Xiaoyaosan exerts anxiolytic-like effects by down-regulating the TNF-α/JAK2-STAT3 pathway in the rat hippocampus.

ABSTRACT: Although the anxiolytic-like effects of Xiaoyaosan, a Chinese herbal formula, have been described in many previous studies, its underlying mechanism remains undefined. The cytokine tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and its closely associated janus kinase 2 (JAK2)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) signalling pathway regulate the neuro-inflammatory response in the brain, thus participating in the development of anxiety. Our purpose was to investigate whether the anxiolytic-like effects of Xiaoyaosan are related to the TNF-α/JAK2-STAT3 pathway in the hippocampus. We examined the effects of Xiaoyaosan on behaviours exhibited in the elevated plus maze test, open field test and novelty-suppressed feeding test as well as hippocampal neuron damage and changes in the TNF-α/JAK

SUBMITTER: Li XJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5428435 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature