---
title: Does paeonol, a compound from traditional Chinese medicine, help with PMDD symptoms in rats?
description: Yes, in rats. Paeonol reduced irritability, anxiety, and social withdrawal, and it improved brain structure and reduced nerve cell death. However, this has on
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/paeonol-ameliorates-hippocampal-neuronal-damage-by-inhibiting-grm5-gabbr2-2023/
---

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- Does paeonol, a compound from traditional Chinese medicine, help with PMDD symptoms in rats?

Survey study, 2023

# Does paeonol, a compound from traditional Chinese medicine, help with PMDD symptoms in rats?

Yes, in rats. Paeonol reduced irritability, anxiety, and social withdrawal, and it improved brain structure and reduced nerve cell death. However, this has only been tested in rats, not humans.

 Early or limited evidence

Rats with induced premenstrual irritability

## What they did

Created PMDD-like behavior in rats and then gave them paeonol. Researchers measured changes in irritability, anxiety, and social behavior, and examined the rats' brains for damage. They also analyzed changes in genes, stress hormones, and cell signaling pathways.

## What they found

Paeonol reduced irritability, anxiety, and social withdrawal behaviors in rats. It lowered stress hormone levels, improved the structure of the brain region involved in emotion, and reduced the death of nerve cells. Paeonol changed the expression of several genes and activated a specific cellular signaling pathway involved in mood regulation.

## What it means for you

This study explains one possible way that paeonol might work for PMDD mood symptoms and brain effects. The major limitation is that this was done only in rats. The findings have not yet been tested in human women, so it is unknown whether paeonol has the same effects in people.

Rats

Animal model type

## About the study

Original title Paeonol ameliorates hippocampal neuronal damage by inhibiting GRM5/GABBR2/β-arrestin2 and activating the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway in premenstrual irritability rats Authors Wei E, Gao A, Mu X et al. Journal Brain research bulletin Year 2023 Study design Survey study What was tested Paeonol, a compound from the bark of Cortex Moutan (a traditional Chinese medicine plant) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110830](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110830)

## Topics

[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

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