Integrated colon microbiome and metabolomics to elucidate the antidepressant mechanisms of the Radix Bupleuri-Radix Paeoniae Alba herb pair.

Radix Bupleuri-Radix Paeoniae Alba herb pair (RB-RPA) is the fundamental medication combination of many classic antidepressant prescriptions, and RB-RPA's antidepressant effect is well established. For an extended period, the involvement of intestinal flora in the progression of depression has been widely acknowledged. However, it remains unclear whether RB-RPA could modulate intestinal microbiota disturbances and metabolic abnormalities induced by depression.

The potential therapeutic strategy in combating neurodegenerative diseases: Focusing on natural products.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington disease (HD), and Multiple sclerosis (MS), pose a significant global health challenge due to their intricate pathology and limited therapeutic interventions. Natural products represent invaluable reservoirs for combating these neurodegenerative diseases by targeting key pathological hallmarks such as protein aggregation, synaptic dysfunction, aberrant proteostasis, cytoskeletal abnormalities, altered energy homeostasis, inflammation, and neuronal cell death. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms and therapeutic targets of natural products for their neuroprotective effects.

The dual effects of dexmedetomidine on intestinal barrier and intestinal motility during sepsis.

Background: Sepsis, characterized by dysregulated host responses to infection, remains a critical global health concern, with high morbidity and mortality rates. The gastrointestinal tract assumes a pivotal role in sepsis due to its dual functionality as a protective barrier against injurious agents and as a regulator of motility. Dexmedetomidine, an α2-adrenergic agonist commonly employed in critical care settings, exhibits promise in influencing the maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity during sepsis.

Systematic evaluation and meta-analysis of the effects of major dietary patterns on cognitive function in healthy adults.

Purpose: Evidence shows diet promotes brain health. Combining foods and nutrients may have beneficial synergistic effects, but the effects on cognitive function interventions are inconsistent. So, a meta-analysis of RCTs was conducted to examine the specific effects on cognitive function.

Huangqin decoction attenuates spared nerve injury (SNI)-induced neuropathic pain by modulating microglial M1/M2 polarization partially mediated by intestinal nicotinamide metabolism.

Background: The incidence of neuropathic pain is progressively increasing over time. The activation of M1-type microglia plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of neuropathic pain. Huangqin Decoction (HQD) is traditionally used to alleviate dysentery and abdominal pain.

The Beneficial Effects of Dietary Astragali Radix Are Related to the Regulation of Gut Microbiota and Its Metabolites.

(AR) or its extract has been used as an herbal medicine and dietary supplement in China, Europe, and the United States. The gut microbiota could provide new insights for exploring dietary supplements' underlying mechanism on organisms. However, no reports have focused on the regulatory effect of AR on the gut microbiota as a dietary supplement.

Combining network pharmacology and experimental verification to reveal the mechanism of Chaigui granules in the treatment of depression through PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways.

Introduction: Chaigui granules are a novel manufactured traditional Chinese antidepressant medicine, which is originated from the ancient classical prescription of Xiaoyaosan. It ameliorated depression-like behavior and concomitant symptoms in animal models. But its antidepressant mechanism is still unclear.

Exploring the Mechanism of Arctium Lappa L. Leaves in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease Based on Chemical Profile, Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease, which urgently needs more effective treatment strategies. Arctium lappa L. leaf (burdock leaf) performs wide pharmacological activities, increasing evidence hinted that burdock leaves can ameliorate AD.

Saikosaponins regulate bile acid excretion in mice liver and ileum by activating farnesoid X receptor and bile acid transporter.

Radix Bupleuri exerts effective hepatoprotective and cholagogic effects through its Saikosaponins (SSs) component. Therefore, we attempted to determine the mechanism of saikosaponins used to promote bile excretion by studying their effects on intrahepatic bile flow, focusing on the synthesis, transport, excretion, and metabolism of bile acids. C57BL/6N mice were continuously gavaged with saikosaponin a (SSa), saikosaponin b (SSb ), or saikosaponin D (SSd) (200 mg/kg) for 14 days.

The ethanol extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi attenuates complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain by suppression of P2X3 receptor.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SBG) is a perennial herb with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities, which is traditionally used to treat inflammation of respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract, abdominal cramps, bacterial and viral infections. Clinically, it is often used to treat inflammatory-related diseases. Research has shown that the ethanol extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SGE) has anti-inflammatory effect, and its main components baicalin and baicalein have analgesic effects.

Baicalein Attenuates Neuroinflammation in LPS-Treated BV-2 Cells by Inhibiting Glycolysis via STAT3/c-Myc Pathway.

More and more evidence shows that metabolic reprogramming is closely related to the occurrence of AD. The metabolic conversion of oxidative phosphorylation into glycolysis will aggravate microglia-mediated inflammation. It has been demonstrated that baicalein could inhibit neuroinflammation in LPS-treated BV-2 microglial cells, but whether the anti-neuroinflammatory mechanisms of baicalein were related to glycolysis is unclear.

A novel insight for high-rate and low-efficiency glucose metabolism in depression through stable isotope-resolved metabolomics in CUMS-induced rats.

Background: Existing research has suggested that depression results in disorders of glucose metabolism in the organism which causing insufficient energy supply. However, the overall changes in glucose metabolism that arise from depression have not been clarified.

Methods: In this study, the depression-like behavior in chronically unpredictable mild stressed rats was investigated, and the fate of glucose was tracked through isotope tracing and mass spectrometry, with a focus on metabolite changes in cecal contents.

[Toxicity comparison of raw and vinegar-processed Bupleuri Radix based on ~1H-NMR metabolomics].

