Ursolic acid enhances pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors via GABAergic neurotransmission in mice

초록

Prunella vulgaris is widely used as a herbal medicine for cancers, inflammatory diseases, and other infections. Although it has long been used few studies have examined its effects on central nervous system function. Here, we first observed that ethanolic extracts of P vulgaris (EEPV) prolonged pentobarbitalinduced sleep duration in mice. It is known that EEPV consists of many active components including triterpenoid (ursolic acid and oleanolic acid), which have many biological activities. Therefore, we evaluated which EEPV components induced sleep extension in pentobarbital mediated sleeping model in mice. Surprisingly, despite their structural similarity and other common functions such as anti-inflammation, anti cancer, and tissue protection, only ursolic acid enhanced sleep duration in pentobarbital-treated mice. These results were attenuated by bicuculline treatment, which is a GABA(A) receptor antagonist. The present results suggest that ursolic acid from P vulgaris enhances sleep duration through GABAA receptor activation and could be a therapeutic candidate for insomnia treatment. (C) 2015 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.

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