Pharmacological Research - Modern Chinese Medicine (Sep 2022)
Effect of traditional Chinese Medicine on ADHD animal behavior and brain tissue dopamine and cAMP: A network meta-analysis
Abstract
There are still some doubts about the safety of neurostimulant medications in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Traditional Chinese medicine is a safe and effective alternative therapy that has been confirmed in animal experiments. This study aimed to evaluate whether traditional Chinese medicine can improve the behavioral performance and brain tissue dopamine and cAMP contents of ADHD model animals using a network meta-analysis. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Journal, and China Biomedical Literature databases were searched from their inception to October 23, 2021. The SYRCLE tool was used to assess the quality of the literature, and Stata 16 and GeMTC 0.14.3 were used to create network diagrams and perform Bayesian network meta-analysis. Twenty-four eligible randomized controlled animal experimental studies were included for the network meta-analysis. The results of the analysis of behavioral performance showed Jingning Granules [-11.72 (-22.03, -1.89)] could significantly reduce the moving distance of the ADHD animals in the OFT, compared with model group. In the MWM Test, Yizhi Ningshen Granules [-44.79(-66.46,-22.28)], Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata [-22.01(-35.23,-8.25)], and Baicalin [-7.34(-20.63, 4.99)] could significantly shorten the day-3 escape latency in ADHD animals, and Anshen Dingzhi Ling [7.02 (1.54, 12.56))] and Baicalin [5.88 (0.84, 10.20)] could significantly increase the time spent in the target in the ADHD animals, compared with model group. The results of the network meta-analysis of brain tissue dopamine and cAMP contents revealed that Ginsenoside Rg1 [162.46 (47.24, 273.42)] could increase the dopamine content of the striatum, while Baicalein [23.78 (15.39, 31.44)] and Anshen Dingzhi Ling [18.04 (12.26, 23.29)] could raise cAMP levels in the prefrontal lobe compared with model group. Baicalein [40.57 (14.57, 62.46)], Anshen Dingzhi Ling [56.16 (34.46, 76.69)], and Jingning Granules [27.11 (8.39, 46.03)] were found to raise cAMP levels in the striatum in comparison with atomoxetine treatment. Accordingly, we consider that traditional Chinese medicine intervention can increase the contents of dopamine and cAMP in the prefrontal lobe and striatum, thereby improving hyperactivity, impulsivity, and learning difficulties in ADHD animals. In addition, the SHR rat appears to be an ideal ADHD animal model.
