OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic effect of Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture in a rat model of insomnia and its regulatory effect on the glutamic acid (Glu)/γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-glutamine (Gln) metabolic loop. METHODS: Forty male SD rats were randomly assigned to control group, model group, Najia group and Nazi group (n=10). In the latter 3 groups, rat models of insomnia were established by intraperitoneal injections of p-chlorophenylalanine and verified using a sodium pentobarbital-induced sleep test. After modeling, the rats in Najia and Nazi groups received acupuncture for 7 days at specifically chosen sets of acupoints based on the Ziwuliuzhu rationale in traditional Chinese medicine. Pathological changes in the hypothalamic tissue of the rats were examined with HE staining, and the levels of Glu and GABA in the hypothalamus were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of GABAA receptors (GABAARs) in the hypothalamus, and the expression levels of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65/67) and glutamine synthetase (GS) were determined with Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, the rats in Najia and Nazi groups exhibited decreased Glu levels and GABAA receptor expression and increased GABA levels with a decreased Glu/GABA ratio in the hypothalamus. Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture significantly increased the protein expressions of GAD65 and GAD67 and lowered the expression of GS in the hypothalamus in the rat models of insomnia. CONCLUSIONS Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture produces sedative and hypnotic effects in rat models of insomnia possibly by regulating Glu and GABA-Gln metabolism to restore the excitatory/inhibitory balance between Glu and GABA.
Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Rats ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/therapy* ; Glutamine/metabolism* ; Glutamic Acid/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Hypothalamus/metabolism* ; Receptors, GABA-A/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Points

BACKGROUND: Over 65 million people have long COVID. Evidence for using Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) to treat long COVID is growing. A systematic review of evidence for guiding clinical decision is warranted. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects and safety of CHM in alleviating the severity of dyspnea, fatigue, exercise intolerance, depression, anxiety and insomnia in long COVID adults based on registered randomized clinical trials (RCT). SEARCH STRATEGY: World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry were searched for registered trial protocols from database inception to February 10, 2023. English (PubMed, Embase, AMED and CINAHL) and Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang Data and CQVIP) were then searched to identify relevant publications from December 2019 through April 6, 2023. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Registered RCTs that compared the effects of Chinese herbal medicines or Chinese herbal formulas against a control treatment (i.e., the placebo or usual care) in adults with persistent symptoms of long COVID. The primary outcome of dyspnea, and secondary outcomes of fatigue, exercise intolerance, depression, anxiety and insomnia were measured using validated tools at the end of the treatment. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Data were extracted, and eligible RCTs were evaluated using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations independently by two researchers. Effect sizes were estimated by random-effects modelling and mean difference (MD). Heterogeneity between trials was quantified by I². RESULTS: Among the 38 registered clinical trials we identified, seven RCTs (1,519 patients) were included in the systematic review. One RCT had a low overall risk of bias. Compared to the control, CHM reduces dyspnea on the Borg Dyspnea Scale score (MD = -0.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.65 to 0.25) with moderate certainty, and reduces fatigue on the Borg Scale (MD = -0.48, 95% CI = -0.74 to -0.22) with low certainty. CHM clinically reduces depression on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score (MD = -6.00, 95% CI = -7.56 to -4.44) and anxiety on Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score (MD = -6.10, 95% CI = -7.67 to -4.53), and reduces insomnia on the Insomnia Severity Index (MD = -4.86, 95% CI = -12.50 to 2.79) with moderate certainty. Meta-analysis of two RCTs (517 patients) showed that CHM clinically improves exercise intolerance by increasing 6-minute walking distance (MD = -15.92, 95% CI = -10.20 to 42.05) with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 68%) and low certainty. CONCLUSION CHM is associated with a post-treatment clinical reduction in depression and anxiety in long COVID adults, compared to the control, but it does not have a strong treatment effect on dyspnea and insomnia. Effects of CHM on exercise intolerance and fatigue are uncertain, and the safety of using CHM remains questionable. Please cite this article as: Tsang MS, Zhou IW, Zhang AL, Xue CC. Chinese herbal medicine for dyspnea and persistent symptoms of long COVID: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 126-137.
