This research was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81630104&#65307;No. 81473597), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2018-JYBZZ-XS005). The protocol and results demonstrated in this paper originates from the article Involvement of Normalized Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Expression in the Hippocampi in Antidepressant-Like Effects of Xiaoyaosan on Chronically Stressed Mice by Dr. Xiu-Fang Ding, et al.

This protocol was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and was in accordance with all guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of China.&#160;There was no accidental death situation during the experimental procedure, and no animals needed to be euthanized in this study.
1. Preparing Drugs for the Experiment
NOTE: The Chinese herbs were purchased and then authenticated by Dr. B. Liu of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Xiaoyaosan contains the following eight traditional Chinese drugs in a ratio of 6:6:6:6:3:6:2:2: Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Poria, Radix Bupleuri, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Herba Menthae and Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens,.
<ol>
	<li>Prepare Xiaoyaosan as previously described16. 
	Note: We extracted these compounds in the Chinese medicine preparation room of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, and the extraction yield was 18.8%.</li>
	<li>Verify the quality of Xiaoyaosan by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS/MS)17.</li>
</ol>
2. Preparing Mice for the Experimental Procedure
NOTE: For the experimental procedure, 60 healthy male C57BL/6J mice aged 12 weeks were selected, with each mouse weighing between 18 and 22 g.
<ol>
	<li>Keep mice individually in cages in a typical Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) laboratory animal room (22 &#177; 1 &#176;C, 12 h/12 h dark/light cycle, relative humidity: 30&#8211;40%) for one week before the CUMS procedure.</li>
	<li>Randomly divide all mice into a control group, a model group, a Xiaoyaosan treatment group, or a fluoxetine treatment group according to their body weight. Each group has 15 mice.</li>
	<li>Before initiation of the experiment, number the mice in each group on their tail using a marking pen.</li>
	<li>Test all mice using a five-day sucrose preference test (refer to step 5) and an open field test (refer to step 6).</li>
</ol>
3. Induction of Depression in Mice
NOTE: To induce depression, the mice in the model group and two treatment groups underwent CUMS for 21 days18. The plan can be changed according to the practical situation, but the principle that the same stressor cannot be used continuously should be followed.
<ol>
	<li>Expose mice daily to any two of the following seven stressors for 21 consecutive days19. Our modeling plan is designed as follows:
	<ol>
		<li>On Monday, expose mice to food deprivation (empty the feed of each cage for 24 h, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.) and water deprivation (remove the drinking bottle of each cage for 24 h, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.).</li>
		<li>On Tuesday, expose mice to restraint stress (restrain mice in a small plastic tub for 3 h, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) and empty cages (remove the padding in each cage for 11 h, 8:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m.).</li>
