Sleep-promoting activity of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) rhizome water extract via GABAA receptors.

CONTEXT: The sleep-promoting activity of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae) alkaloids in leaves or seeds are well known. However, the sleep-promoting activity of the lotus rhizome (LE), which is used mainly as food, has not yet been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the sleep-promoting activity of LE water extract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice (n = 8) were subject to a pentobarbital-induced sleep test to assess changes in sleep latency and duration following the administration of LE (80-150 mg/kg). In addition, electroencephalography analysis was performed to determine the sleep quality after LE treatment as well as the sleep recovery effect of LE using a caffeine-induced insomnia SD rat model. Real-time PCR and western blot analysis were performed to investigate the expression of neurotransmitter receptors, and the GABAA receptor antagonists were used for receptor binding analysis. RESULTS: An oral administration of 150 mg/kg LE significantly increased sleep duration by 24% compared to the control. Furthermore, LE increased nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep by increasing theta and delta powers. In the insomnia model, LE increased sleep time by increasing NREM sleep. Moreover, treatment with picrotoxin and flumazenil decreased the sleep time by 33% and 23%, respectively, indicating an involvement of the GABAA receptor in the sleep-enhancing activity of LE. The expression of GABAA receptors and the concentration of GABA in the brain were increased by LE. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the sleep-promoting activity of LE was via the GABAA receptor. Collectively, these data show that LE may promote sleep.

Changes in the component sugar and immunostimulating activity of polysaccharides isolated from Dendrobium officinale in the pretreatments.

BACKGROUND: To isolate polysaccharides with enhanced immunostimulatory activity from Dendrobium officinale, which is used as a herbal medicine in China and Southeast Asia, D. officinale (DO) was pretreated with organic solvents (DOOS) or puffing at 7.5 and 9.0 kgf (7.5DO and 9DO). Hot-water extracts (DOOS-HW, 7.5DO-HW and 9DO-HW) were prepared from each pretreated DO, along with non-pretreated DO, and crude polysaccharides (DO-CP, DOOS-CP, 7.5DO-CP and 9DO-CP) were fractionated from each hot-water extract using ethanol (five volumes). RESULTS: When their immunostimulatory activities were compared by macrophage stimulation and intestinal immune system modulation via Peyer's patches, DOOS-CP showed more potent activity than DO-CP. However, crude polysaccharides fractionated from puffed DO showed significantly lower activity than non-puffed DO and DOOS. The most active polysaccharide contained 95% or more neutral sugar, and the composition ratio of mannose and glucose was 3.0, whereas the lowest polysaccharide content was 2.0 or less. In addition, DOOS-CP was a somewhat refined fraction containing a major peak, representing a molecular weight of 250 kDa, despite being a crude polysaccharide. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that pretreatment of D. officinale with organic solvents may enhance the immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharides and affect the mannose/glucose ratio of polysaccharides, which plays an important role in immunostimulation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of Green Lettuce Leaf Extract on Sleep Disturbance Control in Oxidative Stress-Induced Invertebrate and Vertebrate Models.

This study investigated the effect of ethanol-extracted green lettuce leaf (GLE) on sleep behavior in physical stress-induced invertebrate and vertebrate models. In Drosophila melanogaster, the group that experienced vibration stress showed decreased sleep time compared to the no-vibration-stress control group, but the GLE treatment group recovered this lost sleep time. The GLE group also recovered the gene expression of downregulated superoxide dismutase induced by vibration stress conditions. According to electroencephalography analysis of rats, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep significantly decreased with a decrease in sleep time for the group in which immobilization stress was induced. In the GLE group (120 mg/kg), the change in sleep pattern caused by stress was restored, and NREM sleep increased by 68.8%, improving overall sleep quality. In addition, GLE upregulated the expression levels of oxidation-related factors and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor. Quercetin-3-glucuronide (Q3G) was evaluated as a sleep-promoting active substance contained in GLE using the pentobarbital-induced sleep test and showed the effect of prolonged sleep time. Q3G inhibited [3H]-flumazenil binding in a concentration-dependent manner with GLE. Taken together, the results indicate that GLE effectively binds to the GABAA receptor to promote sleep, demonstrating the potential of Q3G as an active substance.

Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide in the Ethanol Extract of Lotus Leaf (Nelumbo nucifera) Enhances Sleep Quantity and Quality in a Rodent Model via a GABAergic Mechanism.

