Abstract
Ganoderma resinaceum is a valuable Chinese medicine. This study aimed to investigate whether a G. resinaceum alcohol extract (GRAE) improves sleep, and analyze the potential mechanism. After 30 days of continuous administration of GRAE at various doses, GRAE (1,000 mg/kg.bw) prolonged pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep, increased the rate of sleeping in mice treated with a subthreshold dose of pentobarbital sodium, and shortened sleep latency. The mice brain was analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS and RNA-sequencing. Metabolomics analysis revealed that 73 metabolites in the high-dose (HD) group had changed significantly, mainly in amino acids and their derivatives, especially the accumulation of L-glutamine and PGJ2 (11-oxo-15S-hydroxy-prosta-5Z, 9, 13E-trien-1-oic acid). Transcriptome analysis revealed 500 differential genes between HD and control groups, mainly enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, amphetamine addiction, and cocaine addiction pathways. The conjoint analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome showed that the biosynthesis of L-glutamine might be regulated by Homer1, Homer3, and Grin3b. This suggests that GRAE may affect L-glutamine accumulation by regulating the expression of these genes. This study showed that GRAE may prolong the sleep time of mice by reducing the accumulation of L-glutamine and deepens our understanding of the regulatory network between certain genes and L-glutamine.
Highlights
Sleep is an important process in the maintenance of health [1]
This study showed that 30 days of G. resinaceum alcohol extract (GRAE) (1,000 mg/kg.bw) administration can prolong pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep in mice, increase the sleeping rate in mice treated with a subthreshold pentobarbital sodium dose, and shorten the sleep latency
This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of GRAE on the sleep time of mice
Summary
Sleep is an important process in the maintenance of health [1]. Chronic insomnia may cause regulatory imbalances, leading to various complications [2, 3]. It is estimated that over one-third of people suffer from insomnia, and the frequency is increasing [4]. Most sleep-inducing medicines are synthetic and cause major side effects, such as muscle relaxation, memory loss, and drug dependence [5]. Benzodiazepines, the primary drugs used to treat sleep disorders, mainly act on the central nervous system, and long-term use has side effects such as tolerance and dependency [6]. A safe and efficient alternative is needed to improve sleep quality
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