Yokukansan Enhances Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep in Socially Isolated Mice: Possible Involvement of GABAA – Benzodiazepine Receptor Complex

• Main Authors: Nobuaki Egashira, Ai Nogami, Katsunori Iwasaki, Ayumi Ishibashi, Naoki Uchida, Kotaro Takasaki, Kenichi Mishima, Ryoji Nishimura, Ryozo Oishi, Michihiro Fujiwara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2011-01-01
• Series: Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1347861319306681
• ISSN: 1347-8613

Abstract.: In the present study, we investigated the effect of the Kampo medicine Yokukansan (YKS) on pentobarbital-induced sleep in group-housed and socially isolated mice. Socially isolated mice showed shorter sleeping time than the group-housed mice. YKS (300 mg/kg, p.o.) prolonged the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in socially isolated mice without affecting pentobarbital sleep in group-housed mice. The prolongation of sleeping time by YKS was reversed by bicuculline (3 mg/kg, i.p.) and flumazenil (3 mg/kg, i.p.), but not WAY100635. These findings suggest that the GABAA – benzodiazepine receptor complex, but not 5-HT1A receptors, is involved in the reversal effect of YKS on the decrease of pentobarbital sleep by social isolation. Keywords:: sleep, social isolation, Yokukansan