Sodium valproate (VPA) is an antiepileptic drug and mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar disorders. Recently, other psychiatric uses for VPA have been based on its antidepressive and neuroprotective effects. In the current work, the antidepressive mechanism of VPA was investigated by studying the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in rats exposed to a protocol of chronic unpredicted stress (CUS). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a vehicle-treated control group (no CUS+vehicle), a VPA-treated control group (no CUS+VPA), a vehicle-treated model group (CUS+vehicle), and a VPA-treated model group (CUS+VPA). VPA (300 mg/kg once daily) was administered to rats (no CUS+VPA and CUS+VPA) by an intragastric gavage, whereas the same volume of vehicle was administered to rats in the no CUS+vehicle and CUS+vehicle groups. Rat behavior, serum corticosterone level, and expression of BDNF in the hippocampus and corticotrophin-releasing factor in the hypothalamus were determined. Compared with the CUS+vehicle rats, the CUS+VPA rats showed a significant relief in depression-like behaviors and a decrease in the corticosterone level and corticotropin-releasing factor expression with increasing expression of BDNF. The results suggest that the antidepressive effect of VPA is at least partly related to improving hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and elevating the expression of BDNF.
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Truncated TrkB (TrkBT1), traditionally considered a dominant-negative regulator of full-length TrkB (TrkBTK+), remains poorly understood in peripheral sensory neurons, particularly nociceptors. Furthermore, sensory neuronal TrkB expression and function has been traditionally associated with non-nociceptive neurons, particularly Aδ low-threshold mechanoreceptors. This study challenges prevailing assumptions by demonstrating that TrkBT1 is the predominant TrkB isoform expressed in sensory neurons and plays a functional role in modulating neuronal activity.
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Collegium Medicum, WSB University, Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland.
This study investigated the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients with degenerative lumbar stenosis, focusing on its expression and correlation with pain intensity. The study examined 96 patients with lumbar stenosis and 85 control participants. BDNF levels in the yellow ligamentum flavum were measured using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and western blot analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Control Release
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Department of Urology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Institute of Urology, Beijing Municipal Health Commission, Beijing 100050, China. Electronic address:
We previously established an effective method to ameliorate erectile dysfunction (ED) using intracavernous injection (ICI) of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) microspheres. However, the expression of a key neurotrophic factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), was low in both MSCs and MSC microspheres, restricting the associated neural repair. Based on the hypoxia and oxidative stress microenvironments within cell spheroids and lesion areas, BDNF-expressing nanocomplexes that are dual-responsive to hypoxia and reactive oxygen species were designed to modify MSCs, achieving high BDNF expression in MSC spheroids.
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Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, 330006, PR China; National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Nanchang, 330006, PR China. Electronic address:
Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Syringa oblata Lindl (ZDX) is a plant in the Oleaceae family that is the primary ingredient in the classic Tibetan medicine AKARU sinensis. The plant's stem is used as a medicine, and Tibetan doctors often use it as a sedative, a use with a history of nearly 100 years. Tibetan medicine mainly uses lilac to treat headache, forgetfulness, insomnia, irritability and other symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Ethnopharmacol
January 2025
School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi, 030619; Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM Encephalopathy; National International Joint Research Center for Molecular Traditional Chinese Medicine. Electronic address:
Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Dihuang Drink (DHD), formulated by Liu Hejian during the Yuan Dynasty, is listed as one of the first ancient classical prescriptions by the National Medical Products Administration of China. It is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study further investigates the therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of DHD in AD.
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