title: Lotus Leaf Alkaloid Extract Displays Sedative-Hypnotic and Anxiolytic Effects through GABAA Receptor.
abstract: Lotus leaves have been used traditionally as both food and herbal medicine in Asia. Open-field, sodium pentobarbital-induced sleeping and light/dark box tests were used to evaluate sedative-hypnotic and anxiolytic effects of the total alkaloids (TA) extracted from the herb, and the neurotransmitter levels in the brain were determined by ultrafast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The effects of picrotoxin, flumazenil, and bicuculline on the hypnotic activity of TA, as well as the influence of TA on Cl(-) influx in cerebellar granule cells, were also investigated. TA showed a sedative-hypnotic effect by increasing the brain level of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and the hypnotic effect could be blocked by picrotoxin and bicuculline, but could not be antagonized by flumazenil. Additionally, TA could increase Cl(-) influx in cerebellar granule cells. TA at 20 mg/kg induced anxiolytic-like effects and significantly increased the concentrations of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and dopamine (DA). These data demonstrated that TA exerts sedative-hypnotic and anxiolytic effects via binding to the GABAA receptor and activating the monoaminergic system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology , Tianjin 300457, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ming-Zhu
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology , Tianjin 300457, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bing-Xin
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fang-Rui
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Rei-Le
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology , Tianjin 300457, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ze-Sheng
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000070116:Lotus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A
keywords: GABAA receptor; anxiolytic; lotus leaves; monoaminergic system; sedative−hypnotic