Chaihu-Shugan-San (CHSGS) is a herbal preparation that has been shown to effectively relieve neurologic impairment and reduce depression. However, the efficacy of CHSGS in the treatment of patients with epilepsy with depression is unknown. Therefore, in the present study, adult rats were exposed to chronic mild stress following the establishment of chronic pilocarpine-induced epilepsy. Subsequently, a sucrose consumption test and open-field test (OFT) were performed to assess depression-like behavior. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, model, fluoxetine (1.8 g/kg) and CHSGS (2.7 g/kg) groups. The control and model groups received normal saline. The mRNA expression levels of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT1A) receptor and the number of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical analysis, respectively. Treatment administration was conducted by once daily intragastric perfusion for 28 days. The mRNA expression levels of the 5-HT1A receptor, the number of BrdU-labeled cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, the consumption of sucrose, and frequency of vertical and horizontal movement scores in the OFT were enhanced in the fluoxetine and CHSGS groups compared with the model group (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was detected between the fluoxetine and CHSGS groups. These data suggest that CHSGS is able to increase the expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA and cellular proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in epileptic rats with depression, and thus effectively improve certain symptoms of depression.

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Nucleic acids U 0700Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Novel 2- (Thymin-1'-ylmethoxy)ethyl Alkyl Sulfides and Their Oxidation Products. -A series of novel title sulfides (V) (6 examples) is synthesized and transformed into thecorresponding sulfoxides (VI) and sulfones (VII). Preliminary bioassays indicate that sulfide (Vb) exhibits more significant inhibitory effects on the human lung carinoma cell line A-549 than cisplatin. -(LIU*, X.-J.; CHEN, R.-Y.; BAI, D.-L.; Phosphorus, Sulfur Silicon Relat.

Nucleic acids U 0700Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Novel 1-(2'-Alkyl (or Phenyl)thioethoxy)methyl-5-fluorouracils and Their Oxidation Products. -The novel 5-fluorouracil derivatives (V) and their sulfoxides (VI) and sulfones (VII) are synthesized and screened for their anticancer activities. (Va) and (VIc) exhibit activity against A-549 lung carcinoma cell lines. -(LIU*, X.-J.; CHEN, R.-Y.; BAI, D.-L.; Heteroat.