		<li>On Wednesday, expose mice to wet and soiled cages (pour water into each cage and keep wet for 24 h, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.) and crowded cages (put five mice in one cage for 24 h, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.).</li>
		<li>On Thursday, expose mice to restraint stress and ice-cold swimming20,21 (force each mouse to swim in a clear glass aquarium with ice water for 5 min).</li>
		<li>On Friday, expose mice to wet and soiled cages and food deprivation.</li>
		<li>On Saturday, expose mice to restraint stress and crowded cages.</li>
		<li>On Sunday, expose mice to empty cages and ice-cold swimming.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Record the coat state and body weight weekly until the end of modeling (day 21). Calculate the total score of the coat state as the sum of scores from seven different body parts: head, neck, dorsal coat, ventral coat, forepaws, tail, and hind paws. A score of one indicates a well-groomed coat, and a score of zero indicates an unkempt coat22.</li>
	<li>Perform a five-day sucrose preference test (refer to step 5) and an open field test (refer to step 6) at the end of experiment.</li>
</ol>
4. Administration of Xiaoyaosan
NOTE: The dose of Xiaoyaosan (0.25 g/kg/day) was selected on the basis of its satisfactory efficacy as previously described9.
<ol>
	<li>During the experiment, use distilled water to prepare the Xiaoyaosan and fluoxetine suspensions, and make sure to use immediately.</li>
	<li>Give 0.5 mL of distilled water to the mice in the control group and model group by intragastric administration every day before modeling. Meanwhile, give Xiaoyaosan (0.25 g/kg/day) or fluoxetine (2.6 mg/kg/day) to the mice in the two treatment groups.</li>
</ol>
5. Sucrose Preference Test
NOTE: No water or food deprivation was applied before the test. The protocol was performed as previously reported23.
<ol>
	<li>On the first two days, house the mice individually with two bottles filled with tap water.</li>
	<li>On the next two days, give the mice two bottles filled with 1% sucrose solution.</li>
	<li>On the last day, give the mice two bottles for 24 h, one with tap water and the other with 1% sucrose solution. To eliminate a side preference of the mice in drinking behavior, switch the position of the two bottles after 12 h.</li>
	<li>Record the volume (mL) of both the consumed sucrose solution and tap water. Calculate the sucrose preference as follows: sucrose preference (%) = sucrose consumption/total liquid consumption &#215; 100%.</li>
</ol>
6. Open Field Test
<ol>
	<li>Perform the open field test in a dimly lit and quiet room with a four-sided wooden black lusterless box. Divide the &#64258;oor into 25 equal squares by blue lines.</li>
	<li>Clean the open-field box with 5% alcohol prior to the access of each mouse. Then, place the mouse in the center of the open field gently.</li>
	<li>Suspend a high definition digital camera approximately 200 cm right above the field, and record the behavior of each mouse for 5 min.</li>
	<li>Evaluate the mice behavioral video by the video-tracking system software and record the data of the total running distance and number of entries into the center zone.</li>
	<li>Analyze the data of the total distance moved and number of entries into the center zone by statistical software.</li>
</ol>

