Yokukansan enhances pentobarbital-induced sleep in socially isolated mice: Possible involvement of GABA A - Benzodiazepine receptor complex

In the present study,we investigated the effect of the kampo medicine yokukansan (yks) on pentobarbital-induced sleep in group-housed and socially isolated mice. socially isolated mice showed shorter sleeping time than the group-housed mice. yks (300 mg/kg,p.o.) prolonged the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in socially isolated mice without affecting pentobarbital sleep in group-housed mice. the prolongation of sleeping time by yks was reversed by bicuculline (3 mg/kg,i.p.) and flumazenil (3 mg/kg,i.p.),but not way100635. these findings suggest that the gaba a - benzodiazepine receptor complex,but not 5-ht 1a receptors,is involved in the reversal effect of yks on the decrease of pentobarbital sleep by social isolation. © the japanese pharmacological society.