Anxiolytic Effect of Chanmu Anshen Granule and Its Bioactive Mechanism / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To assess the anxiolytic effect of Chaimu Anshen granules (CMASG) and investigate its bioactive mechanism. Method:ICR mice were randomly divided into normal group, diazepam group(0.002 g·kg-1),Jieyu Anshen granules group(0.001 4 g·kg-1), high, medium, and low-dose (0.001 98,0.000 99,0.000 495 g·kg-1)Chaimu Anshen granule groups, with 20 mice in each group. To detect the anxiolytic effect of CMASG, mice were intragastrically administered for 4 weeks in the morning, and light-dark box transition test and open field test were performed once the other day. After the behavior tests, blood samples were collected. Six mice of each group were perfused with formalin through heart, and then the brains were fixed for immunohistochemistry test. Hippocampus of the other mice in each group were collected and stored in liquid nitrogen. The content of γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)and glutamic acid(Glu)in hippocampus and blood samples were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the ratio of GABA/Glu was calculated. The expression of GABAα1 receptor was evaluated by the immunohistochemistry method. To test the hypnosis effect of CMASG, mice were administered intragastrically for 7 days. The sub-threshold dose of pentobarbital sodium in the sleep experiment was tested. Result:Compared with normal group, the light-dark box transitions test demonstrated that low-dose and medium-dose CMASG groups significantly prolonged the duration in light box(PPPPPPPPPPα1 receptor protein in hippocampus showed that the medium-dose CMASG significantly increased the expression of GABAα1 protein. The sub-threshold dose of pentobarbital sodium on sleep experiments confirmed that the medium-dose CMASG significantly increased the rate of sleep in mice. Conclusion:CMASG showed an anxiolytic effect, and its bioactive mechanism was related with the increase of GABA content, and the decrease of Glu content in hippocampus. Furthermore, it increased the expression of GABAα1 protein in hippocampus. The changes in content of GABA and Glu in peripheral blood were positively correlated with the changes in hippocampal tissues, which provided reference for clinical diagnosis. CMASG also exhibited an effect in improvement of sleep.