluate the anxiety and depression-like behavior in mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the adrenocorticotrophic hormone （ACTH） and corticosterone （CORT） levels in mouse plasma. High performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector was used to determine the content of monoamine neurotransmitters in the hippocampus. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to determine the mRNA levels of genes in the 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） system， hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal （HPA） axis， and brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） signaling pathway in the hippocampus. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression levels of proteins in the 5-HT system and HPA axis in the hippocampus. The Simple Western system was used to determine the protein levels of BDNF and tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB） in the hippocampus. ResultCompared with the NC group， the model group exhibited depression-like behavior， which was significantly relieved by Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine. Compared with the NC group， the model group showed elevated levels of CORT and ACTH in the plasma （P<0.01）， which， however， were lowered by Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the NC group， the model group showed inhibited expression of neurotransmitters in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine restored the expression of neurotransmitters （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with NC group， the model group showed inhibition of the 5-HTergic nerve and abnormal activation of the HPA axis， and Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine regulated the abnormal state of the 5-HTergic nerve and HPA axis. Compared with NC group， the modeling down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）， which， however， were recovered in Wenyang， Jieyu， Wenyang Jieyu， and fluoxetine groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe mouse model of depression induced by MS+RS may present the syndrome of Yang deficiency and liver depression. Wenyang Jieyu prescription may increase the content of hippocampal neurotransmitters by regulating the 5-HT system and the BDNF signaling pathway mediated by the HPA axis， thereby alleviating depression-like behavior in mice.

The Efficacy of Different Triptans for the Treatment of Acute Headache in Pediatric Migraine: A Systematic Review

Background: Serotonin receptors 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D in the cerebral arteries are activated by the 5-hydroxytryptophan agonists (triptans) to relieve the discomfort associated with migraines. Even though triptans are often used to treat acute migraines, there is some debate over their effectiveness. Objective: Our systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of triptans for acute treatment of migraine in young individuals. Methods: Utilizing the databases of Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and PubMed, a literature search was conducted, and all papers published till July 2022 were included. This systematic review was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. In addition to the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT, the following descriptive terms were also used: “Triptans,” “Pediatric Migraine,” “Migraine disorders,” “Headache,” “Children,” and “Adolescent.” Results: A total of 1047 studies were identified, and 25 articles were finally included in the study. 17 of them were RCTs while the remaining were non-randomized trials. Most studies recruited participants aged between 12-17 years. Among 25 studies, 7 reported sumatriptan use, 3 assessed a combination of sumatriptan and naproxen, 4 were on almotriptan, 1 on eletriptan, 6 on rizatriptan, and 4 on zolmitriptan use. Conclusion: We found that rizatriptan (good tolerability profile with a dose of 5 mg) and sumatriptan (nasal spray, 10 mg and 20 mg) had higher efficiency as compared to other triptans. Regardless of type or dose, all triptans are generally well tolerated by patients, but a few adverse effects such as light-headedness (sumatriptan), nasopharyngitis, and, muscular spasms (sumatriptan/ naproxen), somnolence, and dry mouth (rizatriptan), and dizziness (zolmitriptan group) were reported with the triptans.

Image-guided Strategy of Intensity-modulated Radiotherapy in Helical Tomography for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the difference in setup error before and after correction of systematic error. To determine the most appropriate image-guided strategy during HT treatment， we use different scanning ranges and image-guidance frequencies in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） treated with helical tomotherapy （HT）. MethodsFifteen patients with NPC who received HT treatment in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from October 2019 to February 2020 were selected. Megavoltage computed tomography （MVCT） scanning was performed before each treatment. After five times of radiotherapy， system-error correction was performed to adjust the setup center. The setup errors before and after the correction of systematic errors， as well as the setup errors of different scanning ranges and different scanning frequencies， were collected for analysis and comparison. ResultsWhen comparing the setup errors before and after the correction of systematic error， the differences in setup errors in the left–right （LR）， superior–inferior （SI）， and anterior–posterior （AP） directions were statistically significant （P<0.05）.The different scanning ranges of "nasopharynx + neck" and "nasopharynx" were compared， and a statistically significant difference was found in yaw rotational errors （P<0.05）. In the comparison of daily and weekly scan frequency after system-error correction， a significant difference was found in AP direction （P<0.05）. ConclusionDuring radiotherapy for NPC， the systematic error can be corrected according to the first five setup errors， and then small-scale scanning was selected for image-guided radiotherapy every day.

Mechanism of Shaoyaotang in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Shaoyaotang （SYT） in the treatment of ulcerative colitis （UC） based on network pharmacology and experimental verification. MethodThe core components， target genes， and main pathways of SYT were predicted based on network pharmacology， and UC-related components， target genes， and pathways were screened. Dextran sodium sulfate （DSS） was used to induce the UC model in mice， and the effect of SYT on UC mice was observed， followed by mechanism verification. ResultNetwork pharmacology indicated that 174 active components and corresponding 159 target genes of SYT were screened， and the related pathways were those mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） degredation and 5-HT receptor 3. The results of animal experiments showed that compared with the model group， the SYT group showed increased body weight and colon length（P<0.01）， reduced disease activity index （DAI） score （P<0.01）， improved histopathological manifestations， reduced concentrations of 5-HT in the colonic tissues and serum （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and increased mRNA expression of monoamine oxidase A （MAOA）， monoamine oxidase B （MAOB）， sodium-dependent serotonin transporter （SLC6A4）， and 5-HT receptor 3A （5-HTR3A） related to 5-HT metabolism in the colon （P<0.01）. ConclusionSYT can alleviate the local inflammatory response of the intestinal tract in UC by regulating 5-HT degredation pathways.

Study on reverse transsynaptic virus tracing targeting Shenmen (HT7) and heart in mice / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To investigate the neural connections between Shenmen (HT7)-heart and the brain by observing the tracing viruses co-labeled brain nuclear groups after injection of the pseudorabies viruses (PRV), the reverse transsynaptic virus tracer carrying different fluorescent protein genes, into the myocardium and Shenmen (HT7) point, respectively.Methods: Pseudorabies virus 531 (PRV531) carrying the green fluorescent protein gene and pseudorabies virus 724 (PRV724) carrying the red fluorescent protein gene were injected into the left ventricular wall and Shenmen (HT7) point area of the left forelimb of six C57BL/6 mice, respectively. After 120 h, whole brain tissue was extracted under 4％ paraformaldehyde perfusion to prepare brain sections. Neuronal co-labeling with the tracing viruses was observed under fluorescence microscopy. Results: Co-labeled signals from the mouse ventricular wall and Shenmen (HT7) point region were found at all levels of the mouse central nervous areas, such as the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. The number of co-labeled neurons was higher in the primary motor area, the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, the subceruleus nucleus, and the paramedian reticular nucleus. Conclusion: There is a neural connection between Shenmen (HT7), the heart, and the brain, which may be most closely related to the autonomic nervous system.

Contrasting effects of DOM and lisuride on impul-sive decision-making in delay discounting task / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE The 5-HT2A receptor is the major target of classic hallucinogens.Both DOM(2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine)and lisuride act at 5-HT2A receptors,and lisuride shares comparable affinity with DOM and acts as a partial agonist at 5-HT2A recep-tors.However,not like DOM,lisuride lacks hallucinogenic properties.Impulsive decision-making refers to the prefer-ence for an immediate small reinforcer(SR)over a delayed large reinforcer(LR).The current study aims to compare the effects of DOM and lisuride on impulsive decision-making and further to investigate the possible receptor mechanisms responsible for the actions of the two drugs.METHODS Impulsive decision-making was evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats by the percent-age of choice for the LR in delay discounting task(DDT).Delay to the LR changed in an ascending order(0,4,8,16,and 32 s)across one session.RESULTS DOM(0.3 and 0.5 mg·kg-1)increased impulsive decision-making,and the effects of DOM(0.5 mg·kg-1)was blocked by the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin(1.0 mg·kg-1)rather than the 5-HT2C receptor antagonist SB-242084(1.0 mg·kg-1).Contrarily,lisuride(0.1,0.3 and 0.5 mg·kg-1)decreased impulsive decision-making.The effects of lisu-ride(0.3 mg·kg-1)were not antagonized by ketanserin(1.0 mg·kg-1),selective 5-HT1A antagonist WAY-100635(1.0 mg·kg-1)or selective dopamine D4 receptor antagonist L-745870(1.0 mg·kg-1),but were attenuated by the selec-tive dopamine D2/D3 receptor antagonist tiapride(40 mg·kg-1).CONCLUSION DOM and lisuride have contrasting effects on impulsive decision-making via distinct recep-tors.DOM-induced increase of impulsivity is mediated by the 5-HT2A receptor,while lisuride-induced inhibition of impulsivity is regulated by the dopamine D2/D3 receptor.