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The authors have nothing to disclose.

The CUMS model used in this study is a common method to establish the stress diathesis model of depression24. Most manifestations of CUMS can be restored by antidepressant drugs, which indicated that this model method has a strong predictive validity25. By this method, animals receive chronic unpredictable stressful stimuli and develop core symptoms of major depression, including decreased place preference conditioning, anhedonia, and impaired emotion-like behaviors<sup cla...

MDD is a chronic, highly recurrent mental disease that presents with persistent low mood, depression, low self-esteem, mental retardation, loss of interest, sleep disorders, profoundly pessimistic or suicidal tendencies; it has caused great harm to human health and social stabilization1. It has become one of the world&#39;s primary cause of disability, and it may be one of the main leading causes of disease burden by 2030 according to the World Health Organization2,3. Currently, antidepressant medications and psychotherapy are considered to be the first choice to treat MDD. Nevertheless, an enormous number of patients diagnosed with MDD do not respond to continuous medication or therapy, and they are listed as having treatment-resistant depression4.
Xiaoyaosan is a classic Chinese compound5 that has been widely used to treat psychological diseases for thousands of years since the Song dynasty in China6. It is composed of 8 Chinese herbs: Radix Bupleuri, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Poria, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, and Herba Menthae. Xiaoyaosan contains multiple constituents, has multiple targets, and utilizes multiple pathways7. Xiaoyaosan has been commonly shown to be a safe and effective formula for treating various diseases related to mental disorders, and modern studies have also focused on the anti-depression mechanism of this compound8,9,10. The pathogenesis of MDD is yet unclear, even though there are multifarious hypotheses, including the monoamine hypothesis, the neurotransmitter receptor hypothesis, the neuroendocrine function change hypothesis, the immune system abnormality hypothesis, etc. Several studies have shown that the antidepressant effect of Xiaoyaosan has a connection with the material bases of the above hypotheses11,12, and its therapeutic action manifests as an improvement to depressive-like behaviors13.
Moreover, with the prevalence of depression, modern society has suffered from reductions in the work force, early retirements, and expensive treatments14. Expensive treatment needs strict medical attention, which means a range of increased medical costs and precise anticipation of precise undesirable outcomes as well as side effects15. The Chinese herb Xiaoyaosan has accessible components, unique effects, and slight side effects. Its application can play a role in reducing the burden of modern medical treatment. Therefore, to provide a more theoretical basis for the application of Xiaoyaosan, an alternative clinical therapy should be offered for the treatment of depression, the incidence of which increases year by year, and should improve human health at the same time. This paper describes a protocol involving the use of Xiaoyaosan to prevent the depressive-like behaviors by establishing the depressive model of the mouse. The open field test and sucrose preference test were used to verify the antidepressant effects of Xiaoyaosan.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Chinese Herbs</td><td>Tongrentang (Bozhou, AnHui) Decoction Pieces Limited Company</td><td>-</td><td>The drugs were extracted by the Chinese medicine preparation room of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, distilled water was used to prepare the suspension of Xiaoyaosan, and the dose was 0.25 g/kg/d.</td></tr><tr><td>Fluoxetine</td><td>PATHEON FRANCE</td><td>5545A</td><td>The distilled water was used to prepare the suspension of fluoxetine, and the dose 2.6 mg/kg/d.</td></tr><tr><td>C57BL/6j mice</td><td>Beijing Vital River of the Charles River Company</td><td>SCXK 2011-0004</td><td>60 healthy male C57BL/6J mice aged 12 weeks were purchased from Beijing Vital River of the Charles River Company.</td></tr><tr><td>Mouse cage</td><td>Styling Biotechnology</td><td>34853016</td><td>318&amp;times;202&amp;times;135 mm</td></tr><tr><td>Distilled Water</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>The water was used througout the experiment.</td></tr><tr><td>Sucrose</td><td>Sigma</td><td>-</td><td>The sucrose was used in the sucrose preference test to prepare 1% sucrose solution.</td></tr><tr><td>ACS-2EAS Electronic Balance</td><td>Beijing Hengzhongheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.</td><td>-</td><td>It was used to weigh the avoirdupois of mice at different stages.</td></tr><tr><td>Wooden Black Lusterless Box</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>(40 cm x 40 cm x 15 cm), divided into 25 equal squares by blue lines.</td></tr><tr><td>WV-CP470 Camera</td><td>Panasonic, Japan</td><td>-</td><td>A HD digital camera which was used for recording the whole process of the open field test.</td></tr><tr><td>Etho Vision 3.0 Software</td><td>Noldus, Wageningen, Holland</td><td>-</td><td>A video-tracking system which was used to evaluate the locomotor function and emotionality of mice.</td></tr><tr><td>SPSS Statistics 21.0 Software</td><td>IBM</td><td>-</td><td>SPSS 21.0 software was used to analyze the data, one-way ANOVA or non-parametric test was used for general data based on normality test and homogeneity test for variance, and LSD method was adopted for the comparisons between groups.</td></tr><tr><td>Graphpad Prism 6.0 Software</td><td>Graphpad Software,Inc.USA</td><td>-</td><td>Graphpad Prism 6.0 software was used to draw statistical graphs.</td></tr></tbody></table>

