Yixin Ningshen Tablet Alleviates Comorbidity of Myocardial Infarction and Depression by Enhancing Myocardial Energy Metabolism and Increasing Availability of Monoamine Neurotransmitter

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of Yixin Ningshen Tablet(YXNS) on comorbidity of myocardial infarction(MI) and depression in rats and explore the underlying mechanism. Methods: The Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups with 7 rats in each group according to their weights,including control, model, fluoxetine(FLXT, 10 mg/kg), low-dose YXNS(LYXNS, 100 mg/kg), and high-dose YXNS(HYXNS, 300 mg/kg) groups. All rats were pretreated with corresponding drugs for 12 weeks. The rat model of MI and depression was constructed by ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery and chronic mild stress stimulation. The echocardiography, sucrose preference test, open field test, and forced swim test were performed. Myocardial infarction(MI) area and myocardial apoptosis was also detected. Serum levels of interleukin(IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), adrenocorticotrophic hormone(ACTH), corticosterone(CORT), and norepinephrine(NE) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The proteins of adenosine 5’-monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK), p-AMPK,peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α(PGC-1α), and nuclear respiratory factor 1(NRF1) in heart were detected by Western blot analysis. The expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase(IDO1), kynurenine 3-monooxygenase(KMO), and kynureninase(KYNU) in hippocampus were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Compared with the model group,the cardiac function of rats treated with YXNS significantly improved(P<0.01). Meanwhile, YXNS effectively reduced MI size and cardiomyocytes apoptosis of rats(P<0.01 or P<0.05), promoted AMPK phosphorylation,and increased PGC-1α protein expression(P<0.01 or P<0.05). HYXNS significantly increased locomotor activity of rats, decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, and increased the serum levels of 5-HT, NE, ACTH,and CORT(all P<0.05). Moreover, HYXNS decreased the m RNA expressions of IDO1, KMO and KYNU(P<0.05).Conclusions: YXNS can relieve MI by enhancing myocardial energy metabolism. Meanwhile, YXNS can alleviate depression by resisting inflammation and increasing availability of monoamine neurotransmitters. It may be used as a potential drug to treat comorbidity of MI and depression.

The Physiology of Xin （Heart） in Chinese Political Argumentation： The Western Han Dynasty and the Pre-lmperial Legacy

Abstract The term xin （心）, usually translated as ＂mind,＂ ＂heart＂ or ＂heart- mind,＂ is considered a major probldmatique in traditional Chinese philosophical discourse, and it is usually analized in conjunction with xing （性, human nature）. Contemporary scholars consider xin--more or less uncontroversially--as a sort of container of emotions and feelings, or, as On-Cho Ng defines it, ＂the very home of volition, sentiments and intellect＂ （Ng 1999）. This paper aims to further explore the impact of the physiology of heart （xin） rhetoric within political discourse during the early decades of the Western Han dynasty （206 BC-AD 9）. To that end I will first analyze the importance of physiological vocabulary in political argumentation, focusing mainly on the importance of heart （xin）, its central role as the ruler of the body, and on the analogy between the heart and the sovereign of the state. I will then analyze the use of the expressions unanimity and duplicity--literally, pitting one heart （yixin 一心） against two hearts （erxin 二心, or liangxin 雨心）.