Research Insights
Insights are moderated by the Research Hub team and offer an at-a-glance overview of interesting research findings.
The traditional Chinese medicine Gan Mai Da Zao Tang may lessen depressive behaviors in rats, likely through licorice increasing serotonin transporter and brain-derived neurotrophic factor signals in the hippocampus.
Animal Study Depression Gan Cao Serotonin
This study experimentally examined the antidepressant impacts of Gan-Mai-Da-Zao (GMDZ), a Chinese traditional medicine that contains blighted wheat, licorice, and jujube. The researchers used an unpredictable chronic mild stress model in rats, some of whom received an injection with p-chlorophenylalanine to generate a chemical model for depression. The investigators employed behavioral tests, including forced swim tests, open field tests, and sucrose preference tests, to evaluate the chronic influence of GMDZ.
The oral application of GMDZ over 21 days considerably eased depressive behaviors in rats induced by either the unpredictable chronic mild stress or p-chlorophenylalanine. The treatment increased the expression of the serotonin transporter and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus in the rats with depression. However, rats provided with a similar herbal mixture that did not include licorice showed a significantly worse response, suggesting that licorice may play an essential role in the efficacy of GMDZ in combatting depression-like behaviors.
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The Licorice and Jujube formula is seen as commonly used and potentially effective for treating menopausal symptoms as per classical Chinese medicine.
Experimental Study Gan Cao Gan Cao Da Zao Tang Jujube
The methodology of this study involved exploring classical Chinese medicine textbooks to find the most frequent herbal mix used for symptoms similar to menopause. The approach taken was to sort and identify the formulas from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a comprehensive resource in this field. Following this, a thorough review of randomized controlled trials was performed in order to determine the efficacy of the most common formula.
In terms of results, it was discovered that the Licorice and Jujube formula (LJF) was the most commonly found, mentioned in 36% of the analyzed references. The review of controlled trials revealed that the LJF might be effectively utilized for the improvement of sleep-related symptoms. Additionally, experimental studies hinted at potential benefits of the LJF, including sedative, antidepressant-like, estrogenic, and antiprogestogenic effects.
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Gan Mai Da Zao decoction has shown comparable anxiolytic effects to Diazepam and Buspirone in mice, possibly regulated by serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors.
Animal Study Anxiety GABA GABA system
The mice were given the Gan-Mai-Da-Zao (GMDZ) decoction orally at different concentrations for a week, with Diazepam and Buspirone serving as positive controls. Anxiety-level testing was conducted using a combination of the elevated plus-maze, light/dark box, marble burying, open field, and rota-rod tests, providing a comprehensive assessment of the decoction's effects on mice.
Furthermore, the anxiolytic effects that GMDZ induced in the mice were challenged by the application of Flumazenil, a gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor antagonist, and WAY-100635, a serotonin-1A receptor antagonist. They found that the effects were successfully inhibited, indicating that the mechanism of action of GMDZ could be linked to both the serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors in the nervous system, thereby reducing anxiety-like behavior in mice.
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Clinical Trials
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Study Protocols
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Presentation Slides
Chinese Medicine Research Hub
Animal Study
The traditional Chinese medicine Gan Mai Da Zao Tang may lessen depressive behaviors in rats, likely through licorice increasing serotonin transporter and brain-derived neurotrophic factor signals in the hippocampus.
2022 Plants Major Plant in Herbal Mixture Gan-Mai-Da-Zao for the Alleviation of Depression in Rat Models
Li YX, Cheng KC, Hsu CT, Cheng JT, Yang TT
Chinese Medicine Research Hub
Experimental Study
The Licorice and Jujube formula is seen as commonly used and potentially effective for treating menopausal symptoms as per classical Chinese medicine.
2021 Complementary Therapies in Medicine Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) and jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) formula for menopausal symptoms: Classical records, clinical evidence and experimental data
Coyle ME, Liu J, Yang H, Wang K, Zhang AL, Guo X, Lu C, Xue CC
Chinese Medicine Research Hub
Animal Study
Gan Mai Da Zao decoction has shown comparable anxiolytic effects to Diazepam and Buspirone in mice, possibly regulated by serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors.
