Evidence mapPaperPMID 41307677Full record

ArticlePsychopharmacology2025

A classic traditional chinese medicine formula for depression: mechanistic insights from phytochemical constituents and multitarget pathways.

Sijia Wang, Yi Zhao, Jin Pan, Dongmei Zhang, Aicheng Wang, Ke Ma

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Article in Psychopharmacology, 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

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6 authors.

Sijia Wang *Third Affiliated Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
Yi Zhao *Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, China.
Jin Pan *College of First Clinical Medical, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China.
Dongmei ZhangKey Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, China.
Aicheng WangThird Affiliated Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 51, Chaoyang District Anwai Xiaoguan Street, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China. aichengw@126.com.
Ke MaShandong Co-Innovation Centre of Classic TCM Formula, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No 4655, University Road, Changqing District, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, People's Republic of China. make@sdutcm.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81903948National Natural Science Foundation of China 82204795Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2023QH052Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2024MH267Shanghai Science and Technology Development Foundation 2023-761027special fund for high-level talent cultivation project of traditional Chinese medicine in Shandong Province 2023-143
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleDepression is a common mood disorder that seriously affects the quality of life and working ability of patients. Zhi-Zi-Hou-Po Decoction (ZZHPD), a classical formula from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is widely used to treat depression. Although ZZHPD exhibits potent antidepressant effects, its specific mechanism of action and active ingredients remain unknown.

objectivesThis article focused on identifying and analysing the major phytochemical in ZZHPD that exhibit antidepressant effects. It also provided theoretical data for the standardized clinical application of ZZHPD.

methodsA systematic review of the materia medica, chemical composition, and pharmacological effects from multi-source literature databases to elucidate the antidepressant mechanism of ZZHPD. And further validation was performed using a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of network pharmacology and molecular docking.

resultsThe antidepressant effect of ZZHPD is achieved through multiple pathways and targets. The key phytochemical constituents of ZZHPD include 3 categories, iridoids, flavonoids, and lignans, which are specifically included geniposide, magnolol, honokiol, hesperidin, hesperetin, naringin, naringenin, nobiletin, and 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethphoxyflavone (HMF). The main antidepressant mechanisms include enhancing monoaminergic system function, inhibiting neuroinflammation, restoring HPA axis negative feedback, enabling neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, neuroprotective effects, inhibition of neuronal apoptosis and pyroptosis, antioxidative stress, and regulation of noncoding RNA.

conclusionsIn summary, ZZHPD demonstrates antidepressant effects through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanisms. It shows promise for treating depression at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels, with significant clinical application value.

Indexed as

Bioactive componentsDepressionPharmacological mechanismZhi-Zi-Hou-Po decoction

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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.