title: Yokukansan Enhances Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep in Socially Isolated Mice: Possible Involvement of GABA(A) - Benzodiazepine Receptor Complex.
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 GABA(A) - benzodiazepine receptor complex, but not 5-HT(1A) receptors, is involved in the reversal effect of YKS on the decrease of pentobarbital sleep by social isolation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Egashira
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nogami
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takasaki
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mishima
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Ryozo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oishi
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara