Chinese herbal formula raises Glutathione

[Guest guest]

Thought I'd share this study I just came across, this is a Chinese Herbal

formula and it has been found to restore Glutathione levels to normal in

schizophrenic mice. It is useful for many brain disorders including

psycho-emotional, alzheimers, dementia, etc. Willing to bet it would help

our kids...

http://www.la-press.com/yi-gan-san-restores-behavioral-alterations-and-a-decreas\

e-of-brain-glu-a1318

Yi-Gan San Restores Behavioral Alterations and a Decrease

of Brain Glutathione Level in a Mouse Model of Schizophrenia

Manabu Makinodan1, Takahira Yamauchi1, Kouko Tatsumi2, Hiroaki Okuda2,

Yoshinobu Noriyama1, Miyuki Sadamatsu1, Toshifumi Kishimoto1 and Akio Wanaka

2

1Department of Psychiatry. and 2Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Nara

Medical University

Faculty of Medicine.

*

Abstract: *The traditional Chinese herbal medicine yi-gan san has been used

to cure neuropsychological disorders.

Schizophrenia can be one of the target diseases of yi-gan san. We aimed at

evaluating the possible use of yi-gan san in

improving the schizophrenic symptoms of an animal model. Yi-gan san or

distilled water was administered to mice born

from pregnant mice injected with polyinosinic-polycytidilic acid or

phosphate buffered saline. The former is a model of

schizophrenia based on the epidemiological data that maternal infection

leads to psychotic disorders including schizophrenia

in the offspring. Prepulse inhibition and sensitivity to methamphetamine in

open fi eld tests were analyzed and the total

glutathione content of whole brains was measured. Yi-gan san reversed the

decrease in prepulse inhibition, hypersensitivity

to methamphetamine and cognitive defi cits found in the model mice to the

level of control mice. Total glutathione content

in whole brains was reduced in the model mice but was restored to normal

levels by yi-gan san treatment. These results

suggest that yi-gan san may have ameliorating effects on the pathological

symptoms of schizophrenia.

*

Keywords: *Yi-gan san (yokukansan), schizophrenia, open fi eld test,

prepulse inhibition, cognitive defi cits, glutathione

Total glutathione level was restored

to a normal level by YGS treatment

in poly I:C-mice

Glutathione is a small protein composed of three

amino acids (cysteine, glutamate and glycine).

Glutathione attenuates external or internal stress by

scavenging free radicals and other reactive species

and plays a critical role in defense against oxidative

stress. Since glutathione levels were decreased in

the medial prefrontal cortex and cerebrospinal fl uid

in schizophrenic patients,15 we analyzed total

glutathione levels in PBS-control mice and poly

I:C-control mice. The glutathione level was lower

in the whole brain of poly I:C-control than PBScontrol

mice (Fig. 4, p 0.05). The total glutathione

level in poly I:C-YGS mice was significantly

increased from that of poly I:C-control mice

(Fig. 4, p 0.05) to a comparable level to that of

PBS-control mice (Fig. 4, p 0.05).

The present study showed for the fi rst time that

Chinese herbal medicine, YGS, restores behavioral

alterations and a decrease of brain glutathione level

in schizophrenic model mice. These results suggest

that YGS could be a novel remedy for the symptoms

of schizophrenia.

Ormonde, L.Ac.

www.AuburnCommunityAcupuncture.com