OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Banxia Houpu Decoction on a chronic mild stress model of depression and investigate the antidepressive mechanism.

METHODWith consumption of a 1% sucrose solution as an index, and by subjecting rats to a variety of mild stressors for a prolonged period of time, a chronic mild stress model was developed. The levels of the blood lipid were measured by blood lipid kits, the natural kill (NK) cell activity in the spleen was measured with the method of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in red blood cell was assayed by the Autoxidation of Pyrogallol method, the NO synthase (NOS) activity in serum and tissue was measured by NOS kits, and the content of malondialdehyde(MDA) was measured by MDA kits.

RESULTBanxia Houpu Decoction significantly increased the consumption of sucrose solution, increased the level of the high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), decreased the level of the Triglyceride(TG) in serum, enhanced the activity of the NK in spleen, decreased the activity of the SOD in red blood and the activity of the NOS in serum and tissue, and reduced the content of MDA in tissue by effect on lipid Peroxidation in CNS model of depression.

CONCLUSIONBanxia Houpu Decoction has antidepressant effect in different ways.

Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; pharmacology ; Depression ; immunology ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological ; complications ; Sucrose ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Triglycerides ; blood