Humans ; Dyspnea/etiology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; COVID-19/complications* ; Fatigue/drug therapy* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Anxiety/drug therapy* ; Depression/drug therapy* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/drug therapy* ; Betacoronavirus

OBJECTIVE: The concept of constitution in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in both the prevention and treatment of insomnia. However, rigorous statistical evidence on the correlation between TCM constitutions-particularly mixed constitutions-and insomnia disorder remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between specific TCM constitutions and insomnia disorder. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Preventive Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai, from November 2022 to December 2023. TCM constitutions were assessed using the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire. Insomnia disorder was diagnosed by experienced internal medicine physicians according to the criteria of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition. A total of 1065 eligible participants (242 with insomnia disorder and 823 controls) were included in the final analysis. RESULTS: Among the participants, 862 (80.94%) exhibited biased constitutions, with 75.30% of these having mixed constitutions. Logistic regression analysis revealed a negative association between the gentleness constitution and insomnia disorder, whereas qi-deficiency, yang-deficiency, phlegm-dampness and qi-depression constitutions were positively associated with insomnia disorder. These associations remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders and were further validated through sensitivity analysis using propensity score matching. CONCLUSION Significant associations between TCM constitutions and insomnia disorder were demonstrated. Future research should further investigate these relationships and explore the underlying mechanisms through rigorous longitudinal and interventional studies to improve understanding and clinical applications. Please cite this article as: Han Y, Wang Y, Shi MY, Liu Y, Cheng XD, Zhou Y. Integrating traditional Chinese medicine constitutions into insomnia management: Findings from a cross-sectional study. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 382-389.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/therapy* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the association between temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and insomnia using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. METHODS: Bidirectional MR analyses of two samples, TMD (n=377 277) and insomnia (n=375 359), were performed using genome-wide association study statistics published in the FinnGen database. Instrumental variables were first screened, and then inverse variance weighting (IVW) and MR-Egger were used as the main-effect assessment methods. Weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode served as supplementary methods. We used IVW and MR-Egger to test for heterogeneity, as well as MR-Egger intercepts to assess the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) potential level of multiplicity effects. Sensitivity analyses were conducted based on leave-one-out to identify potentially influential SNPs. All analyses were conducted by using the two-sample MR R package and were considered statistically significant when P<0.05. RESULTS: MR analysis showed the presence of TMD on insomnia (OR=1.089, 95%CI: 1.017-1.166, P=0.014). Meanwhile, no effect of insomnia on TMD (OR=0.996, 95%CI: 0.964-1.029, P=0.816) was found. The sensitivity-analysis showed that no heterogeneity existed (P>0.05), and the presence of horizontal pleiotropy was not detected (P>0.05). Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis showed no single SNP, which may affect the causal relation. All findings indicated that the causal relationship between TMD and insomnia was not significantly affected by any individual SNP and that IV did not bias the results. CONCLUSIONS Results of MR analyses showed that TMD is a risk factor for insomnia, whereas insomnia is not a risk factor for TMD.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/genetics* ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/complications* ; Genome-Wide Association Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) in the regulation of neuronal activity and expression of synapse-related proteins in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) of insomnia rats treated by acupuncture. METHODS: A total of 36 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats of clean grade were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, an acupuncture group, and an acupuncture+antagonist group, with 9 rats in each group. The model group, the acupuncture group, and the acupuncture+antagonist group were treated with intraperitoneal injection of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) to establish insomnia model. After successful modeling, the acupuncture group and the acupuncture+antagonist group received acupuncture at bilateral Neiguan (PC6) and Zusanli (ST36) once daily for 5 consecutive days. Thirty min before each acupuncture session, the acupuncture+antagonist group was intraperitoneally injected with methyllycaconitine citrate (MLA), an α7-nAChR antagonist, at a dosage of 5 mg/kg while the acupuncture group received the same volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The rats' daytime spontaneous activity was observed. Neuronal discharge in the TRN was detected using neuroelectrophysiological methods. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect parvalbumin-positive (PV⁺) neurons and co-expression of PV⁺ and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) in the TRN. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the model group showed increased daytime spontaneous activity (P<0.01); decreased average fluorescence intensity and positive number of PV⁺ neurons in the TRN (P<0.01); decreased neuronal discharge frequency (P<0.01), prolonged inter-discharge intervals (P<0.01) in the TRN; reduced number of PV⁺/PSD-95 double-positive cells in the TRN (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the acupuncture group showed decreased daytime spontaneous activity (P<0.01); increased average fluorescence intensity and positive number of PV⁺ neurons in the TRN (P<0.01); increased neuronal discharge frequency (P<0.01), shortened inter-discharge intervals (P<0.01) in the TRN; increased number of PV⁺/PSD-95 double-positive cells in the TRN (P<0.05). Compared with the acupuncture group, the acupuncture+antagonist group exhibited increased daytime spontaneous activity (P<0.01); reduced average fluorescence intensity and positive number of PV⁺ neurons in the TRN (P<0.01); decreased neuronal discharge frequency (P<0.05), prolonged inter-discharge intervals (P<0.05) in the TRN; reduced number of PV⁺/PSD-95 double-positive cells in the TRN (P<0.01). CONCLUSION α7-nAChR are involved in mediating the regulatory effect of acupuncture on circadian rhythm disturbances in PCPA-induced insomnia rats. Blocking α7-nAChR attenuates the activating effect of acupuncture on TRN neurons, and reduces the expression of PSD-95 protein on GABAergic neurons.
