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ArticleChinese journal of integrative medicine2025

Xiaoyao Pill Regulates Gut Microbiota and Tryptophan Metabolism to Alleviate Depression Induced by Chronic Stress in Rats.

Ying Liu, Jie Shen, Xing Zhang, Fan Ping, Kai Qyu, Xia Shen

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Article in Chinese journal of integrative medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ying LiuCollege of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 712046, China.
Jie ShenCollege of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 712046, China.
Xing ZhangCollege of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 712046, China.
Fan PingDepartment of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, 710061, China.
Kai QyuShaanxi Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 710003, China.
Xia ShenCollege of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 712046, China. shenx0@sntcm.edu.cn.

Funding

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6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo investigate the antidepressant effects of Xiaoyao Pill (XYP) by exploring its interactions with gut microbiota and tryptophan metabolism.

methodsUtilizing network pharmacology, the functional substance groups, key targets, and pathways of XYP in the treatment of depression were identified. The chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) protocol was implemented in male Sprague-Dawley rats to establish depression model. Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups according to their body weight (10 for each): control, CUMS and XYP groups (1.8 g/kg). After 28-day interventions, behavioral phenotyping including sucrose preference test (SPT) and open field test (OFT) were performed. Biochemical validation encompassed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serum cortisol, hematoxylin-eosin histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was utilized to profile serum metabolites, while fecal samples underwent metagenomic sequencing for gut microbiota characterization.

resultsNetwork pharmacology studies predicted that key components can protect the nervous system by regulating inflammatory pathways through the blood-brain barrier. SPT and OFT showed that XYP treatment significantly ameliorated depressive-like behaviors (all P<0.05). XYP treatment also restored hippocampal neuronal density, increased serum neurotransmitter levels of neurotransmitters such as 5-hydroxytryptamine and vasoactive intestinal peptide, and while suppressing inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 β), and IL-6 (all P<0.05). Metagenomics revealed significant restructuring of gut microbiota, notably the regulation of Parabacteroides distasonis (P<0.05). Non-targeted metabolomics analysis showed that the level of metabolites in the tryptophan and kynurenine pathway significantly changed (variable importance in the projection >1, P<0.05), and the change of metabolic flux was significantly correlated with behavioral improvement (P<0.05).

conclusionsXYP exerts antidepressant effects by increasing neurotransmitter levels, reducing inflammatory makers and modulating Parabacteroides distasonis. Through further exploration of metabolomics, we found that XYP may play a protective role in depression by regulating tryptophan metabolism.

Indexed as

DepressionDrugs, Chinese HerbalGastrointestinal MicrobiomeStress, PsychologicalTryptophanAnimalsBehavior, AnimalChronic DiseaseHippocampusMaleRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyDrugs, Chinese HerbalTryptophanxiaoyaochronic stressdepressionintestinal microbiotatryptophan metabolismXiaoyao Pill

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.