柴胡及柴胡类复方的抗抑郁研究现状

Research Status of Radix Bupleuri and Radix Bupleuri Compounds in Anti-Depression

柴胡为常用疏肝解郁中药,其抗抑郁作用备受中医界关注,通过检索近年来国内外有关柴胡的文献,对以柴胡为主要药物的复方的临床疗效和现代的药理学研究现状进行了分析和总结,发现柴胡作为肝经引经药,逍遥散、柴胡疏肝散、小柴胡汤、柴胡龙骨牡蛎汤等经方治疗抗抑郁证临床疗效显著。药理实验研究也提示柴胡类经方及一些自拟的经验方已经成为治疗抑郁证的主要方剂,其中单味药柴胡发挥了明显的抗抑郁作用,是重要的抗抑郁中药之一,且柴胡的有效组分柴胡皂苷是发挥抗抑郁作用的主要成分,药理机理可能涉及单胺类递质及受体表达、乙酰胆碱转移酶蛋白及基因表达、抗免疫炎症损伤及抗凋亡等途径。因此,对柴胡抗抑郁作用的深入研究,对揭示抑郁症发病机制、研发抗抑郁新药均具有参考价值。

Radix bupleuri（chaihu） is a common herb for relieving liver qi stagnation and has drawn the attention for anti-depression in the field of TCM.By retrieving the relevant literatures at home and abroad in recent years,the research status of clinical efficacy and modern pharmacology were analyzed and summed up in terms of radix bupleuris compounds.It was found that the classic formulas such as xiaoyao san,chaihu shugan san,xiaochanhu tang and chaihu longgu muli tang had clinical significant efficacy on depression,in which,radix bupleuri is acting as the conducting herb to liver meridian.The pharmacological experimental research suggested that classic radix bupleuri formulas and some self-prepared formulas have become the main formulas for the treatment of depression,in which the single radix bupleuri plays its remarkable action on anti-depression,as one of the major herbs for anti-depression.The active composition of radix bupleuri,saikosaponin is the main component for anti-depression.The pharmacological mechanism possibly refers to the expressions of monoamine neurotransmitter and receptor,the expressions of choline acetyl transferase and gene,anti-immune inflammatory injury and anti-apoptosis.Hence,the deep study of radix bupleuri on anti-depression is valuable reference for revealing pathogenesis of depression and developing the new drugs of anti-depression.