Effects of Yudian Decoction （愈癫汤） on the Metabolic Balance of Glu/GABA in the Brain Tissue of Schizophrenia Model Rats / 中医杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Yudian Decoction （愈癫汤） in the treatment of schizophrenia. MethodTwenty male offspring from 5 normal female 17-day-pregnant SD rats were selected as blank group. Fifteen female 17-day-pregnant SD rats were injected intraperitoneally with methyl azomethine acetate （MAM） 25 mg/kg， and the male offspring simulated the neurodevelopmental abnormality to establish a rat model of schizophrenia. Sixty successfully-modeled rats were randomly divided into 20 rats in the model group， 20 rats in the Yudian Decoction group and 20 risperidone group. After 3 days of adaptive cage feeding， the rats in the Yudian Decoction group were gavaged with 1.54 g/（kg·d） of Yudian Decoction， the risperidone group was gavaged with 0.24 mg/（kg·d） of risperidone capsule， while the blank group and the model group were gavaged with 6.7 ml/（kg·d） of distilled water， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. Sample was collected on the day after the last gavage. The expression of glutamate receptor （GluR） and γ-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit α1 （GABAARα1）-positive neurons in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were detected by immunofluorescence， and the positive rate was calculated； the expression of small clear proteins （PVs） in the hippocampal CA1 region and the medial prefrontal cortex was detected by immunohistochemistry； The expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 （GAD65） and glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 （GAD67） proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were detected by immunoblotting and reverse transcription PCR. ResultCompared with the blank group， the positive rate of GluR in hippocampal area and prefrontal cortex of rats in the model group increased， the positive rate of GABAARα1 in hippocampal area decreased， the PV optical density value in hippocampal CA1 area and medial prefrontal cortex decreased， and the expression of GAD65， GAD67 proteins and mRNA in hippocampal area and prefrontal cortex decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， GluR positivity rate in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of risperidone group and Yudian Decoction decreased， GABAARα1 positivity rate in hippocampus increased， PV optical density value in hippocampus CA1 area and medial prefrontal cortex increased， and GAD65， GAD67 proteins and mRNA expression in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the risperidone group， the positive rate of GluR in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex and GABAARα1 in hippocampus in the Yudian Decoction group was reduced， the PV optical density value of hippocampal CA1 area was increased， the protein and mRNA expression of GAD67 in hippocampus area was elevated， and the protein expression of GAD65 in prefrontal cortex was reduced （P＜0.05）. ConclusionYudian Decoction may improve the pathological process of schizophrenia by regulating key regulators of glutamate/γ-aminobutyric acid （Glu/GABA） metabolic balance in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex and maintaining the balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition.