The Chinese compound Kaixin Jieyu Fang can be used to treat vascular depression; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

This study established a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia-caused white matter damage by ligation of the bilateral common carotid arteries.

Rats received daily intragastric administration of a suspension of Kaixin Jieyu Fang powder. Kaixin Jieyu Fang was made from two prescriptions of Kaixin San and Sini San supplemented with Radix Morindae Offcinalis, consisting of eight Chinese herbs including Radix Ginseng, Radix Bupleuri, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, Radix Morindae Officinalis, Poria, Radix Polygalae, Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Radix Glycytthizae.

After treatment, the degree of white matter damage in the cerebral ischemia rat model was alleviated, Bcl-2 protein and mRNA expression in brain tissue increased, and Bax protein and mRNA expression decreased.

These results, published in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 1, 2014), indicate that Kaixin Jieyu Fang can alleviate cerebral white matter damage, and the underlying mechanism is associated with regulation of Bcl-2/Bax protein and mRNA expression, which is one of possible mechanism behind the protective effect of Kaixin Jieyu Fang against vascular depression.