Kaixinsan powder ameliorates depression-like behavior in CUMS rats: Involvement of gut-microbiota mediated HPA axis regulation and neuroinflammation

Clinical evidence points to antidepressant effects of Kaixinsan powder (KXS), but the mechanism is still unclear. This study was designed to confirm the effects of KXS on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced behavioral abnormalities and pathophysiological changes in rats, and sought to explore its antidepressant mechanism by an integrative approach of 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing and fecal metabolomics.