Nuciferine,an aromatic ring-containing alkaloid,delivers sedative-hypnotic effects through serotoner-gic system / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE Insomnia is the most fre-quent sleep disorder worldwide and the clinical applica-tion of therapeutic drugs has various adverse effects.In recent years,drugs developed from natural herbs have become potential alternative therapies for insomnia.Nuciferine,one of the main bioactive components obtained from the lotus leaves,has been reported to possess extensive pharmacological activities.However,its hypnotic and sleep regulatory effects have rarely been reported.Hence,this study was intended to investigate the pharma-cological effects of nuciferine and its mechanisms of action in insomnia.METHODS The hypnotic and seda-tive effects of nuciferine were investigated using the eval-uation of locomotor activity test and pentobarbital-induced sleep test in normal and serotonin(5-HT)depletion-induced insomniac mice.Furthermore,the sleep regulatory effects,including sleep time,sleep architecture,and δ-wave power spectral density,were explored using elec-troencephalography/electromyogram(EEG/EMG)-based sleep profiling in normal rats.Finally,the mechanisms of the hypnotic and sedative effects of nuciferine were explored usingin vivoand in silico experiments.RESULTS Nuciferine reduced locomotor activity and prolonged pen-tobarbital-induced sleep time in a dose-dependent man-ner in normal and insomniac model mice.Nuciferine sig-nificantly increased the total sleep time and non-rapid eye movement(NREM)sleep time,inhibited NREM sleep fragmentation,and improved delta power between 0.5 Hz and 1 Hz in normal rats.The results of molecular experiments showed that nuciferine could increase the 5-HT content and 5-HT1A receptor level in the hypothala-mus of insomnia model mice.CONCLUSION This study combined network pharmacological prediction and experi-mental pharmacological techniques to discover the seda-tive-hypnotic effect of nuciferine for the first time Nucif-erine can ameliorate sleep disorder in mice with insom-nia,possibly via serotonergic system.Nuciferine may rep-resent a novel treatment that alleviate the insomnia-like symptoms by modulating 5-HT system.

Neurotoxicity mechanism of aconitine in HT22 cells studied by microfluidic chip-mass spectrometry / 药物分析学报

Aconitine,a common and main toxic component of Aconitum,is toxic to the central nervous system.However,the mechanism of aconitine neurotoxicity is not yet clear.In this work,we had the hypothesis that excitatory amino acids can trigger excitotoxicity as a pointcut to explore the mechanism of neurotoxicity induced by aconitine.HT22 cells were simulated by aconitine and the changes of target cell metabolites were real-time online investigated based on a microfluidic chip-mass spectrometry system.Meanwhile,to confirm the metabolic mechanism of aconitine toxicity on HT22 cells,the levels of lactate dehydrogenase,intracellular Ca2+,reactive oxygen species,glutathione and superoxide dismutase,and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 protein were detected by molecular biotechnology.Integration of the detected results revealed that neurotoxicity induced by aconitine was associated with the process of excitotoxicity caused by glutamic acid and aspartic acid,which was followed by the accumulation of lactic acid and reduction of glucose.The surge of extracellular glutamic acid could further lead to a series of cascade reactions including intracellular Ca2+overload and oxidative stress,and eventually result in cell apoptosis.In general,we illustrated a new mechanism of aconitine neurotoxicity and presented a novel analysis strategy that real-time online monitoring of cell metabolites can provide a new approach to mechanism analysis.

Clinical Effect of Tiaoxin Formula in Treatment of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Anxiety/Depression and Its Impact on Serum 5-HT， β-TG and MPO Levels / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical effect of Tiaoxin formula in the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease and anxiety/depression and its impact on serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， β- thromboglobulin （β-TG） and myeloperoxidase （MPO）. MethodA total of 66 patients with coronary heart disease and anxiety/depression were randomly divided into the Tiaoxin formula group and Deanxit group， 33 cases in each group. Both groups were given fundamental western treatment for coronary heart disease. Additionally， the Deanxit group was treated with flupentixol and melitracen tablets and the Tiaoxin formula group was treated with Tiaoxin Formula. The treatment lasted 8 weeks. Before and after treatment， the changes of clinical efficacy， Patient Health Questionnaire （PHQ-9）， Generalized Anxiety Disorder （GAD-7） scale， Seattle Angina Questionnaire （SAQ）， heart rate variability， and serum 5-HT， β-TG and MPO levels， and incidence of adverse reactions in the two groups were observed. ResultThere was no significant difference in the baseline indexes of patients in the two groups， and thus the two groups were comparable. After treatment for 8 weeks， the total effective rate for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in the Tiaoxin Formula group was 87.88% （29/33） higher than 63.64% （21/33） in the Deanxit group （Z=-2.653， P<0.05）. Compared with those before treatment， the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores of the two groups were decreased at week 4 and 8 of treatment （P<0.05）， and there was no statistical difference between two groups. And the SAQ dimension scores of the two groups were increased at week 4 and 8 of treatment （P<0.05）. Compared with the Deanxit group， the Tiaoxin Formula group had elevation in two dimension scores： Physical limitation and angina stability （P<0.05）. Compared with the conditions before treatment， the serum 5-HT level in the two groups were increased， while the β-TG and MPO levels were lowered （P<0.05）， and there was no distinct difference between two groups. In addition， the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals （SDNN） and standard deviation of average normal-to-normal intervals （SDANN） of the heart rate variability in the Tiaoxin formula group were elevated after treatment （P<0.05）， which were more significant than those of the Deanxit group （P<0.05）. During the treatment period， the incidence of adverse drug reactions in the Tiaoxin formula group was lower than that in the Deanxit group （P<0.05）， and no adverse events were observed in the two groups. ConclusionTiaoxin formula was effective for the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease accompanied by anxiety and depression， which improved the clinical symptoms， increased serum 5-HT levels， and decreased serum β-TG and MPO levels， and had few adverse reactions and high safety for patients， showing a high clinical value.

Review of research progress on neurotransmitter function and depression / 中国药理学通报

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders with high prevalence, disability and relapse rates, and its etiology and pathogenesis are complex and still not fully understood. Neurotransmitters play a key role in maintaining chemical homeostasis in brain, and many studies have shown a strong link between neurotransmitters and the development and treatment of depression in recent years. Therefore, studying the neurotransmitters associated with depression has the potential to provide research targets and ideas for the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of depression. This paper reviews the recent domestic and foreign research results on neurotransmitter function and the pathogenesis of depression, aiming to analyze the in-depth relationship between neurotransmitter function and the pathogenesis of depression, and provide research ideas for the follow-up ex-ploration of the pathogenesis and diagnosis and treatment strategies of depression.

