ABSTRACT
Sleep plays an important role in energy balance. As reported， sleep disorder is an important risk factor for metabolic diseases. Controlling the relationship between energy metabolism and sleep can affect sleep homeostasis and body metabolic rate. Chinese medicine， with remarkable curative effects in the prevention and treatment of insomnia， has the characteristics of green， safety， and few side effects， and attracts extensive attention of scholars in the world. In recent years， remarkable progress has been made in the research on the mechanism of Chinese medicine in interfering with sleep. This paper reviewed the research progress of mind-tranquilizing Chinese medicines， such as compounds （pterostilbene）， Chinese medicinal drugs （Ziziphi Spinosae Semen）， and Chinese medicinal prescriptions （Jiaotaiwan， Suanzaoren tang， Tianwang Buxindan， Anmeidan， Banxia Houpotang， Qihuo decoction， Songyu Anshen prescriptions， and Shuxie Yihao prescriptions） in the treatment of sleep disorders by regulating energy metabolism. The findings revealed that Chinese medicine can intervene in the sleep deprivation model by affecting metabolism-related pathways such as material metabolism， mitochondrial function， oxidative stress and inflammatory response， appetite system， and biological clock system. In terms of frequency of use， the top drugs are Ziziphi Spinosae Semen， Poria， Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus， and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma which affect heart and liver meridians to regulate blood circulation， ensure energy supply， and play the role of nourishing the heart and tranquilizing the mind. The present paper summarized the effects and mechanisms of Chinese medicine in the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders from the perspective of energy metabolism to provide references for further research and exploration of diseases in the future.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of depression-relieving and mind-tranquilizing acupuncture on behaviors and hippocampal neurotransmitters in rats with post-strike depression.Method Rats were randomized to normal, model, medication and acupuncture groups, 20 ratseach. A rat model of post-strike depression was made by middle cerebral artery occlusion and chronic unpredictable mild stress. The medication received an oral gavage of fluoxetine 2 mg/kg and the acupuncture group, acupuncture at points Baihui(GV20), Fengfu(GV6), Shenmen(HT7) and Taichong(LR3), 20 min retention of needles with one manipulation meanwhile, once daily, 7 days as one course of treatment, for a total of three courses with one day of rest between. Rat behaviors were observed and hippocampal neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), nonepinephrine (NE), acetylcholine (Ach),γ-aminobutyric acid (γ-GABA) and glutamic acid (Glu) were measured.Result The Zea Longa score was lower in the acupuncture group than in the model and medication groups at 15 and 22 days after intervention (P<0.01,P<0.05). Sugar water consumption increased in the acupuncture group compared with the model and medication groups at 7, 15 and 22 days after intervention (P<0.01). Sugar water consumption, open-box horizontal movement and vertical movement increasedin the medication and acupuncture groups at 7, 15 and 22 days after intervention compare with before intervention (P<0.01,P<0.05). Hippocampal 5-HT, NE, Ach,γ-GABA and Glu contents were significantly lower in the model group of rats than in the normal group (P<0.01) and were significantly higher in the acupuncture group of rats than in the model group (P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Depression-relieving and mind-tranquilizing acupuncture can markedly improve behaviors in rats with post-strike depression. Its mechanism may be related to regulating rat neurotransmitters 5-HT, NE, Ach,γ-GABA and Glu expressions.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture at mind-tranquilizing points plus conventional shoulder points in treating scapulohumeral periarthritis (periarthritis of shoulder) at the early stage of adhesion. Method Sixty patients were randomly allocated to two groups. The treatment group received acupuncture at mind-tranquilizing points plus conventional shoulder points and the control group, at conventional points. In both groups, treatment was given three times a week, for two weeks. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score were recorded before and after treatment. Result The VAS score,the HAMA score, the HAMD score and the JOA score improved in both groups after treatment compared with before (P0.05). Conclusion Mind-tranquilizing acupuncture plus conventional acupuncture is more effective than conventional acupuncture in treating scapulohumeral periarthritis at the early stage of adhesion.
ABSTRACT
This study was aimed to observe the body weight and behavioral changes of heart-spleen deficiency mouseandtoassesstheefficacyofLing-Qi-Jia (LQJ)oralsolutiononqi-supplementingandmind-tranquilizing. The heart-spleen deficiency syndrome mouse model was established by using loading swimming anddrugdaily.Thebodyweight,foodconsumption,intestinepropulsion,tailsuspensiontest (TST),forced swimmingtest (FST),sleepingtimeandtheamountofbrainneurotransmitterweredetected.Theresultsshowed that mouse suffered loading swimming and drug formed heart-spleen deficiency syndrome model, which were indicated by lowering body weight and food consumption, shortened time in FST, prolonged accumulative immobility time in TST, intestine propulsion hyperfunction, shortened sleeping time and lowering brain neurotransmitter amount. LQJ oral solution can obviously improve experiment indexes mentioned above. It was concluded that LQJ oral solution, which can improve insomnia due to heart-spleen deficiency, might had close relation to the efficacy of qi-supplementing and mind-tranquilizing. Meanwhile, changes of brain neurotransmitters might also be the material basis on its efficacy.