title: Sedative, hypnotic and anticonvulsant activities of the ethanol fraction from Rhizoma Pinelliae Praeparatum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhizoma Pinelliae Praeparatum is the product of raw Rhizoma Pinellia processed with alkaline solution and Licorice, which had been widely used for treatment of insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine. The present study aimed to investigate the sedative, hypnotic and anticonvulsant activities of ethanol fraction from Rhizoma Pinelliae Praeparatum (EFRP) and to determine whether these effects were related to GABAergic mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sedative, hypnotic and anticonvulsant activities of EFRP were investigated with locomotion activity, pentobarbital-induced sleeping and nikethamide (NKTM)-induced convulsion tests, respectively. Additionally, the effects of flumazenil (an antagonist of GABA(A) receptor) and L-malic acid (blocker of synthetic enzyme for GABA) on the hypnotic activity of EFRP were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EFRP at dose of 12 g/kg significantly inhibited the locomotion activity of mice. EFRP showed synergic effect on pentobarbital-induced sleeping by increased numbers of mice falling asleep, reduced the sleep latency and prolonged the sleeping time. L-malic acid and flumazenil inhibited the augment effects of EFRP on pentobarbital-induced sleeping. EFRP promoted a significant protection to NKTM-induced convulsion, by prolonged the death latency and decreased mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EFRP possessed sedative, hypnotic and anticonvulsant activities and these activities may be related to the GABAergic system.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jiang-li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Liu-qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009552:Nikethamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage; D030021:Pinellia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009552:Nikethamide; D000431:Ethanol; D010424:Pentobarbital