Classical Chinese Herbal Formulas Promote Neurogenesis

Classical Chinese Herbal Formulas Promote Neurogenesis

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has prescribed formulas for patients. Several formulas of TCM have been found to be able to promote adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus in stressed animals. Liu Wei Di Huang Tang, used to treat complications of diabetes and glomerulonephritis, was proved to promote hippocampal neurogenesis in adult rats at a dose of 100 mg/kg, which was thought to be associated with improvement in cognitive function in eight radiating arms. More recently, researchers found that oral treatment of Jia Wei Wen Dan Tang at a dose of 50 mg/kg increased the number of the doublecortin-positive cells in the dentate gyrus in naïve rats, and consequently improved the cognitive functions in mice treated for 2 weeks. Another study using Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan reported that in stressed rats, 20 times of standard dose of Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan was able to reverse the impaired neurogenesis in the hippocampus. The above three studies provide evidence that TCM formulas could enhance neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, both in physical and pathological conditions. However, each formula contained several components based on the theory of TCM. For example, Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan  consisted of nine herbal plants Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix), Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Mai Dong (Liriopis tuber), Dang Gui (Angelicae Gigantis Radix), Fu Ling (Hoelen), Bo He (Menthae Folium), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix), and Sheng Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma). The complex composition of TCMs in formula makes it difficult to further explain which component or components in the formula are beneficial for neurogenesis. It is also unknown whether the effective components have synergistic or antagonistic effects.

Source:  Zhang E, Shen J, So KF. Chinese traditional medicine and adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. J Tradit Complement Med. 2014 Apr;4(2):77-81.