Leonurine (SCM-198) is an alkaloid that has been found in H. leonuri and with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory.

Leonurine 显著抑制人类THP-1巨噬细胞衍生泡沫细胞中的脂质积累，并以浓度依赖的方式促进了3H-胆固醇外流。此外，ABCA1/G1、PPARγ和LXRα的mRNA和蛋白水平均被Leonurine提升，而这一效果被LXRα siRNA或PPARγ siRNA转染所减弱[1]。

连续给药leonurine（60 mg/kg）4周显著缓解慢性轻度应激小鼠的抑郁样行为，包括提高蔗糖偏好度和在强迫游泳测试及尾悬挂测试中减少不动时间。进一步研究发现，leonurine（60 mg/kg）有效恢复慢性轻度应激小鼠海马和前额叶皮层中5-羟色胺、去甲肾上腺素和多巴胺的水平，并伴随海马神经元损伤的改善。此外，leonurine（60 mg/kg）显著抑制了慢性轻度应激小鼠体内促炎细胞因子白细胞介素-1β、白细胞介素-6和TNF-α的产生，并抑制了核因子kappa B信号通路[2]。

Human THP-1 cells were fully differentiated into foam cells by the pre-treatment with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and oxidized density lipoproteins (ox-LDL). After cells were incubated with various concentrations of leonurine, Oil Red O staining and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assays were utilized to detect cellular lipid accumulation and cholesterol content, respectively. Cellular cholesterol efflux was determined by liquid scintillation counting. The mRNA and protein levels of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1/G1 (ABCA1/G1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and liver X receptor α (LXRα) in foam cells were assessed using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot analyses, respectively. Plasma triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in apoE-/- mice were evaluated using enzymatic methods. The atherosclerotic lesion sizes and collagen contents in aortic roots were determined by Oil Red O and Masson's trichrome staining, respectively[1].

Used the chronic mild stress mouse model to explore the antidepressant effects of leonurine and the potential mechanisms. Behavioral tests including sucrose preference test, forced swimming test, and tail suspension test were taken to evaluate depression symptoms. Moreover, the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Neuronal morphology was detected by transmission electron microscopy[2].