Effects of chaihu-guizhi-ganjiang-tang on the levels of monoamines and their related substances, and acetylcholine in discrete brain regions of mice.

The effects of the extract powder (CggT) from Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang-Tang (Saiko-keishi-kankyo-to, in Japanese) on the monoamines and their related substances and the acetylcholine in mouse brain were examined. 1) A single administration of CggT significantly increased the levels of HVA and 5-HIAA in the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, corpus striatum and hippocampus at 75 mg/kg, and those in the hypothalamus, corpus striatum and hippocampus at 750 mg/kg. 2) The repeated administration of CggT significantly increased the level of 5-HT in the hippocampus at 75 mg/kg, and the levels of 5-HT in the corpus striatum and of NE and 5-HT in the hippocampus at 750 mg/kg. 3) The level of ACh was significantly increased in the hypothalamus alone after single administration of CggT. These findings suggest that CggT stimulates function of the dopaminergic and serotonergic nervous systems in mice, but not most of the NEnergic and cholinergic nervous systems.