Research progress on the regulation of glutamate in traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of depression
Glutamate is a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and a potential neurotoxin.During the development of depression,the glutamate concentration increases in the hippocampus.When glutamate accumulates,it causes serious damage to neurons and brain tissue,aggravating the depressive state.Therefore,glutamate accumulation may be a major mechanism of depression development.Astrocytes,glutamate transporters,and glutamate receptors play important regulatory roles in the glutamate concentration.This article reviews the mechanism-of-action of traditional Chinese medicine on depression by regulating astrocytes,glutamate transporters,and glutamate receptors,and provides new ideas to explore treatment of depression by traditional Chinese medicine.
traditional Chinese medicinedepressionglutamic acidresearch progress