Affiliation:
1. College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
2. Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
Abstract
Depression is a highly prevalent emotional disorder characterized by persistent low mood, diminished interest, and loss of pleasure. The pathological causes of depression are associated with neuronal atrophy, synaptic loss, and neurotransmitter activity decline in the central nervous system (CNS) resulting from injuries, such as inflammatory responses. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, patients with depression often exhibit the liver qi stagnation syndrome type. Sini Powder (SNP) is a classic prescription for treating such depression-related syndrome types in China. This study systematically summarized clinical applications and experimental studies of SNP for treatments of depression. We scrutinized the active components of SNP with blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability and speculated about the corresponding pharmacodynamic pathways relevant to depression treatment through intervening in the CNS. Therefore, this article can enhance our understanding of SNP’s pharmacological mechanisms and formula construction for depression treatment. Moreover, a re-demonstration of this classic TCM prescription in the modern-science language is of great significance for future drug development and research.
Funder
Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province
Shandong Province College Youth Creation and Talent Introducing and Nurturing Program