Exploring Multi-target Synergistic Mechanisms of Compound Yiqi Weixue Prescription with Medicinal and Edible Value in Alleviating Premenstrual Syndrome Based on Transcriptomics
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20260939
- VernacularTitle:基于转录组学的药食同源复方益气维血方缓解经前期综合征的多靶点协同机制
- Author:
Yue XU
1
;
Kedian CHEN
2
;
Yi ZHANG
2
;
Xiaojie LI
2
;
Na LIN
2
;
Yanqiong ZHANG
2
Author Information
1. School of Pharmacy， Anhui University of Chinese Medicine， Hefei 230012， China
2. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica， China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences， Beijing 100700， China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
premenstrual syndrome;
Yiqi Weixue prescription;
transcriptional regulation;
coagulation;
inflammation;
neuroendocrine
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2026;32(23):116-126
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectivePremenstrual syndrome （PMS） is a cyclical psychosomatic disorder associated with neuroendocrine dysfunction and dysregulation of monoamine neurotransmitters. Yiqi Weixue prescription （YQWX）， with both medicinal and edible value， shows the potential in alleviating PMS， yet its multi-target synergistic mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to explore the multi-target synergistic mechanism of YQWX in alleviating premenstrual syndrome through transcriptomics. MethodsThe rat model of PMS was established by progesterone injection combined with restraint stress. A total of 49 female Wistar rats were randomized into a normal group， a solvent group， a model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose （359， 718， 1 436 mg·kg-1， respectively） YQWX groups， and a positive control （Kuntai capsules， 540 mg·kg-1） group. After two weeks of intervention， behavioral changes were assessed by open field， forced swimming， and sucrose preference tests. Serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， norepinephrine （NE）， and brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， as well as serum levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Hippocampal RNA was extracted for transcriptomic sequencing， followed by screening of differentially expressed genes （DEGs）， and then Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analyses were performed. The expression of key genes was validated by quantitative Real‑time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， ELISA， and immunohistochemical （IHC） staining. ResultsCompared with the solvent group， the model group showed decreases in total movement distance， active time， rearing frequency， central zone duration， and grid line crossings in the open field test （P<0.01）， increases in peripheral zone duration and immobility time in the forced swimming test （P<0.01）， a reduced sucrose preference rate （P<0.01）， declined serum levels of 5-HT， NE， and BDNF （P<0.01）， and elevated serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1β （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the medium and high-dose YQWX groups exhibited significant improvements in the above behavioral parameters （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The medium-dose YQWX group showed restoration of 5-HT and BDNF levels （P<0.05）， and the high-dose YQWX group showed restoration of NE levels （P<0.01）. All YQWX groups reduced serum IL-6 and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）. Transcriptome sequencing identified 513 DEGs in the model group compared with the solvent group and 512 DEGs in the YQWX group compared with the model group. Enrichment analyses pointed out key pathways related to platelet activation， complement， coagulation cascade， inflammation， and neuroendocrine regulation. Experimental validation demonstrated that YQWX upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of F9 in the liver tissue （P<0.01）. Medium- and high-dose YQWX upregulated the mRNA level of PLCD3 in the hippocampus and uterus （P<0.05， P<0.01）， as well as protein levels of CAMK2G and SNCAIP in the hippocampus （P<0.01）. ConclusionYQWX synergistically alleviates behavioral and neurobiochemical abnormalities in PMS rats by regulating key genes， providing a molecular basis for its traditional effects of replenishing Qi， nourishing blood， and harmonizing the liver and spleen.
