Meranzin Hydrate Effects Atherosclerosis and Depressive Comorbidity in ApoE^-/- Rats by Antidyslipidemic, Anti-Inflammatory and Regulate Intestinal Flora

  OBJECTIVE  Focus on the efficacy of Meranzin hydrate (MH) in the treatment of comorbid AS and depression, and dicuss the mechanism of MH.

  METHODS  Sprague Dawley rats with chow diets were elected as the control group, and ApoE^-/- rats were fed high-fat diets for 12 weeks to establish the AS multimorbidity with depression model. ApoE^-/- rats were randomly divided into the model group and intervention groups (MH 3.5 mg·kg^-1, MH 7 mg·kg^-1, and simvastatin 7 mg·kg^-1 groups). n=6, for each group.

  RESULTS  Treatment of comorbid AS and depression with MH could significantly decrease lipid levels, plaque areas, plasma level of inflammatory factors and hippocampus inflammatory cytokines, particularly tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin(IL)-1β, and IL-6. MH could also improve hippocampal 5-hydroxytryptamine levels as well as depressive-like behavior and regulate intestinal flora.

  CONCLUSION  This study demonstrates that MH reduces the inflammatory response as well as lipid levels and improves the composition of intestinal flora, which plays an important role against AS multimorbidity with depression.