Jiaotaiwan increased GABA level in brain and serum, improved sleep via increasing NREM sleep and REM sleep, and its component identification

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Jiaotaiwan (JTW) is good at communicating the heart and kidney. That meets the main mechanism of insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine. But the mechanism of JTW in promoting sleep is not clear.

Aim of the study: To investigate the mechanism of JTW in promoting sleep and identify the main components.

Materials and methods: In this study, we detected the levels of GABA in serum and brain via LC-MS/MS analysis and investigated the hypnotic effect of JTW and its role in promoting sleep via Sleep monitoring and vigilance state analysis. Further, the identification of the main components was carried out by using LC-MS/MS analysis.

Results: JTW could increase the GABA levels in serum, FC and BS of SDM rats. JTW reduced the amount of wakefulness, increased the time of NREM sleep and REM sleep. A total of 25 compounds were identified.

Conclusions: The current work provides valuable information on the hypnotic effects of JTW and its regulatory mechanisms in promoting sleep.

Keywords: EEG; GABA; Hypnotic; Jiaotaiwan; Liquid chromatography; Traditional medicine Asia & Oceania.