Yunhao Zhao , Qi Wang , Zhenning Wu , Yuzhi Zhou , Xiaoxia Gao , Wenxia Gong , Xuemei Qin , Yan Ren , Junsheng Tian
{"title":"改良的消药散通过重塑肠道菌群和亮氨酸代谢来拯救抑郁样行为","authors":"Yunhao Zhao , Qi Wang , Zhenning Wu , Yuzhi Zhou , Xiaoxia Gao , Wenxia Gong , Xuemei Qin , Yan Ren , Junsheng Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157241","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Social avoidance is a hallmark symptom of depression. Although Modified Xiaoyaosan (MXYS) has been reported to attenuate this behavior, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which MXYS alleviates social avoidance, with particular emphasis on gut microbiota composition and leucine metabolism.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mouse model was established to evaluate the antidepressant effects of MXYS. Fecal samples were subjected to LC–MS-based untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was conducted to verify the contribution of gut microbes to MXYS’s antidepressant effects. Furthermore, targeted GC–MS, LC–MS/MS, and Western blotting analyses were employed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying leucine reduction. Finally, exogenous leucine supplementation was administered to determine its potential antidepressant efficacy.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>MXYS treatment significantly ameliorated CSDS-induced social avoidance and other depression-like behaviors. Integrated metabolomic and 16S rRNA analyses identified leucine metabolism as a potential therapeutic target. MXYS modulated gut microbial composition and functional pathways, particularly those involved in leucine metabolism. FMT experiments confirmed the essential role of gut microbiota in mediating the antidepressant effects of MXYS. Targeted metabolic profiling and protein expression analyses revealed that enhanced microbial degradation of leucine contributed to its systemic reduction. Moreover, leucine supplementation robustly reversed depressive-like behaviors and attenuated hippocampal oxidative stress.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>MXYS alleviates social avoidance in CSDS mice by modulating gut microbiota–mediated leucine degradation, thereby restoring systemic leucine levels and improving hippocampal oxidative stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20212,"journal":{"name":"Phytomedicine","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 157241"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Modified Xiaoyaosan rescues depression-like behavior via remodeling gut microbiota and leucine metabolism\",\"authors\":\"Yunhao Zhao , Qi Wang , Zhenning Wu , Yuzhi Zhou , Xiaoxia Gao , Wenxia Gong , Xuemei Qin , Yan Ren , Junsheng Tian\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157241\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Social avoidance is a hallmark symptom of depression. Although Modified Xiaoyaosan (MXYS) has been reported to attenuate this behavior, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which MXYS alleviates social avoidance, with particular emphasis on gut microbiota composition and leucine metabolism.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mouse model was established to evaluate the antidepressant effects of MXYS. Fecal samples were subjected to LC–MS-based untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was conducted to verify the contribution of gut microbes to MXYS’s antidepressant effects. Furthermore, targeted GC–MS, LC–MS/MS, and Western blotting analyses were employed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying leucine reduction. Finally, exogenous leucine supplementation was administered to determine its potential antidepressant efficacy.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>MXYS treatment significantly ameliorated CSDS-induced social avoidance and other depression-like behaviors. Integrated metabolomic and 16S rRNA analyses identified leucine metabolism as a potential therapeutic target. MXYS modulated gut microbial composition and functional pathways, particularly those involved in leucine metabolism. FMT experiments confirmed the essential role of gut microbiota in mediating the antidepressant effects of MXYS. Targeted metabolic profiling and protein expression analyses revealed that enhanced microbial degradation of leucine contributed to its systemic reduction. Moreover, leucine supplementation robustly reversed depressive-like behaviors and attenuated hippocampal oxidative stress.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>MXYS alleviates social avoidance in CSDS mice by modulating gut microbiota–mediated leucine degradation, thereby restoring systemic leucine levels and improving hippocampal oxidative stress.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":20212,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Phytomedicine\",\"volume\":\"147 \",\"pages\":\"Article 157241\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":8.3000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-09-08\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Phytomedicine\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711325008803\",\"RegionNum\":1,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"CHEMISTRY, MEDICINAL\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Phytomedicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711325008803","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MEDICINAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
Modified Xiaoyaosan rescues depression-like behavior via remodeling gut microbiota and leucine metabolism
Background
Social avoidance is a hallmark symptom of depression. Although Modified Xiaoyaosan (MXYS) has been reported to attenuate this behavior, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which MXYS alleviates social avoidance, with particular emphasis on gut microbiota composition and leucine metabolism.
Methods
A chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mouse model was established to evaluate the antidepressant effects of MXYS. Fecal samples were subjected to LC–MS-based untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was conducted to verify the contribution of gut microbes to MXYS’s antidepressant effects. Furthermore, targeted GC–MS, LC–MS/MS, and Western blotting analyses were employed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying leucine reduction. Finally, exogenous leucine supplementation was administered to determine its potential antidepressant efficacy.
Results
MXYS treatment significantly ameliorated CSDS-induced social avoidance and other depression-like behaviors. Integrated metabolomic and 16S rRNA analyses identified leucine metabolism as a potential therapeutic target. MXYS modulated gut microbial composition and functional pathways, particularly those involved in leucine metabolism. FMT experiments confirmed the essential role of gut microbiota in mediating the antidepressant effects of MXYS. Targeted metabolic profiling and protein expression analyses revealed that enhanced microbial degradation of leucine contributed to its systemic reduction. Moreover, leucine supplementation robustly reversed depressive-like behaviors and attenuated hippocampal oxidative stress.
Conclusion
MXYS alleviates social avoidance in CSDS mice by modulating gut microbiota–mediated leucine degradation, thereby restoring systemic leucine levels and improving hippocampal oxidative stress.
期刊介绍:
Phytomedicine is a therapy-oriented journal that publishes innovative studies on the efficacy, safety, quality, and mechanisms of action of specified plant extracts, phytopharmaceuticals, and their isolated constituents. This includes clinical, pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological studies of herbal medicinal products, preparations, and purified compounds with defined and consistent quality, ensuring reproducible pharmacological activity. Founded in 1994, Phytomedicine aims to focus and stimulate research in this field and establish internationally accepted scientific standards for pharmacological studies, proof of clinical efficacy, and safety of phytomedicines.