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Planta Med 2020; 86(03): 172-179
DOI: 10.1055/a-1068-9686
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Antidepressant Effects and Mechanisms of the Total Iridoids of Valeriana jatamansi on the Brain-Gut Axis

Liwen Wang‡
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Yong Sun‡
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Tingting Zhao
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Yongbiao Li
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Xiaoqin Zhao
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Li Zhang
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Lanlan Wu
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Liudai Zhang
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Tiane Zhang
2   School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, PR China
,
Guihua Wei
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Alvin Altamirano
3   Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
,
Yan Tong
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
,
Zhiyong Yan
1   School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China
› Author AffiliationsSupported by: Sichuan Province Academic and Technical Leaders Cultivate Support Funds, the Key Project of Research and Development Plan of Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province 2018SZ0078
Supported by: Sichuan Province Academic and Technical Leaders Cultivate Support Funds, the Key Project of Research and Development Plan of Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province 2018ZR0368
Supported by: the Research funds of Chengdu science and technology office 2015-HM01-00347-SF
Supported by: the Research funds of Sichuan traditional Chinese medicine administration 2016Q040
Further Information

Publication History

received 24 July 2019
revised 15 November 2019

accepted 15 November 2019

Publication Date:
04 December 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Valeriana jatamansi is widely used in Chinese folk medicine and contains iridoids as important active ingredients. The brain-gut axis describes a complex bidirectional system between the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. Herein, we evaluated the antidepressant effects of total iridoids of Valeriana jatamansi (TIV) and preliminarily investigated the effects of gut microbiota on their antidepressant effects using a chronic, unpredictable mild-stress mouse model. Mice were given 5.7, 11.4, or 22.9 mg/kg TIV for 1 week. Fluoxetine (2.6 mg/kg) served as a positive control. Body weight was measured, and behavioral tests including SPT and TST were applied. Colon pathology was assessed through hematoxylin-eosin staining. Additionally, levels of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), substance P (SP) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hippocampus and colon were measured by ELISA. In addition, 16SrRNA gene sequencing was performed to explore changes in intestinal microbiota richness and diversity. Our results demonstrated that the model group showed significant depression-like behavior, while the fluoxetine group showed improved depression-like symptoms; after administration, TIV increased body weight, sucrose solution consumption, and ameliorated depression-like behaviors. The overall cell degeneration in colons also improved. In addition, TIV modulated the levels of 5-HT, NE, SP, and CRF expression in the hippocampus and colon. The diversity and richness of gut microbes increased compared to the model group. We therefore conclude that the antidepressant effects of TIV may be related to gut flora structures and regulation of 5-HT, NE, SP, and CRF in the brain and intestine.

Key words

Brain-gut axis - Caprifoliaceae - depression - intestinal flora - iridoids - Valeriana jatamansi
 

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