Kai-Xin-San, a Chinese Herbal Decoction Containing Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix, Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, and Poria, Stimulates the Expression and Secretion of Neurotrophic Factors in Cultured Astrocytes

Kevin Yue Zhu,Tina Ting-Xia Dong,Artemis Lu Yan,Roy Chi-Yan Choi,Sherry Li Xu,Karl Wah-Keung Tsim

doi:10.1155/2013/731385

Abstract

Kai-xin-san (KXS), a Chinese herbal decoction prescribed by Sun Simiao in Beiji Qianjin Yaofang about 1400 years ago, contains Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix, Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, and Poria. In China, KXS has been used to treat stress-related psychiatric diseases with the symptoms of depression and forgetfulness. Although animal study has supported the antidepression function of KXS, the mechanism in cellular level is still unknown. Here, a chemically standardized water extract of KXS was applied onto cultured astrocytes in exploring the action mechanisms of KXS treatment, which significantly stimulated the expression and secretion of neurotrophic factors, including NGF, BDNF, and GDNF, in a dose-dependent manner: the stimulation was both in mRNA and protein levels. In addition, the water extracts of four individual herbs did not significantly stimulate the expression of neurotrophic factors, which could explain the optimized effect of KXS in a herbal decoction. The KXS-induced expression of neurotrophic factors did not depend on signaling mediated by estrogen receptor or protein kinase. The results suggested that the antidepressant-like action of KXS might be mediated by an increase of expression of neurotrophic factors in astrocytes, which fully supported the clinical usage of this decoction.

Highlights

Due to the fast speed of our daily life, more and more people are suffering from a depressive episode featured with these symptoms: (i) mood disturbance: anhedonia, persistent depression, feeling helpless, or experiencing excessive guilt; (ii) cognitive disturbance: loss of memory and difficulty in concentrating; (iii) behavior disturbance: difficult in sleeping, loss of appetite or overeating, agitation, and suicidal tendency
We have demonstrated that KXS relieved depression-like symptoms on a chronic mild stress (CMS) induced depressive rat model by increasing the amounts of neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors in the brain [12]
To test the culture purity, the astrocytes were seeded onto the glass cover slip

Summary

Introduction

Due to the fast speed of our daily life, more and more people are suffering from a depressive episode featured with these symptoms: (i) mood disturbance: anhedonia (loss of interest and pleasure), persistent depression, feeling helpless, or experiencing excessive guilt; (ii) cognitive disturbance: loss of memory and difficulty in concentrating; (iii) behavior disturbance: difficult in sleeping, loss of appetite or overeating, agitation, and suicidal tendency If these symptoms occur together and last for more than two weeks without significant improvement, the result of major depression disorder (i.e., depression) will be diagnosed [1]. 30%–40% of patients failed to respond to an initial 4– 6-week treatment with an antidepression drug Based on these phenomena, neurotrophic factor theory has been proposed [3]. The newly developed antidepression drugs should be designed aiming at multitargets, instead of a single neurotransmitter target

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Results