Research progress of 5-HT / 中国药理学通报

The serotonin 2A receptor(5-HT

Histamine H / 中国药理学通报

Aim To determine the effect of histamine H

The neuroprotective effect of sodium pyruvate on mouse hippocampal neural HT22 cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the effect of sodium pyruvate on apoptosis and autophagy of HT22 in mouse hippocampal neuronal cells under hypoxia conditions. Methods HT22 cells were incubated with different concentrations of sodium pyruvate to detect their cellular activity by MTS; iron staining was used to further observe the effect of sodium pyruvate on HT22 cells in mitochondrial metabolism; lysosomal staining was applied to detect the lysosomal changes of sodium pyruvate on HT22 cells; Western blot was used to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and LC3-II/LC3- I proteins. Results To verify whether sodium pyruvate exerted neuroprotective effects on mouse hippocampal HT22 cells through affecting mitochondrial apoptosis and autophagy pathways, which were improved by administration of sodium pyruvate. Conclusions Sodium pyruvate administration under hypoxic conditions can reduce the neuroprotective effect of hypoxic injury by reducing apoptosis and activating autophagy in HT22 cells.

Effects of umbilical moxibustion on phobic behavior and monoamine neurotransmitters in stress-model rats / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of umbilical moxibustion therapy on phobic behavior and the contents of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in different brain regions of the stress-model rats and explore the potential mechanism of umbilical moxibustion on phobic behavior.@*METHODS@#Among 50 Wistar male rats, 45 rates were selected and randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an umbilical moxibustion group, 15 rats in each one; and the rest 5 rats were used for preparing the model of electric shock. The bystander electroshock method was adopted to prepare phobic stress model in the model group and the umbilical moxibustion group. After modeling, the intervention with umbilical moxibustion started in the umbilical moxibustion group, in which, the ginger-isolated moxibustion was applied at "Shenque" (CV 8), once daily, 2 cones for 20 min each time, for consecutively 21 days. After modeling and intervention completed, the rats in each group were subjected to the open field test to evaluate the state of fear. After intervention, the Morris water maze test and fear conditioning test were performed to evaluate the changes in learning and memory ability and the state of fear. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus were determined.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the horizontal and vertical activity scores were lower (P<0.01), the number of stool particles was increased (P<0.01), the escape latency was prolonged (P<0.01), the times of target quadrant were reduced (P<0.01), and the freezing time was prolonged (P<0.05) in the rats of the model group. The horizontal and vertical activity scores were increased (P<0.05), the number of stool particles was reduced (P<0.05), the escape latency was shortened (P<0.05, P<0.01), the times of target quadrant were increased (P<0.05), and the freezing time was shortened (P<0.05) in the rats of the umbilical moxibustion group when compared with the model group. The trend search strategy was adopted in the control group and the umbilical moxibustion group, while the random search strategy was used in rats of the model group. Compared with the control group, the contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus were reduced (P<0.01) in the model group. In the umbilical moxibustion group, the contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01) when compared with the model group.@*CONCLUSION@#Umbilical moxibustion can effectively relieve the state of fear and learning and memory impairment of phobic stress model rats, which may be related to the up-regulation of contents of brain neurotransmitters, i.e. NE, DA, and 5-HT.

