Chaihu-Shugan-San, a traditional Chinese medicine, displays antidepressant properties by reducing miR-124 expression and stimulating mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 and glutamate receptor subunit 3 pathways.
A rodent model of depression was produced by subjecting rats to solitary confinement and chronic unpredictable mild stress over a 28 day period. They were then administered Chaihu-Shugan-San daily, over a 4 week period, using intragastric methods. This study utilized real-time reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reactions, miRNA microarrays, transmission electron microscopy, and western blot assays to demonstrate the effects of this medicine on miR-124 regulation and the corresponding influence on mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 and glutamate receptor subunit 3.
The results found an increase in sucrose consumption and a substantial reduction in depressive behaviors in rats after the administration of Chaihu-Shugan-San. Moreover, this study also demonstrated a promotion in synapse formation within the hippocampus. Notably, Chaihu-Shugan-San was found to downregulate miR-124 expression while simultaneously activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 and glutamate receptor subunit 3 pathways, considered fundamental for its antidepressant-like effects.
