Depression, a complex global disorder with unmet therapeutic needs, imposes profound societal burdens. Yueju Pill (YJP), a classic TCM formula targeting ‘six stagnations’, synergistically integrates five herbs (Atractylodes, Cyperus, Ligusticum, Gardenia and Massa Medicata) to restore Qi‐blood homeostasis. Contemporary evidence delineates its multitarget antidepressant efficacy: normalising monoaminergic neurotransmission and the tryptophan‐kynurenine pathway, potentiating neurotrophic support (BDNF/eEF2) for neuroplasticity, antagonising neuroinflammation via microglial M1‐to‐M2 polarisation and NF‐κB/MAPK inhibition, mitigating oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction and enhancing synaptic plasticity through glial/neuronal gene regulation (e.g., GADD45g/PHGDH). This synthesis of TCM principles with mechanistic evidence positions YJP as a holistic, systems‐level therapeutic candidate, advocating for rigorous clinical validation and integration into precision psychiatry.
Wu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.