• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.53-67
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• 2011

Objectives : Dahuanghuanglianxiexin-tang(DHXT) has been prescribed for patients with anxiety disorder and has been believed to treat Haw-Byung. The present study was carried out to investigate whether Da-Huang, Huang-Lian and DHXT have beneficial effects on ability to recover from the stressful conditions. Methods : The mice were divided into normal group, control group, positive control group and experimental groups. The experimental groups were divided into Da-Huang, Hwan-gryun and DHXT group. In the positive control group, imiprimine at $500{\mu}g$/g/day of dose were applied to mice and in the experimental groups, Da-Huang, Huang-Lian and DHXT at $50{\mu}$/g/day of dose were applied to mice. After 1 hour, the mice in the rest of groups except normal group were exposed to immobilization stress. Their body weights, phagocytosis, nitric oxide in macrophage, iNOS in hippocampus, serum levels of corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic-hormone(ACTH) were observed. Results : Da-Huang, Huang-Lian and DHXT didn't increase the body weights of immobilization stressed mice but they improved phagocytosis in immobilization stressed mice. Also they worked on reducing the amount of nitric oxide in macrophages in immobilization stressed mice. Although Da-Huang, Huang-Lian and DHXT didn't affect the serum level of ACTH in immobilization stressed mice, they reduced the serum level of corticosterone in immobilization stressd mice. Conclusions : The present study suggests that Da-Huang, Huang-Lian and DHXT have beneficial effects on ability to recover from the stressful conditions.