Animals ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy ; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Humans ; Thalamic Nuclei/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Points ; Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein

This paper aims to study the effect of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts on chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)-induced depression-like and insomnia behavior models of mice. The CUMS-induced depression-like and insomnia behavior model of mice was established by CUMS treatment for three weeks. The mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, positive drug diazepam group(2 mg·kg~(-1)), as well as low-dose group(1.95 g·kg~(-1)), medium-dose group(3.9 g·kg~(-1)), and high-dose group(7.8 g·kg~(-1)) of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts, with 18 mice in each group. On the 15th day of modeling, the drug was administered intragastrically once a day for one week. Then, the pentobarbital sodium cooperative righting experiment, open field experiment, and elevated plus maze experiment were carried out, respectively. The contents of neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA) in serum and thalamus of mice, as well as the levels of corticotropin releasing hormone(CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH), and corticosterone(CORT) in serum, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The neuron damage in the hippocampus of mice was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Nissl staining. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of tryptophan hydroxylase 2(TPH2), serotonin transporter(SERT), monoamine oxidase A(MAOA), five prime repressors under dual repression binding protein 1(Freud1), synaptic plasticity-related proteins [cellular gene FOS(C-FOS), postsynaptic density protein 95(PSD95), synapsin 1(SYN1), and activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated gene(ARC)], blood-brain barrier(BBB) permeability-related proteins [zonula occludens 1(ZO-1), occludin, and claudin 1], inflammatory factors [NOD-, LRR-and pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC), gasdermin D(GSDMD), caspase-3, and caspase-8], and antioxidant factors [nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2) and heme oxygenase 1(HO1)] in thalamic tissue of mice. The results indicated that compared with that in the model group, the sleep latency was significantly shortened, and the sleep duration was significantly prolonged in each dose group of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts. The number of visits to the central area of the open field and the distance and time of visits were significantly increased in each dose group of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts. In addition, the proportion of distance and time of entering the open arm area of the elevated plus maze was significantly increased in each dose group of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts. The contents of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in serum and thalamus of mice increased to varying degrees in each dose group of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts; the contents of CRH, ACTH, and CORT in serum of mice were significantly decreased. The protein expression of TPH2 was significantly increased. The protein expression of MAOA, SERT, and Freud1 was significantly decreased. Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts could also significantly reduce the protein expression of C-FOS but significantly increase the protein expression of PSD95, ARC, and SYN1. They could reduce the pathological damage of the hippocampus in mice and significantly increase the protein expression of ZO-1, occluding, and claudin 1. The protein expression of NLRP3, GSDMD, ASC, caspase-3, and caspase-8 in the thalamic tissue of mice was significantly decreased, and the protein expression of HO1 and NRF2 was significantly increased. In conclusion, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen extracts could effectively improve sleep disorders and depression-like behaviors in CUMS-induced model mice, which may be related to regulating the 5-HT anabolism process and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis-related hormone levels, reducing pathological damage in the hippocampus, improving synaptic plasticity, repairing BBB integrity, and alleviating inflammatory response and oxidative stress damage.