This study compared the toxicity of raw Bupleuri Radix(BR) and vinegar-processed Bupleuri Radix(VPBR) based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance(~1H-NMR), and explored the mechanism of toxicity. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: a control group(distilled water), a raw BR group(15 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), a rice VPBR(R-VPBR) group(15 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a shanxi VPBR(S-VPBR) group(15 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)). After administration for 30 d, pathological sections were treated and observed, and biochemical indexes related to liver and renal function were determined.

Chaigui granule exerts anti-depressant effects by regulating the synthesis of Estradiol and the downstream of CYP19A1-E2-ERKs signaling pathway in CUMS-induced depressed rats.

: There is a significant gender difference in the prevalence of depression. Recent studies have shown that estrogen plays a crucial role in depression. Therefore, studying the specific mechanism of estrogen's role in depression can provide new ideas to address the treatment of depression.

A unique insight for Xiaoyao San exerts antidepressant effects by modulating hippocampal glucose catabolism using stable isotope-resolved metabolomics.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, depression is an emotional disease, which is thought to be related to stagnation of liver qi and dysfunction of the spleen in transport. Xiaoyao San (XYS) is considered to have the effects of soothing liver-qi stagnation and invigorating the spleen. The spleen has the function to transport and transform nutrients.

Huangqin Decoction Exerts Beneficial Effects on Rotenone-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease by Improving Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Alleviating Metabolic Abnormality of Mitochondria.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease, and the pathogenesis of PD is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Previous studies have indicated that traditional Chinese medicine composition of Huangqin Decoction (HQD), including , and , has therapeutic effects on PD, but whether HQD has a therapeutic effect on PD has not been reported. In this study, the protective effects of HQD on rotenone-induced PD rats were evaluated by behavioral assays (open field, rotating rod, suspension, gait, inclined plate, and grid) and immunohistochemistry.

[Quality evaluation methods and quality transfer law of Mori Cortex, fried Mori Cortex and its standard decoction].

This study aims to establish a method for the component content determination and fingerprint evaluation of Mori Cortex, fried Mori Cortex and its standard decoction, and to reveal the quality transfer law among the three based on transfer rate, extraction rate, and fingerprint similarity.Fifteen representative batches of Mori Cortex decoction pieces were collected to prepare fried Mori Cortex and its standard decoction.UPLC-PDA was employed to establish the content determination method and fingerprint.

[Molecular mechanism underlying difference of astragaloside Ⅳ content in imitating wild and cultivated Astragalus mongholicus].

The difference of astragaloside Ⅳ content and the expression of its biosynthesis related genes in imitating wild Astragalus mongolicus(IWA) and cultivated A.mongolicus(CA) under different growth years were systematically compared and analyzed.Then the key enzyme genes affected the difference of astragaloside Ⅳ content in the above two A.

Investigating the inter-individual variability of Astragali Radix against cisplatin-induced liver injury via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and LC/MS-based metabolomics.

Background: Cisplatin (CDDP), one of the widely used chemotherapeutic drugs, can induce a series of side effects, such as hepatotoxicity and gastrointestinal toxicity. Astragali Radix (AR) is widely used as the tonic herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, there was no report about the hepatoprotective effect of AR against the cisplatin-induced hepatic damage.

Naoluo Xintong Decoction Ameliorates Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Promoting Angiogenesis through Activating the HIF-1/VEGF Signaling Pathway in Rats.

Background: Naoluo Xintong decoction (NLXTD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula which has been used to improve neuronal functional recovery after cerebral ischemic stroke. However, the molecular mechanism underlying NLXTD's amelioration of ischemic stroke remains unclear. The present study was designed to explore the effect and mechanism of NLXTD on brain angiogenesis in a rat model with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury targeting the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway.

Relationship Between the Structure and Immune Activity of Components From the Active Polysaccharides APS-II of Astragali Radix by Enzymolysis of Endo α-1,4-Glucanase.

Astragali Radix polysaccharides (APSs) have a wide range of biological activities. Our preliminary experiment showed that APS-Ⅱ (10 kDa) was the main immunologically active component of APSs. However, the characteristic structure related to activity of APS-Ⅱ needs further verification and clarification.

Unveiling the anti-senescence effects and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) inhibitory mechanisms of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi in low glucose-induced astrocytes based on boolean network.

Background: Astrocytes senescence has been demonstrated in the aging brain and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, lower glucose metabolism has been confirmed in the early stage of AD. However, whether low glucose could induce astrocytes senescence remain ambiguous.

1H-NMR-based metabolomics reveals the biomarker panel and molecular mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most extensive and most deadly cancers in the world. Biomarkers for early diagnosis of HCC are still lacking, and noninvasive and effective biomarkers are urgently needed. Metabolomics is committed to studying the changes of metabolites under stimulation, and provides a new approach for discovery of potential biomarkers.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids Catabolism Pathway Regulation Plays a Critical Role in the Improvement of Leukopenia Induced by Cyclophosphamide in 4T1 Tumor-Bearing Mice Treated With Lvjiaobuxue Granule.

Cyclophosphamide is a common tumor chemotherapy drug used to treat various cancers. However, the resulting immunosuppression leads to leukopenia, which is a serious limiting factor in clinical application. Therefore, the introduction of immunomodulators as adjuvant therapy may help to reduce the hematological side effects of cyclophosphamide.

Stable Isotope-Resolved Metabolomics Studies on Corticosteroid-Induced PC12 Cells: A Strategy for Evaluating Glucose Catabolism in an in Vitro Model of Depression.

Depression is a common psychopathological state or mood disorder syndrome. The serious risks to human life and the inadequacy of the existing antidepressant drugs have driven us to understand the pathogenesis of depression from a new perspective. Our research group has found disturbances in glucose catabolism in both depression and nephrotic syndrome.