Sedative-Hypnotic and Receptor Binding Studies of Fermented Marine Organisms.
This study was performed to investigate the sedative-hypnotic activity of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched fermented marine organisms (FMO), including sea tangle (FST) and oyster (FO) by Lactobacillus brevis BJ20 (L. brevis BJ20). FST and FO were tested for their binding activity of the GABAA-benzodiazepine and 5-HT2C receptors, which are well-known molecular targets for sleep aids. We also measured the sleep latency and sleep duration during pentobarbital-induced sleep in mice after oral administration of FST and FO. In GABAA and 5-HT2C receptor binding assays, FST displayed an effective concentration-dependent binding affinity to GABAA receptor, similar to the binding affinity to 5-HT2C receptor. FO exhibited higher affinity to 5-HT2C receptor, compared with the GABAA receptor. The oral administration of FST and FO produced a dose-dependent decrease in sleep latency and increase in sleep duration in pentobarbital-induced hypnosis. The data demonstrate that FST and FO possess sedative-hypnotic activity possibly by modulating GABAA and 5-HT2C receptors. We propose that FST and FO might be effective agents for treatment of insomnia.
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701 ; Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701.
Hye-Young
HY
Joung
Marine Bioprocess Co., Ltd., Busan 619-912.
Young Mi
YM
Kang
Marine Bioprocess Co., Ltd., Busan 619-912.
Bae-Jin
BJ
Lee
Department of Oriental Neuropsychiatry, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul 05278.
Sun Yong
SY
Chung
Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea.
Kyung-Soo
KS
Kim
Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701.
Insop
I
Shim
5-HT2C receptor; Fermented marine organisms; GABAA receptor; Pentobarbital-induced sleep; Sedative-hypnotic activity