Shugan granule contributes to the improvement of depression-like behaviors in chronic restraint stress-stimulated rats by altering gut microbiota.

AIM: The investigation aims to evaluate the potential effect of Shugan Granule (SGKL) on the gut, brain, and behaviors in rats exposed to chronic restraint stress (CRS). METHODS: The fecal microbiota and metabolite changes were studied in rats exposed to CRS and treated with SGKL (0.1 mg/kg/day). Depressive behaviors of these rats were determined through an open-field experiment, forced swimming test, sucrose preference, and weighing. Moreover, LPS-stimulated microglia and CRS-stimulated rats were treated with SGKL to investigate the regulation between SGKL and the PI3K/Akt/pathway, which is inhibited by LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor. RESULTS: (i) SGKL improved the altered behaviors in CRS-stimulated rats; (ii) SGKL ameliorated the CRS-induced neuronal degeneration and tangled nerve fiber and also contributed to the recovery of intestinal barrier injury in these rats; (iii) SGKL inhibited the hippocampus elevations of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in response to CRS modeling; (iv) based on the principal coordinates analysis (PCoA), SGKL altered α-diversity indices and shifted ß-diversity in CRS-stimulated rats; (v) at the genus level, SGKL decreased the CRS-enhanced abundance of Bacteroides; (vi) Butyricimonas and Candidatus Arthromitus were enriched in SGKL-treated rats; (vii) altered gut microbiota and metabolites were correlated with behaviors, inflammation, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway; (viii) SGKL increased the LPS-decreased phosphorylation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in microglia and inhibited the LPS-induced microglial activation; (ix) PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway inactivation reversed the SGKL effects in CRS rats. CONCLUSION: SGKL targets the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway by altering gut microbiota and metabolites, which ameliorates altered behavior and inflammation in the hippocampus.

Clinical Effect of Shugan Granule on Depression of Liver Qi Stagnation Type in Perimenopausal Period / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of Shugan granule on perimenopausal depressive disorder (stagnation of liver Qi and Qi stagnation) and its effect on sex hormone and inflammatory factors. Method:One hundred and twenty patients were randomly divided into control group (60 cases) and observation group (60 cases) by random number table. Both groups got Tibolone tablets, 2.5 mg/time, 1 time/day. Patients in control group got flupentixol and melitracen tablets once every morning and noon, 1 tablet/time. In addition to the therapy of control group, patients in observation group got Shugan granule, 1 pack/time, 2 times/days. And a course of treatment was 8 weeks. Main indexes were graded by Hamilton depression scale (HAMD-17), self-rating depression scale (SDS) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). And secondary indexes were scored by self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), stagnation of liver Qi and Qi stagnation, improved kupperman (KI), levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), 5-serotonin (5-HT), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) before and after treatment. Result:By rank sum test, the clinical efficacy on depressed and perimenopausal syndrome in observation groups was better than that in control group (Z=2.038, PZ=2.316, PPPβ, IL-6 and TNF-α were lower than those in control groups (P2, BDNF and 5-HT were higher than those in control groups (PConclusion:Shugan granule can relieve depression, inquietude and symptoms caused by perimenopausal syndrome, regulate sex hormone, 5-HT, BDNF and inflammatory reaction, with a better clinical effect than pure western medicine treatment.

The Curative Effect of Shugan Granule in the Treatment of Post-stroke Depression and Effect on BDNF and Inflammatory Factors / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the curative effect of Shugan granule in the treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD) and effect on brain devived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) and inflammatory factors. METHODS: Eighty Patients with PSD were randomly divided into control group and study group, 80 cases in each group. Besides routine treatment, control group received citalopram hydrobromide 20 mg•d-1. Study group received Shugan granule 1 bags•time-1, twice a day based on control group.8 weeks for a course of treatment. HAMD scores, BI index, BDNF and inflammatory factors levels were compared. RESULTS: The total effective rate in study group was significantly higher than that in control group[71 cases,88.75% vs 61 cases, 76.25%, χ2=4.329, P0.05]. CONCLUSION: On the basis of conventional western medicine treatment, Shugan granules can improve the degree of depression and reduce the level of inflammatory factors in patients with PSD.

