Cang-Ai Volatile Oil Ameliorates Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Depression-like Symptoms in Rats by Regulating NT/Trk Signaling Pathway.

Overview

1. Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China; (M.S.); (H.Z.); (C.J.); (X.L.)
2. First Clinical Medical College, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China
3. United Graduate School, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Suzhou 215000, China
4. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qujing University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Qujing 655100, China
5. Second Clinical Medical College, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China
6. College of Pharmaceutical Science, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
7. The People’s Hospital of Mengzi, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Mengzi 661100, China

Abstract

Background: Cang-ai volatile oil (CAVO) is a traditional Chinese medicine with properties that soothe the liver and alleviate depression. CAVO is widely utilized in the field of antidepressant research and has surfaced as a possible treatment for depression. Depression is a common affective disorder and effective treatment methods are still limited. CAVO is effective in treating depression; however, the exact mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the likely mechanism by which CAVO reduces symptoms of depression in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Methods: We established a CUMS model in Sprague–Dawley rats and administered CAVO via nebulization to evaluate its therapeutic effect. Behavioral and histology tests were conducted to evaluate brain tissue damage. We utilized metabolomics combined with proteomics to analyze the effects of CAVO. We then assessed molecular validation to further clarify the molecular mechanism of its activity. Results: In CUMS model rats, inhaling aerosolized CAVO reduced brain pathology and depression-like behaviors. CAVO changed serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and neurotrophic factors. Biomarkers linked to CAVO’s antidepressant effects were found via metabolomics. Functional analyses highlighted key molecular players such as TrkB, and CREB, and a close association with the antidepressant action of CAVO was confirmed. Conclusions: This study reveals that CAVO reduces depression-like behaviors in CUMS rats by regulating the NT/Trk signaling pathway. These results demonstrate CAVO’s therapeutic potential and lay the groundwork for future studies and the creation of depressive treatments.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

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Datasets cited

• uniprot.org/taxonomy/10116 — at UniProt; found in the text, “4.5.2. Proteomics”

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

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Version 1, 28 September 2026: the first record

Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, issue, pages, dates, 8 authors, 5 keywords, 4 funders, 33 references.

Cite

This paper

Shi, M., Zhou, H., Xiao, X., Jiang, C., Pan, L., Lv, X., Qian, T., & Qin, D. (2026). Cang-Ai Volatile Oil Ameliorates Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Depression-like Symptoms in Rats by Regulating NT/Trk Signaling Pathway. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 19(5), 751. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19050751

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