Animals ; Ziziphus/chemistry* ; Mice ; Male ; Depression/psychology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/psychology* ; Stress, Psychological/complications* ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Humans ; Disease Models, Animal

This study identified blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills and explored their anti-insomnia effects and mechanisms. The main blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were detected and identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The rationality of the formula was assessed by using enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms, and core targets of its active components were selected as the the potential anti-insomnia targets of Anshen Dropping Pills through network pharmacology analysis. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, Gene Ontology(GO) enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis were performed on the core targets. An active component-core target network for Anshen Dropping Pills was constructed. Finally, the effects of low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of Anshen Dropping Pills on sleep episodes, sleep duration, and sleep latency in mice were measured by supraliminal and subliminal pentobarbital sodium experiments. Moreover, total scores of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) scale was used to evaluate the changes before and after the treatment with Anshen Dropping Pills in a clinical study. The enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms verified the rationality of the Anshen Dropping Pills formula, and nine blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The network proximity revealed a significant correlation between eight components and insomnia, including magnoflorine, liquiritin, spinosin, quercitrin, jujuboside A, ginsenoside Rb_3, glycyrrhizic acid, and glycyrrhetinic acid. Network pharmacology analysis indicated that the major anti-insomnia pathways of Anshen Dropping Pills involved substance and energy metabolism, neuroprotection, immune system regulation, and endocrine regulation. Seven core genes related to insomnia were identified: APOE, ALB, BDNF, PPARG, INS, TP53, and TNF. In summary, Anshen Dropping Pills could increase sleep episodes, prolong sleep duration, and reduce sleep latency in mice. Clinical study results demonstrated that Anshen Dropping Pills could decrease total scores of PSQI scale. This study reveals the pharmacodynamic basis and potential multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway effects of Anshen Dropping Pills, suggesting that its anti-insomnia mechanisms may be associated with the regulation of insomnia-related signaling pathways. These findings offer a theoretical foundation for the clinical application of Anshen Dropping Pills.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/metabolism* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Male ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Sleep/drug effects* ; Female ; Adult

This study aims to observe the mind-tranquilizing effect of Fushen Decoction on mice and investigate its effects on the 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) system and γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA) in the brain of the mouse model of 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine(PCPA)-induced insomnia. ICR mice were administrated with coffee(1 g·kg~(-1)) for 3 days, and the effects of Fushen Decoction(10, 20, and 40 g·kg~(-1)) on the autonomic activities of normal mice and coffee-treated mice were observed. Furthermore, the effects of Fushen Decoction on the autonomic activity and sleep induced by a suprathreshold dose of pentobarbital sodium in the mouse model of PCPA(350 mg·kg~(-1) for 3 consecutive days)-induced insomnia were observed. The levels of tryptophan hydroxylase(TPH), 5-hydroxytryptophan(5-HTP), and 5-HT in the serum, as well as those of 5-HTP and 5-HT in the brain stem, hippocampus, and cortex, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The fluorescence intensity of 5-HT in the raphe nucleus, hippocampus, and cortex was measured by the immunofluorescence method. The protein levels of tryptophan hydroxylase-2(TPH2) and 5-HT_(1A) receptor(5-HT_(1A)R) in the brain stem, hippocampus, and cortex were measured by Western blot. The levels of GABA in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cortex were measured by ELISA and immunohistochemistry methods. The results showed that Fushen Decoction(20, 40 g·kg~(-1)) reduced the number of autonomous activities in normal mice, coffee-treated mice, and the mouse model of PCPA-induced insomnia, and prolonged the duration of sleep induced by a suprathreshold dose of pentobarbital sodium in the mouse model. Fushen Decoction(20, 40 g·kg~(-1)) elevated the levels of TPH, 5-HTP, and 5-HT in the serum, and TPH2, 5-HTP, 5-HT, and 5-HT_(1A)R in the brain stem, hippocampus, and cortex, and up-regulated GABA expression in the hypothalamus, cortex, and hippocampus of the mouse model of PCPA-induced insomnia. In conclusion, Fushen Decoction(20, 40 g·kg~(-1)) exerted a mind-tranquilizing effect on mice by up-regulating the expression of TPH2, enhancing the 5-HT system, and elevating the GABA level in the brain.
