title: Chinese medicines with sedative-hypnotic effects and their active components.
abstract: The main pharmacological effects of sedative agents are sedation, hypnosis, antianxiety, and antidepression. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history of clinical experience in treating insomnia. This review focuses mainly on the role of active ingredients from TCM in the treatment of insomnia. Single herbs and their active ingredients from TCM with hypnotic effects are summarized through reviewing the relevant literature published in the past 20 y. The active ingredients are divided into alkaloids, terpenoids, and volatile oils, flavonoids, lignanoids and coumarins, saponins, and others. Current studies on TCM in treating insomnia are described from the aspects of active ingredients, sources, experimental models and methods, results, and mechanisms. In addition, Chinese compound prescriptions developed from a variety of single herbs with sedative-hypnotic effects are introduced. The acting pathways of TCM are covered from the perspectives of regulating central neurotransmitters, influencing sleep-related cytokines, and improving the structure of the central nervous system.
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors: Man-Man
authors: MM
authors: Shi
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors: Jin-Hua
authors: JH
authors: Piao
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors: Xi-Lin
authors: XL
authors: Xu
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Zhu
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Yang
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors: Fu-Lan
authors: FL
authors: Lin
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China. Electronic address: jgjiang@scut.edu.cn.
authors: Jian-Guo
authors: JG
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
keywords: Active ingredients; Insomnia; Sedative and hypnotic effect; Traditional Chinese medicine