title: Separation and purification of saponins from Semen Ziziphus jujuba and their sedative and hypnotic effects.
abstract: Semen Ziziphus jujuba (SZJ) has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia because of its effect of decreasing monoaminergic system activity; saponins are thought to be the main bioactive factors. To investigate the sedative and hypnotic effects of saponins from SZJ, silica gel column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography were used to purify the crude extract of total saponins from SZJ. High-performance liquid chromatography showed that saponins from SZJ comprised two components, compounds I and II. Animal tests were conducted using these two compounds to compare their sedative and hypnotic effects. Results showed that both compounds had a significant effect (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) on walking time compared with that of the control group. Compound I had a significant effect on coordinated movement (P < 0.05). Both compounds prolonged the suprathreshold barbiturate induced sleeping time (P < 0.05). The number of sleeping animals increased by 30% and 20% for compounds I and II, respectively, under the subthreshold dose of sodium barbital.
authors.affiliation: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China. jgjiang@scut.edu.cn
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010424:Pentobarbital; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D031957:Ziziphus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; D010424:Pentobarbital