天麻水萃物在動物實驗及臨床試驗中的抗憂鬱效果及其機制之探討

沈立言
臺灣大學
憂鬱症是精神疾病中盛行率極高的情感性疾病，憂鬱症除了造成患者失能而失去正常生活與工作的能力，也是自殺的主因之一。但是由於病人的治療順從性不高，加上目治療方式並無法顯著的改善憂鬱症症狀或是帶來許多病人無法接受的副作用，因此尋找病人可以接受且具有抗憂鬱效果的材料是具有發展潛力的課題。天麻是中醫食療材料之一，現代研究發現其具有抗癲癇、抗氧化、保護神經細胞、改善記憶力等功效，而含有天麻的食療則被用作抗憂鬱等，因此本實驗擬以動物實驗模式包括(1) forced-swimming test（FST）、(2) inhibitory avoidance task以及(3) Morris water maze來瞭解天麻水萃物的抗憂鬱及改善憂鬱引起的記憶力衰退之效果，並對可能之抗憂鬱機制進行探討，並以動物實驗結果，選擇最佳劑量進行人體試驗，以瞭解天麻水萃物對憂鬱症病患的改善能力。本計畫擬分三年完成：第一年：以不同濃度的天麻水萃物進行抗憂鬱動物實驗forced-swimming test與記憶力動物實驗inhibitory avoidance task與Morris water maze，以瞭解天麻水萃物在動物實驗模式中的抗憂鬱能力，以及對憂鬱症引起的記憶力衰退之改善效果，同時將進行腦部不同區域（frontal cortex、striatum、amygdala、hippocampus）單胺類物質（serotonin、dopamine、norepinephrine、epinephrine）與其代謝產物（5-HIAA、DOPAC、HVA）之含量，斷頭犧牲過程收集血液檢測血液中norepinephrine及epinephrine含量，以瞭解天麻水萃物對於大鼠腦部與憂鬱症相關的神經傳導物質含量之影響。
關鍵字：天麻；強迫游泳試驗；水迷津；抑制性逃避學習作業；臨床試驗

Investigation of the effects of water extract from Gastrodia elata Blume on the antidepression and their mechanisms in animal models and clinical study

li yan shen
National Taiwan University
Depression is one of the mood disorders with high prevalence. WHO estimated that major depression is the second greatest single cause of disability and mortality worldwide. Besides the disability in daily life and occupation, depression is also the major cause of suicide. Because of the low compliance, the poor therapeutic effects, and the side effects occurred during treatment, the treatment of depression is not desirable. Thus, looking for an alternative treatment for depression is important. Gastrodia elata Blume is one of the traditional Chinese medicines, and it is also a common material used in Chinese dietary therapy. Its traditional application includes paralysis, epilepsy, dizziness, depression and so on. Previous scientific studies showed the anticonvulsive, antioxidation, neuroprotective, memory and learning improvement effects. Therefore, the aims of this project are to investigate the antidepressant effect of Gastrodia elata Blume using animal model of forced-swimming test, and to see if Gastrodia elata Blume can improve the amnesia induced by depression using the animal models of Morris water maze and inhibitory avoidance task, respectively.
關鍵字：Gastrodia elata Bume；forced-swimming test；Morris water maze；inhibitory avoidance task；clinical study