2019 Frontiers in Neuroscience GABA and 5-HT Systems Are Involved in the Anxiolytic Effect of Gan-Mai-Da-Zao Decoction
Chen HS, Gu LJ, Yang YX, Guo JY
Executive Summary
Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Research into Chinese medicine treatment for Gan Mai Da Zao Tang" summarising the research below and using language that can be easily understood by patients and avoiding medical jargon using a professional and caring tone of voice.
Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Researched Chinese medicine treatments for Gan Mai Da Zao Tang" summarising the research below in an objective and easy to understand way, and using language that can be easily understood by patients. Group the article into Chinese medicine treatments first, followed by nutrition and other treatments. Avoid using medical jargon and use a professional and caring tone of voice.
Write me a concise but easy to understand executive summary on the topic of "Chinese medicine treatments for Gan Mai Da Zao Tang" based on the following research that I will give you. Your summary should be 2 paragraphs long in Australian English spelling and include references to the studies.
A Animal Study published in 2022 in the journal Plants found that The traditional Chinese medicine Gan Mai Da Zao Tang may lessen depressive behaviors in rats, likely through licorice increasing serotonin transporter and brain-derived neurotrophic factor signals in the hippocampus. This study experimentally examined the antidepressant impacts of Gan-Mai-Da-Zao (GMDZ), a Chinese traditional medicine that contains blighted wheat, licorice, and jujube. The researchers used an unpredictable chronic mild stress model in rats, some of whom received an injection with p-chlorophenylalanine to generate a chemical model for depression. The investigators employed behavioral tests, including forced swim tests, open field tests, and sucrose preference tests, to evaluate the chronic influence of GMDZ.
The oral application of GMDZ over 21 days considerably eased depressive behaviors in rats induced by either the unpredictable chronic mild stress or p-chlorophenylalanine. The treatment increased the expression of the serotonin transporter and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus in the rats with depression. However, rats provided with a similar herbal mixture that did not include licorice showed a significantly worse response, suggesting that licorice may play an essential role in the efficacy of GMDZ in combatting depression-like behaviors.
A Experimental Study published in 2021 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that The Licorice and Jujube formula is seen as commonly used and potentially effective for treating menopausal symptoms as per classical Chinese medicine. The methodology of this study involved exploring classical Chinese medicine textbooks to find the most frequent herbal mix used for symptoms similar to menopause. The approach taken was to sort and identify the formulas from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a comprehensive resource in this field. Following this, a thorough review of randomized controlled trials was performed in order to determine the efficacy of the most common formula.
In terms of results, it was discovered that the Licorice and Jujube formula (LJF) was the most commonly found, mentioned in 36% of the analyzed references. The review of controlled trials revealed that the LJF might be effectively utilized for the improvement of sleep-related symptoms. Additionally, experimental studies hinted at potential benefits of the LJF, including sedative, antidepressant-like, estrogenic, and antiprogestogenic effects.
A Animal Study published in 2019 in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience found that Gan Mai Da Zao decoction has shown comparable anxiolytic effects to Diazepam and Buspirone in mice, possibly regulated by serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors. The mice were given the Gan-Mai-Da-Zao (GMDZ) decoction orally at different concentrations for a week, with Diazepam and Buspirone serving as positive controls. Anxiety-level testing was conducted using a combination of the elevated plus-maze, light/dark box, marble burying, open field, and rota-rod tests, providing a comprehensive assessment of the decoction's effects on mice.
Furthermore, the anxiolytic effects that GMDZ induced in the mice were challenged by the application of Flumazenil, a gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor antagonist, and WAY-100635, a serotonin-1A receptor antagonist. They found that the effects were successfully inhibited, indicating that the mechanism of action of GMDZ could be linked to both the serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors in the nervous system, thereby reducing anxiety-like behavior in mice.