Xiaoyaosan Exerts Anxiolytic-like Effects by Down-regulating the TNF-α/JAK2-STAT3 Pathway in the Rat Hippocampus | Chapter 13 | Insights into the Prevention and Treatment of Depression with Famous TCM Prescription Xiaoyaosan

 Although the anxiolytic-like effects of Xiaoyaosan, a Chinese herbal formula, have been described in many previous studies, its underlying mechanism remains undefined. The cytokine tumour necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) and its closely associated janus kinase 2 (JAK2)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) signalling pathway regulate the neuro-inflammatory response in the brain, thus participating in the development of anxiety. Our purpose was to investigate whether the anxiolytic-like effects of Xiaoyaosan are related to the TNF- α/JAK2-STAT3 pathway in the hippocampus. We examined the effects of Xiaoyaosan on behaviours exhibited in the elevated plus maze test, open field test and novelty-suppressed feeding test as well as hippocampal neuron damage and changes in the TNF- α/JAK2-STAT3 pathway in a rat model of chronic immobilization stress (CIS)-induced anxiety. Xiaoyaosan exerts anxiolytic-like effects on CIS-induced anxiety, with a significant alleviation of anxiety-like behaviours, an attenuation of hippocampal neuron damage, and a reversal of the activation of the TNF- α/JAK2-STAT3 pathway in the hippocampus that are similar to the effects of the JAK2 antagonist AG490. However, Xiaoyaosan and AG490 failed to effectively regulate apoptosis-related factors, including Bax and Caspase-3. These results suggest that Xiaoyaosan attenuates stress-induced anxiety behaviours by down-regulating the TNF- α/JAK2-STAT3 pathway in the rat hippocampus.

Author(s) Details:

Xiao-Juan Li,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.,

Qing-Yu Ma,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

You-Ming Jiang,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

Xiao-Hui Bai,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

Zhi-Yi Yan,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

Qun Liu,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

Qiu-Xia Pan,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

Yue-Yun Liu,
School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

Jiaxu Chen,
Formula-pattern Research Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou-510632, Guangdong, China and School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road Chaoyang District, Beijing-100029, China.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/IPTDFTPX/article/view/11276