evaluating the anti-depression effect of xiaoyaosan on chronically-stressed mice

In addition to the standardized use of antidepressant medications and psychotherapy, the usage of traditional Chinese medicine has lead to an overall improvement of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish the mouse depressive model, observe the behavior changes associated with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and then evaluate the anti-depression effect of Xiaoyaosan. Mice were randomly divided into four groups: a control group, a model group, a treatment group with Xiaoyaosan, and a treatment group with fluoxetine. All mice were individually kept in cages, and depression was induced in the mice by exposing them to several designed manipulations of CUMS for 21 days, as described in the protocol. Mice in the control group and model group received 0.5 mL of distilled water, while mice in the treatment groups received either Xiaoyaosan (0.25 g/kg/day) or fluoxetine (2.6 mg/kg/day). The drugs used in the study were given intragastrically daily during the entire three weeks. To estimate the depressive-like behaviors, a series of parameters including the coat state, body weight, open field test score, and sucrose preference test score were recorded. Data analysis showed that behaviors of model mice were significantly changed compared to behaviors of mice in the control group, which were improved by the treatment of Xiaoyaosan and fluoxetine. The current findings demonstrated the anti-depression effects of Xiaoyaosan on the behaviors of CUMS-induced mice and revealed that compounds from the Xiaoyaosan prescription may be worthwhile for treating depression, considering their beneficial effects on depressive-like behaviors.

Note that the results have been previously published by Dr. Xiu-Fang Ding, et al.18
Data were expressed as the mean &#177; standard error of the mean (SEM). A one-way ANOVA or a non-parametric test was used for general data based on the normality test and the test for homogeneity of variance. The LSD test was used for the comparisons between groups. In addition, the repeated measurement process o...

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Evaluating the Anti-depression Effect of Xiaoyaosan on Chronically-stressed Mice

Here, we present a protocol to establish the mouse depressive model, observe the behavior changes associated with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and evaluate the anti-depression effect of Xiaoyaosan.

In addition to the standardized use of antidepressant medications and psychotherapy, the usage of traditional Chinese medicine has lead to an overall ...

evaluating-anti-depression-effect-xiaoyaosan-on-chronically-stressed

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Pharmacotherapy of Depression and Anxiety Disorders

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9.2K Views.  Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Here, we present a protocol to establish the mouse depressive model, observe the behavior changes associated with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and evaluate the anti-depression effect of Xiaoyaosan.

Video: Evaluating the Anti-depression Effect of Xiaoyaosan on Chronically-stressed Mice

A Mouse Model of Subchronic and Mild Social Defeat Stress for Understanding Stress-induced Behavioral and Physiological Deficits

Stressful life events often increase the incidence of depression in humans. To study the mechanisms of depression, the development of animal models of depression is essential. Because there are several types of depression, various animal models are needed for a deeper understanding of the disorder. Previously, a mouse model of subchronic and mild social defeat stress (sCSDS) using a modified chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) paradigm was established. In the paradigm, to reduce physical injuries from aggressors, the duration of physical contact between the aggressor and a subordinate was reduced compared to in the original CSDS paradigm. sCSDS mice showed increased body weight gain, food intake, and water intake during the stress period, and their social behaviors were suppressed after the stress period. In terms of the face validity of the stress-induced overeating and overdrinking following the increased body weight gain, the sCSDS mice may show some features related to atypical depression in humans. Thus, a mouse model of sCSDS may be useful for studying the pathogenic mechanisms underlying depression. This protocol will help establish the sCSDS mouse model, especially for studying the mechanisms underlying stress-induced weight gain and polydipsia- and hyperphagia-like symptoms.

Here, methods for developing a mouse model of subchronic and mild social defeat stress are described and used to investigate the pathogenic features of depression including hyperphagia- and polydipsia-like symptoms following increased body weight.

Stressful life events often increase the incidence of depression in humans. To study the mechanisms of depression, the development of animal models of ...