Effect of Danshao Shugan granule combined with metformin in treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver and its effects on lipid and uric acid metabolism / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To study the effect of danshao shugan granule combined with metformin in treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver and its effects on lipid and uric acid metabolism.Methods 80 patients of nonalcoholic fatty liver who received therapy from February 2014 to February 2015 in our hospital were selected as research objects.According to random number table,those patients were divided into the observation group (n=40) cases in each group and the control group (n=40).The control group was treated with metformin, while the observation group was treated with danshao shugan granule combined with metformin.Then blood lipid level, FBG, FINS, IR, SUA level, SOD, MDA level, therapeutic effect of two groups after treatment were compared.Results After treatment, TG,TC in observation group was significantly less than the control group (P<0.05); FBG, FINS, IR, SUA levels in the observation group were significantly lower than the control group ( P<0.05 ); SOD level higher than the control group, MDA level significantly less than the control group (P<0.05); The total effective rate of observation group was statistically higher than that in the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion Danshao shugan granule combined with metformin is well for nonalcoholic fatty liver,which can improve the glucose, lipid, uric acid metabolism and insulin resistance, and can protect the liver function.

Clinical observation on efficacy of Modified Chaihu Shugan Granule for treating post ischemic stroke depression / 中草药

Objective: To observe the efficacy of Modified Chaihu Shugan Granule on post ischemic stroke depression (PSD) patients, and to explore its effect on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Methods: Totally 100 patients with PSD were randomly devided into treatment group (50 cases) and control group (50 cases). Both groups were given the conventional treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease, while the control group also took citalopram hydrobromide, once a day, 20 mg each time. Additionally, the treatment group was given Modified Chaihu Shugan Granule. The therapeutic course for all was 8 weeks. Before treatment and 4, 8 weeks after treatment, scores of Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) and Barthel Index of both groups were observed to evaluate clinical effects. Serum levels of BDNF were detected at the same time. Results: Total effective rate of clinical effects in the treatment group (94.00%) was better than that of the control group (72.00%) (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, HAMD scores all obviously decreased but the scores of Barthel Index and serum levels of BDNF increased (P<0.01), while those after the treatment for 8 weeks showed greater improvements (P<0.01). Separately, HAMD scores of the treatment group were lower than those of the control group at 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment (P<0.01), while the scores of Barthel Index increased all along (P<0.01). Serum levels of BDNF in the treatment group were obviously higher than those in the control group at 4 weeks after the treatment (P<0.05), while it was a significant difference at 8 weeks (P<0.01). Conclusion: Modified Chaihu Shugan Granule used for treating the patients with PSD could improve the clinical efficacy, activities of daily living, and depressive state. Its mechanism might be associated with inhibiting serum levels of BDNF.

Clinical Observation of Shugan Granule in the Adjunctive Treatment of Melasma with Irregular Menstruation / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Shugan granule in the adjunctive treatment of melas-ma with irregular menstruation. METHODS:140 cases of melasma with irregular menstruation were divided into observation group and control group according to random number table method,with 70 cases in each group. Control group was given vitamin C,vi-tamin E and compound retinoic acid and other routine medicines;observation group was additionally given Shugan granule 10 g, bid. A treatment course lasted for 21 d,and both groups received 2 courses of treatment. The area of melasma,irregular menstrua-tion integral,clinical efficacy of melasma and irregular menstruation were observed in 2 groups,and the occurrence of ADR was re-corded. RESULTS:There was no statistical significance in the area of melasma and irregular menstruation integral between 2 groups before treatment (P>0.05);after treatment,the area of melasma decreased significantly in 2 groups,and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group;irregular menstruation integral decreased significantly,and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group,with statistical significance(P0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Shugan granule shows significant therapeutic efficacy in adjunctive treatment of melasma with irregu-lar menstruation,and can decrease the area of melasma and improve irregular menstruation significantly.

Determination of Oleanolic Acid in Ziyin shugan Granule by RP-HPLC / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To establish a RP-HPLC method to determine the content of Oleanolic acid in Ziyin shug-an granule. METHODS: Kromasil C18 column(250 mm?4.6 mm,5 ?m)was used as chromatographic column,and the mobile phrase consisted of methanol-0.2% phosphoric acid(80∶20) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL?min-1 and the det-ection wavelength was set at 208 nm,and the column temperature was maintained at room temperature.RESULTS:The calibration curve of Oleanolic acid was in good linearity over the range of 0.237～4.740 ?g(r=0.999 8).The average recovery of Oleanolic acid was 98.84% with RSD at 1.19%(n=6).CONCLUSION:The method is simple,feasible and reproducible, and can be used for the quality control of Ziyin shugan granule.