Original Article
Prescriptions of Chinese Herbal Medicines for Insomnia in Taiwan during 2002
Table 6
Summary of major constituents and pharmacologic activities of Chinese single herbs prescribed for insomnia with sedative and hypnotic effects.
| Chinese single herb (generic name) | Major constituent | Pharmacologic activity |
| Z. spinosa | Spinosin and jujubosides | Increases the hexobarbital-sleeping time and decreases the locomotor activity [22] | | Jujuboside A | Inhibits the glutamate-mediated excitatory signal pathway in the hippocampus [23] | | Saponins | Decreases monoaminergic system activity [24] | | Sanjoinine A | Regulates GABA-ergic systems and further increases the sleeping time and decreases the sleep latency induced by pentobarbital [25] | Polygala tenuifolia | 3,4,5-Trimethoxycinnamic acid | Suppresses norepinephrine in the locus coeruleus of rats [26] | Salvia miltiorrhiza | Miltirone | Central benzodiazepine receptor partial agonist [27] | Stephania tetrandria | Tetrandrine | Effect on serotonergic system [28] | Poria cocos | Ergosterone | Enhances the secretion of the cytokines, interleukin-1β and TNF-α, which enhances non-rapid eye movement sleep [29, 30] |
|
|