An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents

Chronic, unresolved stress is a major risk factor for the development of clinical depression. While many preclinical models of stress-induced depression have been reported, the unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) protocol is an established translationally-relevant model for inducing behavioral symptoms commonly associated with clinical depression, such as anhedonia, altered grooming behavior, and learned helplessness in rodents. The UCMS protocol also induces physiological (e.g., hypercortisolemia, hypertension) and neurological (e.g., anhedonia, learned helplessness) changes that are clinically associated with depression. Importantly, UCMS-induced depressive symptoms can be ameliorated through chronic, but not acute, treatment with common SSRIs. As such, the UCMS protocol offers many advantages over acute stress protocols or protocols that utilize more extreme stressors. Our protocol involves randomized, daily exposures to 7 distinct stressors: damp bedding, removal of bedding, cage tilt, alteration of light/dark cycles, social stresses, shallow water bath, and predator sounds/smells. By subjecting rodents 3-4 hr daily to these mild stressors for 8 weeks, we demonstrate both significant behavioral changes and poor health outcomes to the cardiovascular system. This approach allows for in-depth interrogation of the neurological, behavioral, and physiological alterations associated with chronic stress-induced depression, as well as for testing of new potential therapeutic agents or intervention strategies.

The unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) protocol is a validated method for studying behavioral and physiological changes associated with chronic stress and depressive symptoms. Eight weeks of imposition of the UCMS protocol induces behavioral changes and poor health outcomes in rodents of either gender.

Chronic, unresolved stress is a major risk factor for the development of clinical depression. While many preclinical models of stress-induced depression ...

The Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Inducing Anhedonia in Mice

Depression is a highly prevalent and debilitating condition, only partially addressed by current pharmacotherapies. The lack of response to treatment by many patients prompts the need to develop new therapeutic alternatives and to better understand the etiology of the disorder. Pre-clinical models with translational merits are rudimentary for this task. Here we present a protocol for the unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) method in mice. In this protocol, adolescent mice are chronically exposed to interchanging unpredictable mild stressors. Resembling the pathogenesis of depression in humans, stress exposure during the sensitive period of mice adolescence instigates a depressive-like phenotype evident in adulthood. UCMS can be used for screenings of antidepressants on the variety of depressive-like behaviors and neuromolecular indices. Among the more prominent tests to assess depressive-like behavior in rodents is the sucrose preference test (SPT), which reflects anhedonia (core symptom of depression). The SPT will also be presented in this protocol. The ability of UCMS to induce anhedonia, instigate long-term behavioral deficits and enable reversal of these deficits via chronic (but not acute) treatment with antidepressants strengthens the protocol&#39;s validity compared to other animal protocols for inducing depressive-like behaviors.

Here we present the unpredictable chronic mild stress protocol in mice. This protocol induces a long-term depressive-like phenotype and enables to assess the efficacy of putative antidepressants in reversing the behavioral and neuromolecular depressive-like deficits.

Depression is a highly prevalent and debilitating condition, only partially addressed by current pharmacotherapies. The lack of response to treatment by ...

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice

Depression is not yet fully understood, but various causative factors have been reported. Recently, the prevalence of depression has increased. However, therapeutic treatments for depression or research on depression is scarce. Thus, in the present paper, we propose a mouse model of depression induced by movement restriction. Chronic mild stress (CMS) is a well-known technique to induce depressive-like behavior. However, it necessitates a complex procedure consisting of a combination of various mild stresses. In contrast, chronic immobilization stress (CIS) is a readily accessible chronic stress model, modified from a restraint model that induces depressive behavior by restricting movement using a restrainer for a certain period. To evaluate the depressive-like behaviors, the sucrose preference test (SPT), the tail suspension test (TST), and the ELISA assay to measure stress marker corticosterone levels are combined in the present experiment. The described protocols illustrate the induction of CIS and evaluation of the changes in behavior and physiological factors for the validation of depression.

This article provides a simplified and standardized protocol for induction of depressive-like behavior in chronically immobilized mice by using a restrainer. In addition, behavior and physiological techniques to verify induction of depression are explained.

Depression is not yet fully understood, but various causative factors have been reported. Recently, the prevalence of depression has increased. However, ...