Current pharmacological treatments for insomnia carry several and long-term side effects. Therefore, natural products without side effects are warranted. In this study, the sleep-promoting activity of the lotus leaf (Nelumbo nucifera) extract was assessed using ICR mice and Sprague Dawley rats. A pentobarbital-induced sleep test and electroencephalogram analysis were conducted to measure sleep latency time, duration, and sleep architecture. The action mechanism of the extract was evaluated through ligand binding experiments. A high dose (300 mg/kg) of the ethanolic lotus leaf extract significantly increased sleep duration compared to the normal group (p < 0.01). Administration of low (150 mg/kg) and high doses (300 mg/kg) of the extract significantly increased sleep quality, especially the relative power of theta waves (p < 0.05), compared to the normal group. Furthermore, caffeine and lotus leaf extract administration significantly recovered caffeine-induced sleep disruption (p < 0.001), and the sleep quality was similar to that of the normal group. Additionally, ligand binding assay using [3H]-flumazenil revealed that quercetin-3-O-glucuronide contained in the lotus leaf extract (77.27 µg/mg of extract) enhanced sleep by binding to GABAA receptors. Collectively, these results indicated that the lotus leaf extract, particularly quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, exhibits sleep quantity- and quality-enhancing activity via the GABAergic pathway.

Stimulating effect of whey protein hydrolysate on bone growth in MC3T3-E1 cells and a rat model.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) on osteogenic cell differentiation and its growth-promoting effects in rats. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium deposition were measured by treating MC3T3-E1 cells with WPH, and mRNA and protein levels of factors related to osteoblast differentiation were assessed. ALP activity and calcium deposition were significantly increased in the WPH group (p < 0.001). These findings were confirmed by the upregulation of ALP, bone morphogenic protein, bone sialoprotein, and collagen at the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, to confirm the growth-promoting effect of WPH, bone growth was analyzed by administering 3-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats with whey protein or WPH. Moreover, serum levels of calcium, ALP, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were analyzed, bone analysis was performed using micro-CT, and the size of the growth plate was measured by Cresyl violet staining. When rats were administered with a high dose of WPH (600 mg per kg per day), calcium levels decreased significantly, while ALP levels (1.14-fold; p < 0.01), IGF-1 levels, tibia length, and growth plate height increased significantly compared to those in the control group. Collectively, WPH has shown to be effective in bone differentiation and bone growth.

Fermented Gamma Aminobutyric Acid Improves Sleep Behaviors in Fruit Flies and Rodent Models.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus brevis-fermented γ-aminobutyric acid (LB-GABA) on sleep behaviors in invertebrate and vertebrate models. In Drosophila melanogaster, LB-GABA-treated group showed an 8-9%-longer sleep duration than normal group did. LB-GABA-treated group also showed a 46.7% lower level of nighttime activity with a longer (11%) sleep duration under caffeine-induced arousal conditions. The LB-GABA-mediated inhibition of activity was confirmed as a reduction of total movement of flies using a video tracking system. In the pentobarbital-induced sleep test in mice, LB-GABA (100 mg/kg) shortened the time of onset of sleep by 32.2% and extended sleeping time by 59%. In addition, mRNA and protein level of GABAergic/Serotonergic neurotransmitters were upregulated following treatment with LB-GABA (2.0%). In particular, intestine- and brain-derived GABAA protein levels were increased by sevenfold and fivefold, respectively. The electroencephalography (EEG) analysis in rats showed that LB-GABA significantly increased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) (53%) with the increase in theta (θ, 59%) and delta (δ, 63%) waves, leading to longer sleep time (35%), under caffeine-induced insomnia conditions. LB-GABA showed a dose-dependent agonist activity on human GABAA receptor with a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 3.44 µg/mL in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells.

Toxicity Evaluation by Single and Repeated Administration of Yeast Hydrolysate DNF-10.

This study aimed at investigating the acute and subacute oral toxicity of yeast hydrolysate (DNF-10) in Sprague-Dawley rats. To determine the acute toxicity of DNF-10, it was orally administered to rats at a dose of 5,000 mg/kg. Furthermore, to determine subacute toxicity of DNF-10, it was orally administered to female and male rats at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg for 90 days. In the acute toxicity test, the experimental group did not show changes in body and organ weights compared to the corresponding weights in the control group. When compared to female controls, the DNF-10-treated female rats showed decreased red blood cell counts, haemoglobin, and total bilirubin levels; however, the parameters remained within the normal range. In the subacute toxicity test, DNF-10 administration significantly reduced body weight among male rats, which appears attributable to the anti-obesity effect of the compound. In the experimental groups, significant differences in some haematological parameters were considered as non-toxic because the results were within the normal range. These results suggest that DNF-10 is safe and non-toxic at single doses (5,000 mg/kg) and repeated doses (1,000 mg/kg).

Nelumbo nucifera promotes non-rapid eye movement sleep by regulating GABAergic receptors in rat model.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Nelumbo nucifera are used in folk medicine for anti-depressant, anti-convulsant, neuroprotective, and many other purposes. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present work evaluated the sleep potentiating effects of water extract from lotus seed in rat, and the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying these effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pentobarbital-induced sleep test and electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis were applied to investigate sleep latency, duration, total sleeping time and sleep quality of Lotus extract. In addition, real-time PCR and HPLC analysis were applied to analyze the signaling pathway. RESULTS: We found that the amounts of the possible active compounds GABA (2.33 mg/g) and L-tryptophan (2.00 mg/g) were higher than quinidine (0.55 mg/g) and neferine (0.16 mg/g) in lotus seed extract. High dose (160 mg/kg) administration of lotus extract led to a tendency towards decreased sleep latency time and an increase in sleep duration time compared to the control group in a pentobarbital-induced sleep model (p < 0.05). After high dose administration, total sleep and NREM were significantly increased compared to control, while wake time and REM were significantly decreased. Lotus extract-treated rats showed significantly reduced wake time and increased sleep time in a caffeine-induced model of arousal. The transcription level of GABAA receptor, GABAB receptor, and serotonin receptor tended to increase with dose, and lotus extract showed a strong dose-dependent binding capacity to the GABAA receptor. CONCLUSION: The above results strongly suggest that GABA contained in lotus seed extract acts as a sleep potentiating compound, and that sleep-potentiating activity involves GABAA receptor binding.

