Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression
Abstract Postpartum depression (PPD) profoundly impacts the mental and physical health of women globally and is an incurable psychological disorder. Traditional pharmacological treatments often have strong side effects and may adversely affect infant health through breastfeeding, underscoring the cr...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85276-9 |
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| author | Qiang Fu Rui Qiu Jiaquan Liang Shuai Wu Dezhi Huang Yuxiang Qin Qiaosheng Li Xiaojie Shi Xiyue Xiong Zhongyong Jiang Yuewen Chen Yong Cheng |
| author_facet | Qiang Fu Rui Qiu Jiaquan Liang Shuai Wu Dezhi Huang Yuxiang Qin Qiaosheng Li Xiaojie Shi Xiyue Xiong Zhongyong Jiang Yuewen Chen Yong Cheng |
| author_sort | Qiang Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Postpartum depression (PPD) profoundly impacts the mental and physical health of women globally and is an incurable psychological disorder. Traditional pharmacological treatments often have strong side effects and may adversely affect infant health through breastfeeding, underscoring the critical need for natural and gentle treatment strategies. Sugemule-7, a traditional Chinese medicine comprising multiple natural plant ingredients, represents a potentially safer and more effective alternative. To investigate its preventive effects on PPD, we established an animal model and administered the drug Sugemule-7. Our study demonstrated that varying doses of Sugemule-7 effectively alleviated depressive and anxiety-like behaviors in PPD mice, as assessed through a battery of tests, including the open field test, tail suspension test, sucrose preference test, forced swim test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, and elevated plus maze test. Furthermore, Sugemule-7 significantly improved oxidative stress levels in the serum, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus of PPD-induced mice while also suppressing inflammatory responses and abnormal neuronal death in these brain regions. Transcriptomic sequencing of hippocampal and prefrontal cortex tissues supported our findings, revealing that differential gene expression is primarily involved in regulating synaptic plasticity. Overall, our study confirms the efficacy of Sugemule-7 in treating PPD at different concentrations, potentially alleviating depressive behaviors by enhancing synaptic plasticity, mitigating oxidative stress, reducing inflammation, and protecting neurons. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-554499f3a27f49ff9b80a59aaffac56f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-554499f3a27f49ff9b80a59aaffac56f2025-01-12T12:23:26ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115112110.1038/s41598-025-85276-9Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depressionQiang Fu0Rui Qiu1Jiaquan Liang2Shuai Wu3Dezhi Huang4Yuxiang Qin5Qiaosheng Li6Xiaojie Shi7Xiyue Xiong8Zhongyong Jiang9Yuewen Chen10Yong Cheng11Center on Translational Neuroscience, Institute of National Security, Minzu University of ChinaCenter on Translational Neuroscience, Institute of National Security, Minzu University of ChinaCenter on Translational Neuroscience, Institute of National Security, Minzu University of ChinaCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of ChinaCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of ChinaCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of ChinaCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Minzu University of ChinaNHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defect for Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care HospitalDepartment of Medical Laboratory, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu Seventh People’s HospitalKey Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science–Shenzhen Fundamental Research InstitutionsCenter on Translational Neuroscience, Institute of National Security, Minzu University of ChinaAbstract Postpartum depression (PPD) profoundly impacts the mental and physical health of women globally and is an incurable psychological disorder. Traditional pharmacological treatments often have strong side effects and may adversely affect infant health through breastfeeding, underscoring the critical need for natural and gentle treatment strategies. Sugemule-7, a traditional Chinese medicine comprising multiple natural plant ingredients, represents a potentially safer and more effective alternative. To investigate its preventive effects on PPD, we established an animal model and administered the drug Sugemule-7. Our study demonstrated that varying doses of Sugemule-7 effectively alleviated depressive and anxiety-like behaviors in PPD mice, as assessed through a battery of tests, including the open field test, tail suspension test, sucrose preference test, forced swim test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, and elevated plus maze test. Furthermore, Sugemule-7 significantly improved oxidative stress levels in the serum, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus of PPD-induced mice while also suppressing inflammatory responses and abnormal neuronal death in these brain regions. Transcriptomic sequencing of hippocampal and prefrontal cortex tissues supported our findings, revealing that differential gene expression is primarily involved in regulating synaptic plasticity. Overall, our study confirms the efficacy of Sugemule-7 in treating PPD at different concentrations, potentially alleviating depressive behaviors by enhancing synaptic plasticity, mitigating oxidative stress, reducing inflammation, and protecting neurons.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85276-9Sugemule-7Postpartum depressionSynaptic plasticityOxidative stressNeuroinflammation |
| spellingShingle | Qiang Fu Rui Qiu Jiaquan Liang Shuai Wu Dezhi Huang Yuxiang Qin Qiaosheng Li Xiaojie Shi Xiyue Xiong Zhongyong Jiang Yuewen Chen Yong Cheng Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression Scientific Reports Sugemule-7 Postpartum depression Synaptic plasticity Oxidative stress Neuroinflammation |
| title | Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression |
| title_full | Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression |
| title_fullStr | Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression |
| title_short | Sugemule-7 alleviates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cell death, promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression |
| title_sort | sugemule 7 alleviates oxidative stress neuroinflammation and cell death promoting synaptic plasticity recovery in mice with postpartum depression |
| topic | Sugemule-7 Postpartum depression Synaptic plasticity Oxidative stress Neuroinflammation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85276-9 |
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