Different changes in concentrations of monoamines and their metabolites and amino acids in various brain regions by the herbal medicine/Toki-Shakuyaku-San between female and male senescence-accelerated mice (SAMP8).

Due to it's estrogen-secreting qualities, a Japanese herbal medicine, Toki-Shakuyaku-San may have a potential role for Alzheimer's disease in women. The effect of treatment with Toki-Shakuyaku-San testing on concentrations of monoamines, their metabolites and amino acids in the cortex, hippocampus and striatum of senescence accelerated mice (SAMP8) was examined and sex differences of SAMP8 and ddY mice was studied. In the female SAMP8, concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid, alanine, and glycine were elevated in three regions after treatment. The concentration of glutamate was decreased in the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum of female and male SAMP8 and not in female and male ddY mice. These results suggest that different effects of Toki-Shakuyaku-San treatment on concentrations of monoamines, their metabolites and amino acids in the brain tissue may be due to its stimulation of secreted estrogen on neurons.