Chronic Stress Shifts Effort-Related Choice Behavior in a Y-Maze Barrier Task in Mice

Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder, can be precipitated by chronic stress. The Y-maze barrier task is an effort-related choice test that measures motivation to expend effort and obtain reward. In mice, chronic stress exposure significantly impacts motivation to work for a higher value reward when a lesser value reward is freely available compared to unstressed mice. Here we describe the chronic corticosterone administration paradigm, which produces a shift in effortful responding in the Y-maze barrier task. In the Y-maze task, one arm contains 4 food pellets, while the other arm contains only 2 pellets. After mice learn to select the high reward arm, barriers with progressively increasing height are then introduced into the high reward arm over multiple test sessions. Unfortunately, most chronic stress paradigms (including corticosterone and social defeat) were developed in male mice and are less effective in female mice. Therefore, we also discuss chronic non-discriminatory social defeat stress (CNSDS), a stress paradigm we developed that is effective in both male and female mice. Repeating results with multiple distinct chronic stressors in male and female mice combined with increased usage of translationally relevant behavior tasks will help to advance the understanding of how chronic stress can precipitate mood disorders.

The Y-maze barrier task is a behavior test that examines motivation to expend effort for reward. Here, we discuss testing multiple well-validated chronic stressors including chronic corticosterone and social defeat stress with this behavior, as well as the novel chronic non-discriminatory social defeat stress (CNSDS), which is effective in females.

Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder, can be precipitated by chronic stress. The Y-maze barrier task is an effort-related choice test that ...

Animal Models of Depression - Chronic Despair Model (CDM)

Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent forms of mental illnesses and causes tremendous individual suffering and socioeconomic burden. Despite its importance, current pharmacological treatment is limited, and novel treatment options are urgently needed. One key factor in the search for potential new drugs is evaluating their anti-depressive potency in appropriate animal models. The classical Porsolt forced swim test was used for this purpose for decades to induce and assess a depressive-like state. It consists of two short periods of forced swimming: the first to induce a depressed state and the second on the following day to evaluate the antidepressant effect of the agent given in between the two swim sessions. This model might be suitable as a screening tool for potential antidepressive agents but ignores the delayed onset of action of many antidepressants. The CDM was recently established and represented a modification of the classical test with notable differences. Mice are forced to swim for 5 consecutive days, following the idea that in humans, depression is induced by chronic rather than by acute stress. In a resting period of several days (1-3 weeks), animals develop sustained behavioral despair. The standard read-out method is the measurement of immobility time in an additional delayed swim session, but several alternative methods are proposed to get a broader view of the mood status of the animal. Multiple analysis tools can be used targeting behavioral, molecular, and electrophysiological changes. The depressed phenotype is stable for at least 4 weeks, providing a time window for rapid but also subchronic antidepressant treatment strategies. Furthermore, alterations in the development of a depressive-like state can be addressed using this approach. CDM, therefore, represents a useful tool to better understand depression and to develop novel treatment interventions.

Animal Models of Depression - Chronic Despair Model CDM

The chronic despair mouse model (CDM) of depression consists of repetitive forced swim sessions and another delayed swim phase as a read-out. It represents a suitable model for induction of a chronic depressive-like state stable for at least 4 weeks, amendable to evaluate subchronic and acute treatment interventions.

Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent forms of mental illnesses and causes tremendous individual suffering and socioeconomic burden. ...

Establishing and Validating a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Rat Model

Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Rats based on the Mongolian medicine

Depression is a prevalent affective disorder and constitutes a leading cause of global disability. The limitations of current pharmacological interventions contribute to the substantial health burden attributed to this condition. There is a pressing need for a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of depression, making pre-clinical models with translational potential highly valuable. Mongolian medicine, a subset of traditional medicine, posits that disease occurrence is closely tied to the equilibrium of wind, bile, and Phlegm. In this study, we introduce a protocol for the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) method in rats. Within this framework, rats are subjected to a series of fluctuating, mild stressors to induce a depression-like phenotype, mimicking the pathogenesis of human depression. Behavioral assays employed in this protocol include the sucrose preference test (SPT), indicative of anhedonia-a core symptom of depression; the open field test (OFT), which measures anxiety levels; and the Morris water maze test (MWM), which evaluates spatial memory and learning abilities. The CUMS method demonstrates the capability to induce anhedonia and to cause long-term behavioral deficits. Furthermore, this protocol is more aligned with Mongolian medical theory than other animal models designed to elicit depression-like behavior. The development of this animal model and subsequent research provide a robust foundation for future innovative studies in the realm of Mongolian medicine.

