ArticleBiochemistry and biophysics reports2025
A study on the mechanism of Bushen Kaiqiao Formula in modulating microglial activation to alleviate neuroinflammation in ADHD.
Article in Biochemistry and biophysics reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Serum TLR4, NF-κB, and NLRP3 Levels in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case-Control Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Integrative phytochemical profiling and systems pharmacology identify ERBB2-MAPK1-AKT1 signaling as a molecular basis for the anti-vertigo effects of Ziyin Zhixuan Decoction.Biochemistry and biophysics reports · 2026Article
- Route selection impairment and microglia activation in a rodent model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.Frontiers in cellular neuroscience · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Growing evidence suggests that dysregulated microglial activation and neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex may underlie the pathophysiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Utilizing spontaneously hypertensive rats-a well-validated animal model of ADHD-this study aimed to characterize ADHD-like behavioral phenotypes and prefrontal cortical neuronal development and elucidate the neuroimmunological mechanisms through which the Bushen Kaiqiao Formula (BSKQF) exerts its therapeutic effects by modulating microglial activation states. Methods: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS) was used to qualitatively analyze the chemical composition of Bushen Kaiqiao Formula, and network pharmacology was applied to predict its potential therapeutic targets and ADHD-related pathways ADHD-like behaviors, including hyperactivity, impulsivity, spatial memory, and attention, were assessed using the Open Field Test, Elevated Plus Maze, and Y-Maze Test at weeks 2 and 4. Prefrontal cortical neuronal morphology and dendritic spine density were evaluated using Nissl staining and Golgi-Cox staining, respectively. Microglial activation (Iba-1+/iNOS + immunofluorescence), inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β and IL-6 by ELISA), and blood-brain barrier integrity (transmission electron microscopy) were examined. In vitro, primary prefrontal cortical neurons and microglia were isolated from neonatal rats and treated with BSKQF-containing serum at different concentrations, with Methylphenidate (MPH) as a control. An oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model was established to mimic neuroinflammatory conditions with inflammatory signaling pathways assessed. Results: UHPLC-MS/MS identified key bioactive components of Bushen Kaiqiao Formula. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that BSKQF may ameliorate ADHD-related behavioral deficits by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. Behavioral assessments demonstrated dose- and time-dependent effects. BSKQF significantly reduced neuronal loss, promoted synaptic plasticity, reduced the proportion of activated microglia (iNOS+/Iba-1+), and lowered IL-1β and IL-6 levels. Additionally, ultrastructural examination indicated restored blood-brain barrier integrity and reduced perivascular edema. In vitro, BSKQF-containing serum suppressed NF-κB pathway activation (p-NF-κB-p65, p-IκBα) and inflammasome-related proteins (NLRP3, caspase-1). Conclusion: BSKQF effectively alleviates ADHD-like behaviors in SHR rats by inhibiting prefrontal microglial activation and neuroinflammation, reducing neuronal apoptosis, restoring synaptic plasticity, and preserving blood-brain barrier integrity.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.