Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE  B

Accepted manuscript available online (unedited version)


Antidepressant effects of Radix bupleuri-Radix paeoniae Alba: modulation of gut microbiota (Lactiplantibacillus/Anaerotignum) and restoration of phosphatidylcholine homeostasis along the gut-brain axis


Author(s):  Yaru CUI1, Minghui HU1, Chao LIU3, 4, Jialing XU1, Yuxin TIAN1, Shimeng LV1, Zifa LI1, 2, Lidan WU1, 2, Hao ZHANG1, 2, Xinyu WANG1, 2, Sheng WEI1, 2

Affiliation(s):  1Institute for Chinese Medicine and Brain Science, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China; more

Corresponding email(s):  weisheng@sdutcm.edu.cn, wangxinyu0601@163.com, zhanghaojune@126.com

Key Words:  Radix Bupleuri-Radix Paeoniae Alba herb pair, Depression, Metabolomics, Gut-brain axis, 16S rRNA sequencing, Non-targeted metabolomics


Yaru CUI1, Minghui HU1, Chao LIU3,4, Jialing XU1, Yuxin TIAN1, Shimeng LV1, Zifa LI1,2, Lidan WU1,2, Hao ZHANG1,2, Xinyu WANG1,2, Sheng WEI1,2. Antidepressant effects of Radix bupleuri-Radix paeoniae Alba: modulation of gut microbiota (Lactiplantibacillus/Anaerotignum) and restoration of phosphatidylcholine homeostasis along the gut-brain axis[J]. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B,in press.Frontiers of Information Technology & Electronic Engineering,in press.https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B2600267

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author="Yaru CUI1, Minghui HU1, Chao LIU3,4, Jialing XU1, Yuxin TIAN1, Shimeng LV1, Zifa LI1,2, Lidan WU1,2, Hao ZHANG1,2, Xinyu WANG1,2, Sheng WEI1,2",
journal="Journal of Zhejiang University Science B",
year="in press",
publisher="Zhejiang University Press & Springer",
doi="https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B2600267"
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%T Antidepressant effects of Radix bupleuri-Radix paeoniae Alba: modulation of gut microbiota (Lactiplantibacillus/Anaerotignum) and restoration of phosphatidylcholine homeostasis along the gut-brain axis
%A Yaru CUI1
%A Minghui HU1
%A Chao LIU3
%A 4
%A Jialing XU1
%A Yuxin TIAN1
%A Shimeng LV1
%A Zifa LI1
%A 2
%A Lidan WU1
%A 2
%A Hao ZHANG1
%A 2
%A Xinyu WANG1
%A 2
%A Sheng WEI1
%A 2
%J Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B
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%@ 1673-1581
%D in press
%I Zhejiang University Press & Springer
doi="https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B2600267"

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A1 - Minghui HU1
A1 - Chao LIU3
A1 - 4
A1 - Jialing XU1
A1 - Yuxin TIAN1
A1 - Shimeng LV1
A1 - Zifa LI1
A1 - 2
A1 - Lidan WU1
A1 - 2
A1 - Hao ZHANG1
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A1 - Xinyu WANG1
A1 - 2
A1 - Sheng WEI1
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PB - Zhejiang University Press & Springer
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doi="https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B2600267"


Abstract: 
Background: The pathogenesis of depression is associated with the gut-brain axis, involving gut microbiota and their metabolites. The herb pair Radix bupleuri-Radix paeoniae Alba (BP) has been reported to exert antidepressant effects by ameliorating gut microbiota dysbiosis but; its mechanisms within the gut-brain axis remain incompletely understood. Objectives and Methods: A chronic restraint stress (CRS) mouse model of depression was used. Following determination of the optimal BP dosage, mice were allocated into four groups: Control, Model, BP-treated, and fluoxetine-treated. Antidepressant effects were evaluated through behavioural tests. Serum metabolites were profiled using untargeted metabolomics and pathway enrichment analysis. Gut microbiota composition was assessed via 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene sequencing, with analysis of alpha and beta diversity, and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). Multi-omics integration was applied to investigate correlations between metabolites and microbial communities. Key metabolites in the hippocampus, colon, and cecum were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: BP treatment was associated with improvements in CRS-induced depressive-like behaviours. Metabolomic analysis indicated systemic metabolic disruption, with glycerophospholipid metabolism identified as the most significantly altered pathway. BP treatment was associated with changes in phosphatidylcholine (20:4/20:5) [PC(20:4/20:5)] andwith restoration of CRS-related gut microbiota eubiosis, including changes in microbial diversity and composition. Integrated analysis revealed correlations between reshaped microbiota (such as increased Lactiplantibacillus and decreased Anaerotignum) and alterations in glycerophospholipid metabolism. Tissue measurements also showed a BP-associated pattern of lower phosphatidylcholine in the hippocampus and higher phosphatidylcholine in the colon. Conclusions: BP treatment was associated with ameliorated depressive-like behaviours, altered serum glycerophospholipid metabolism, normalisation of PC(20:4/20:5), restoration of gut microbial ecology, and tissue-specific differences in phosphatidylcholine levels along the microbiota-gut-brain axis. The observed PC redistribution was associated with antidepressant-like effects. These findings generate testable hypotheses; causal relationships remain to be validated in further intervention experiments.

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On-line Access: 2026-10-09

Received: 2026-04-18

Revision Accepted: 2026-09-09

Crosschecked: 0000-00-00

Cited: 0

Clicked: 136

Citations:  Bibtex RefMan EndNote GB/T7714

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