Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41399790›Full record

ArticleChinese herbal medicines2025

Jiaotaiwan activates serum SCFAs and upregulates cAMP-PKA-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway for antidepressant effects: A multicenter, randomized, controlled study.

Mengnan Huang, Yuanyuan He, Tong Yang, Lu Yu, Qina Lei, Lina Gao, Shan Gao, Lin Li, Chunquan Yu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Chinese herbal medicines, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Mengnan HuangTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
Yuanyuan HeTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
Tong YangTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
Lu YuTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
Qina LeiTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
Lina GaoJining Medical University, College of Pharmacy, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, China.
Shan GaoTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
Lin LiTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
Chunquan YuTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: Jiaotaiwan (JTW) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription for treating depression, but its potential mechanisms are not fully understood. The aim of this study is to detect the levels of serum Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA)-cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)-brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling pathway, further revealing the scientific connotation of the antidepressant effect of JTW. Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, controlled study, 120 patients with depression were divided into the JTW (16.5 g/d) group, JTW (16.5 g/d) + selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) group, and SSRIs group. Hamilton depression Scale-24 (HAMD-24) and Self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used for efficacy evaluation. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to evaluate the expression levels of cAMP-PKA-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway. Serum SCFAs concentrations were analyzed using liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) targeted metabolomics. Results: After eight weeks of treatment, HAMD score and SDS score were significantly decreased in the three groups, and HAMD score in JTW + SSRIs group was significantly lower than that in SSRIs group. After treatment, the expression levels of cAMP-PKA-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway were significantly increased in the three group, with the JTW + SSRIs group showing more significant increase. After treatment, the levels of isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric, and valeric acids in the JTW + SSRIs groups were significantly higher than that before treatment, and the levels of isobutyric, and isovaleric acids in the JTW + SSRIs group was significantly higher than that in the JTW group and SSRIs groups. Conclusion: JTW can alleviate symptoms in patients with depression, and its antidepressant mechanism may be related to regulating serum SCFAs and cAMP-PKA-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway.

Indexed as

cAMP-PKA-CREB-BDNF signaling pathwayclinical studydepressionJiaotaiwanserum SCFAs

Identifiers

PMID41399790
PMCPMC12702445

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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.