Effect of Magnolia officinalis Cortex Before and After Sweating on Distribution of Intestinal Flora and Levels of 5-HT and SP in IBS-C Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Magnolia officinalis cortex for constipation-type irritable bowel syndrome（IBS-C） rats before and after sweating. MethodIBS-C rat model was established by gavage of ice water， and rats were randomly divided into the blank group， model group， mosapride group（1 mg·kg-1）， M. officinalis cortex group（10 g·kg-1） and sweated M. officinalis cortex group（10 g·kg-1）. The changes of body weight， fecal number and fecal water content of rats were observed， 16S rRNA sequencing was used to detect the structural changes of fecal intestinal flora in rats， the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine（5-HT） and substance P（SP） in colonic tissues of rats were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. ResultCompared with the model group， the fecal water content and fecal number of mosapride group， M. officinalis cortex group and sweated M. officinalis cortex group were significantly increased（P<0.05）. At the phylum level， the top four species of flora abundance were Firmicutes， Bacteroidetes， Spirochaetes and Proteobacteria. Compared with the blank group， the proportion of Firmicutes in the model group was significantly reduced（P<0.05）， while the proportion of Spirochaetes was significantly increased（P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the proportion of Firmicutes and Spirochaetes in M. officinalis cortex group and sweated M. officinalis cortex group tended to be similar to that in the blank group， and the proportion of Spirochaetes in sweated M. officinalis cortex group was lower than that of M. officinalis cortex group. At the family level， the top four species of flora abundance were Lactobacillaceae， S24_7， Ruminococcaceae， Bacteroidaceae， compared with the blank group， the proportion of Lactobacillaceae in the model group decreased significantly（P<0.05）， and its proportion in the M. officinalis cortex group and sweated M. officinalis cortex group increased significantly after administration（P<0.05）， and the flora structure of the two groups tended to be similar to that of the blank group. At the genus level， the top four species of flora abundance were Lactobacillus， Unspecified_S24_7， Bacteroides and Treponema. Compared with the blank group， the proportion of Lactobacillus in the model group decreased significantly（P<0.05）， while the proportion of Treponema increased significantly（P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， ratio of bacterial structure of Lactobacillus and Treponema in the M. officinalis cortex group and sweated M. officinalis cortex group tended to be similar to those in the blank group， indicating that M. officinalis cortex could restore the intestinal microbial structure of IBS-C rats before and after sweating. Compared with the model group， the 5-HT content in mosapride group was significantly reduced（P<0.05）， the contents of 5-HT and SP in the M. officinalis cortex group and sweated M. officinalis cortex group were significantly increased（P<0.01）， and the sweated M. officinalis cortex group was higher than the M. officinalis cortex group. ConclusionM. officinalis cortex can play a therapeutic role on IBS-C rats by regulating 5-HT pathway and intestinal flora structure before and after sweating.

7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxybenzoapyrene induced ferroptosis in mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells and its mechanism / 环境与职业医学

Background Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) has neurotoxicity, which can induce the loss of hippocampal neurons in humans and animals and lead to spatial learning and memory dysfunction, but its mechanism is still unclear. Objective To observe the ferroptosis of mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells induced by 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxybenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE), an active metabolite of BaP, and to explore its potential mechanism, so as to provide a basis for the study of BaP neurotoxicity mechanism. Method Mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells were selected and divided into four groups: solvent control group and low, medium, and high concentration BPDE exposure groups (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 μmol·L−1). Cell survival was detected by CCK8 method. Cell morphology and ultrastructure were observed under light and electron microscopes. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe2+ were detected by fluorescence probe method. Iron, 4-hydroxynonenoic acid (4-HNE), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) levels were detected with commercial kits. The expression levels of acyl-CoA synthase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were detected by Western blotting. After interventions with ferroptosis inhibitors 20 μmol·L−1 deferoxamine (DFO) and 10 μmol·L−1 ethyl 3-amino-4-cyclohexylaminobenzoate (Fer-1), the cell survival rate of each BPDE exposure group and the changes of the ferroptosis characteristic indicators and protein expression levels were observed. Results With the increase of BPDE concentration, the survival rate of HT22 cells decreased gradually, and the survival rate of each BPDE group was significantly lower than that of the solvent control group (P<0.01). Under light microscope, the number of cells in the high concentration BPDE group was significantly reduced, and atrophic cells and reduced synapses were recorded. Under electron microscope, the HT22 cells in the high concentration BPDE group showed mitochondrial shrinkage, decreased crista, and increased mitochondrial membrane density. Compared with the solvent control group, the levels of intracellular lipid ROS, Fe2+, 4-HNE, and MDA significantly increased in the high concentration group (P<0.01), the GSH and GSH-PX levels were significantly decreased (P<0.01), the protein expression levels of ASCL4 and COX2 were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the protein expression levels of SCL7A11 and GPX4 were significantly decreased (P<0.01). The ferroptosis inhibitors DFO and Fer-1 significantly reversed the cell survival rate (P<0.01), the ferroptosis characteristic indicators (ROS, Fe2+, 4-HNE, MDA, GSH, and GSH-PX levels) (P<0.01), and the expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins (ACSL4, COX2, SLC7A11, and GPX4) (P<0.01) in the high concentration BPDE group. Conclusion BPDE can induce ferroptosis in mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells, which may be related to the inhibition of SLC7A11/GSH/GPX4 axis and the induction of iron metabolism disorder.