Objective: To find a viable alternative to reduce the number of doses required for the patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and to improve efficacy and patient compliance. Methods: In this study, we used ginger oil, a phytochemical with potential therapeutic properties, to prepare ginger oil patches. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the main active component of ginger oil, 6-gingerol. Transdermal absorption experiments were conducted to optimize the various pressure-sensitive adhesives and permeation enhancers, including their type and concentration. Subsequently, the ginger oil patches were optimized and subjected to content determination and property evaluations. A PTSD mouse model was established using the foot-shock method. The therapeutic effect of ginger oil patches on PTSD was assessed through pathological sections, behavioral tests, and the evaluation of biomarkers such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and melatonin (MT). Results: The results demonstrated that ginger oil patches exerted therapeutic effects against PTSD by inhibiting inflammatory responses and modulating MT and BDNF levels. Pharmacokinetic experiments revealed that ginger oil patches maintained a stable blood drug concentration for at least one day, addressing the rapid metabolism drawback of 6-gingerol and enhancing its therapeutic efficacy. Conclusions Ginger oil can be prepared as a transdermal drug patch that meets these requirements, and the bioavailability of the prepared patch is better than that of oral administration. It can improve PTSD with good patient compliance and ease of administration. Therefore, it is a promising therapeutic formulation for the treatment of PTSD.

The long-term insulated environment (such as burial after earthquakes, trapped elevators, etc.) can affect emotion by affecting neural plasticity and neurotransmitters, while the bad emotions can further affect normal cognition. Drugs can intervene the emotional problems induced by the insulated environment, such as anxiety and depression, and enhance cognitive ability, the negative influence on brain function induced by the insulated environment can be prevented or alleviated. First, the animal model of brain dysfunction in the insulated environment should be established. The cognitive, learning and memory ability can be evaluated by Morris water maze, Barnes maze, etc. The therapeutic drugs mainly include anti-depression/antianxiety drugs and cognition-improving drugs. Saffron, lavender, passion flower and magnesium ion, have shown good anti-anxiety and anti-depression effects and are suitable for the treatment of emotional problems caused by the insulated environment. Methylphenidate and its analogues, piracetam, hypericum perforatum, and salvia officinalis that can enhance cognition can also be used to prevent and treat cognitive disorders such as inattention and memory decline caused by the insulated environment. Elucidating the mechanism of closed environment and finding more effective drugs can provide a more effective solution to the decline of brain function caused by long-term closed environment..