Author Spotlight: Establishing a Rodent Model for Investigating Depression Factors in Traditional Mongolian Medicine

This protocol outlines a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model for depression based on Mongolian medical theory, along with methods for validating behavioral tests.

Depression is a prevalent affective disorder and constitutes a leading cause of global disability. The limitations of current pharmacological ...

Medicine

Therapeutic Effects of Xiaoyao Pills on Postmenopausal Osteoporosis in Mice

Studies on the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Xiaoyao Pills in The Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis in Mice

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic disease of elderly and postmenopausal women, with no obvious symptoms during its early stages. In the latter stages of this condition, the patients are prone to fractures, and this can seriously affect their health and quality of life. The worldwide increase in life expectancy has made osteoporosis a global concern. The Xiaoyao pills were previously 
used in the treatment of depression. In addition, the drug appeared to have estrogen-like activity, which affected the expression of ALP, an early osteoblast-specific marker, and COL-1, a major component of bone extracellular matrix. Xiaoyao pills were assessed for their effects on postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOM) in mice. The target information of each herbal component of Xiaoyao pills was accessed through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. Information from GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGkb, TTD, DrugBank, and other websites was used to construct the regulatory network of the herbal complex through Cytoscape and String network to assess the protein interactions. Mice were ovariectomized, and treated with high and low doses of Xiaoyao pills and these were compared to controls. Their symptoms were assessed by immunocytochemistry of bone tissues. The results suggested that Xiaoyao pills had the ability to alleviate the symptoms of PMOM in ovariectomized mice through the IL-17 signaling pathway. This drug has the potential to become a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Author Spotlight: Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine with Modern Pharmacology and Genomics for Assessing Postmenopausal Osteoporosis in Mice 

Postmenopausal osteoporosis has become a global public health problem. The aim of this study is to explore the therapeutic effects and related mechanisms of the traditional Chinese medicine Xiaoyao pills on this condition.

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic disease of elderly and postmenopausal women, with no obvious symptoms during its early stages. In the latter stages of ...

Biology

Induction and Evaluation of Depression in Mice Through Chronic Stress Exposure

<a href='https://app.jove.com/v/58276/evaluating-anti-depression-effect-xiaoyaosan-on-chronically-stressed'>Source: Yan, Z., et al. Evaluating the Anti-depression Effect of Xiaoyaosan on Chronically-stressed Mice. J. Vis. Exp. (2019).</a>The video demonstrates the process of establishing a mouse model of chronic stress-induced depression and assessing depressive behaviors. The chronic application of various stressors triggers the release of corticosterone, leading to neuronal over-excitation and eventual neuronal death, which results in depression-like symptoms in the mice.

Source: Yan, Z., et al. Evaluating the Anti-depression Effect of Xiaoyaosan on Chronically-stressed Mice. J. Vis. Exp. (2019).The video demonstrates the ...

JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments

Neuroscience

Neuropathology

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Inducing Depression-like Behavior in a Mouse via Immobilization Stress

Begin by setting the room to light at 200 lux, using a digital lux meter. House the mouse in a separate cage at least a week before testing, and place the mouse in the testing room for at least 30 minutes before the experiment. Gently hold the mouse tail to avoid tensing the mouse, and then carefully place it on a rough surface.
Cover the restrainer with a small white towel, and then gently place the mouse at the opening of the restrainer so that the mouse enters the restrainer voluntarily. Next, place the closure to restrain the mouse as tight as possible, being careful to avoid damage to the body, such as tail, feet, and testicles.