Animals ; Serotonin/genetics* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/genetics* ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fenclonine/adverse effects* ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase/genetics* ; Brain/metabolism* ; Sleep/drug effects* ; Humans ; 5-Hydroxytryptophan/metabolism*

The medicinal materials of Bawei Chenxiang Pills(BCPs) were extracted via three methods: reflux extraction by water, reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, and extraction by pure water following reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, yielding three extracts of ST, CT, and CST. The efficacy of ST(760 mg·kg~(-1)), CT(620 mg·kg~(-1)), and CST(1 040 mg·kg~(-1)) were evaluated by acute myocardial ischemia(AMI) and p-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)-induced insomnia in mice, respectively. Western blot was further utilized to investigate their hypnosis mechanisms. The main chemical components of different extracts were identified by the UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS technique. The results showed that CT and CST significantly increased the ejection fraction(EF) and fractional shortening(FS) of myocardial infarction mice, reduced left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole(LVIDd) and left ventricular internal dimension at end-systole(LVIDs). In contrast, ST did not exhibit significant effects on these parameters. In the insomnia model, CT significantly reduced sleep latency and prolonged sleep duration, whereas ST only prolonged sleep duration without shortening sleep latency. CST showed no significant effects on either sleep latency or sleep duration. Additionally, both CT and ST upregulated glutamic acid decarboxylase 67(GAD67) protein expression in brain tissue. A total of 15 main chemical components were identified from CT, including 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone and 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone. Six chemical components including chebulidic acid were identified from ST. The results suggested that chromones and terpenes were potential anti-myocardial ischemia drugs of BCPs, and tannin and phenolic acids were potential hypnosis drugs. This study enriches the pharmacological and chemical research of BCPs, providing a basis and reference for their secondary development, quality standard improvement, and clinical application.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Mice ; Male ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy* ; Myocardial Ischemia/drug therapy*

This study aims to investigate the effect of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula on the neuroinflammation of rats with insomnia complicated with depression through the regulation of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2)/complement protein C1q signaling pathway. Rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a positive drug group, as well as a high, medium, and low-dose groups of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the other groups were injected with p-chlorophenylalanine and exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress to establish the rat model of insomnia complicated with depression. The sucrose preference experiment, open field experiment, and water maze test were performed to evaluate the depression in rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to detect serum 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), dopamine(DA), and norepinephrine(NE) levels. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the damage in nucleus accumbens neurons. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to detect TREM2, C1q, postsynaptic density 95(PSD-95), and synaptophysin 1(SYN1) expressions in rat nucleus accumbens, respectively. Golgi-Cox staining was utilized to observe the synaptic spine density of nucleus accumbens neurons. The results show that, compared with the model group, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can significantly increase the sucrose preference as well as the distance and number of voluntary activities, shorten the immobility time in forced swimming test and the successful incubation period of positioning navigation, and prolong the stay time of space exploration in the target quadrant test. The serum 5-HT, DA, and NE contents in the model group are significantly lower than those in the normal group, with the above contents significantly increased after the intervention of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula. In addition, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can alleviate pathological damages such as swelling and loose arrangement of tissue cells in the nucleus accumbens, while increasing the Nissl body numbers. Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can improve synaptic damage in the nucleus accumbens and increase the synaptic spine density. Compared to the normal group, the expression of C1q protein was significantly higher in the model group, while the expression of TREM2 protein was significantly lower. Compared to the model group, the intervention with Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula significantly downregulated the expression of C1q protein and significantly upregulated the expression of TREM2. Compared with the model group, the PSD-95 and SYN1 fluorescence intensity is significantly increased in the groups receiving different doses of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula. In summary, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can reduce the C1q protein expression, relieve the TREM2 inhibition, and promote the synapse-related proteins PSD-95 and SNY1 expression. Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula improves synaptic injury of the nucleus accumbens neurons, thereby treating insomnia complicated with depression.
Animals ; Male ; Rats ; Nucleus Accumbens/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Depression/complications* ; Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/complications* ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Receptors, Immunologic/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Synapses/metabolism*