The role of alternative sugars on endurance capacity in balb/c mice.

Alternative sugars containing isomaltulose were investigated to confirm the hypothesis that isomaltulose ingestion affects endurance capacity due to slow rates of hydrolysis and absorption rate at the intestine. A swimming time of the control group tends to decrease, but the group administrated with low glycemic index (GI) sweeteners tend to increase gradually. Fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) and inverted sugar (IS), contained isomaltulose, groups showed a significant difference of change in blood glucose and lactic acid level than control group (p < .05). Serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and serum lactate dehydrogenases (LDH) of PAL100 were significantly lower than that of the control group (p < .05). IS showed a significant difference in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) compared to Con and PAL20 (20% isomaltulose) group (p < .05). Consuming FOS seems to increase an endurance capacity since fructose and FOS based in isomaltulose contained syrup showed low absorption rate and GI level. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Sugar is a major energy source for exercise, but it causes excessive intake because of the short duration of sweetness, which causes diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and skin aging. An alternative sugar complex containing isomatulose was found to be a sugar substitute for athletic performance. Athletic performance is not just for athletes or active people. In general, elderly people with low muscle mass have low mobility. Alternative sugars can be a good source of supplements to help them perform smoothly with less intake. Therefore, an endurance test with alternative sugars is and important study for energy supplements industry.

Creatine and taurine mixtures alleviate depressive-like behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster and mice via regulating Akt and ERK/BDNF pathways.

We investigated the antidepressant effect of creatine (CRE) and taurine (TAU) mixtures on behavioural changes and biomarkers in stress-induced depression in Drosophila melanogaster and a mouse model. Following CRE/TAU mixture administration in the Drosophila model, depression-like state induced by vibration, locomotion, climbing activity, and survival rate were measured. The normal stress (NS) group demonstrated decreased movement than the control (CON) group; movements in the CRE/TAU-treated group (particularly 0.15/0.5%) returned to the CON levels. Antidepressant effects of CRE/TAU mixtures were confirmed in a depressive mouse model induced by chronic mild stress. In behavioural assessments, movement and sucrose preference of the CRE/TAU group increased to a similar level as in the positive control group; hippocampal catecholamine and serotonin levels increased significantly. Stress-related hormones (adrenocorticotropic and corticotropin-releasing hormones) and inflammatory factors (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α) increased in the NS group but significantly decreased in the CRE/TAU-treated group. Brain signalling protein expression ratio of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt)/Akt, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK)/ERK, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) significantly increased in the CRE/TAU-treated group. These results indicate that CRE/TAU-induced antidepressant effects are associated with increased behavioural patterns and downregulation of stress hormones and cytokines, mediated through Akt and ERK/BDNF pathways in vertebrate models.

Punicalagin, a Pomegranate-Derived Ellagitannin, Suppresses Obesity and Obesity-Induced Inflammatory Responses Via the Nrf2/Keap1 Signaling Pathway.

SCOPE: Punicalagin (PCG) is one of the most abundant phytochemicals found in pomegranates. The effects and mechanistic action of PCG on obesity and obesity-induced inflammatory and oxidant responses are investigated in vitro and in vivo. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effect of PCG on adipogenesis is examined using Oil red O staining. The effects and mechanism of action of PCG on inflammatory responses are determined in adipocyte-conditioned medium (ACM)-cultured macrophages, a cell-to-cell contact system, and a transwell system. The effects of PCG on obesity and obesity-induced inflammatory/oxidant responses are examined in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. PCG effectively suppresses lipid accumulation in adipocytes and adipocyte-induced inflammatory responses in adipocyte-macrophage co-culture systems. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection indicates that the PCG-mediated anti-inflammatory effect is exerted via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Nrf2/Keap1) pathway. PCG administration results in a significant reduction in body and white adipose tissue (WAT) weights. PCG favorably regulates pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, downregulating nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis demonstrates that PCG differentially modulates the distribution of complement component 3 receptor 4 subunit (CD11c) and cluster of differentiation 206 (CD206). PCG regulates the level of antioxidant and oxidant molecules by activating Nrf2/Keap1 signaling. CONCLUSIONS: PCG ameliorates obesity and obesity-induced inflammatory responses via activation of Nrf2/Keap1 signaling, suggesting that PCG has potential as an oral agent to control obesity-mediated diseases.