POMC and immune system disorder: It has been found that Jie-Yu Pills can reverse neuro-endocrine-immune dysfunction and exert antidepressant-like effect by reducing the excessive concentration of corticosterone (CORT), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in a rat model of unpredictable stress (Shi et al., 2007a; Shi et al., 2007b).