Objective

2

To investigate the effects of

Guizhi Longgu Muli Decoction

（桂枝加龙骨牡蛎汤， GLMD） on insomnia model rats with the syndrome of lung failing to store corporeal soul， and the underlying mechanism.

Methods

2

Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into modeling group （n=36） and normal group （n=12）. Rats in the modeling group were raised in the shallow water environment with long platforms in it and were deprived of sleep for 42 days to prepare the insomnia model with lung failing to store corporeal soul syndrome. On the 15th day of modeling， the rats in the modeling group were further randomly divided into model group， eszopiclone group and GLMD group with 12 rats in each group. The modelling was continued for 28 days， and simultaneously 7.6 g/（kg·d） of GLMD and 0.105 mg/（kg·d） of eszopiclone tablets were given by gavage to the mice in the GLMD group and eszopiclone group， respectively， while 0.5 ml/100 g of normal saline by gavage was given to those in the model group and normal group. From the 22nd to the 28th day of the intervention， the number of sleeping rats was counted at 8：00， 12：00， 16：00 and 20：00 everyday with the help of a infrared night vision device. After 28-day intervention， the open field experiment and EEG/EMG monitoring were carried out on the next day to count the standing times， movement distance and resting time， and calculate the the proportion of non-rapid eye movement （NREM）， rapid eye movement （REM） sleep time and awake time of the rats during the period from 8：00 to 20：00， respectively. The serum and brain 5-HT was detected by liquid mass spectrometry after the field experiment time， and the 5-HT expression in cerebral cortex， hypothalamus and brainstem was detected by immunohistochemistry.

Results

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Compared to those in the normal group， the number of sleeping rats at 8：00， 12：00 and 16：00 in the model group decreased， while the number of sleeping rats at 20：00 increased； moreover， the standing times， the NREM and REM sleep time from 8：00 to 20：00 decreased， while the awake time， serum and brain 5-HT， and the expression of 5-HT in cerebral cortex， hypothalamus and brainstem increased （

P

＜0.05）. Compared to those in the model group， the number of sleeping rats at 8：00， 12：00 and 16：00， the standing times， and REM proportion increased （

P

＜0.05）， with no significant difference in serum and brain 5-HT level in the eszopiclone group （

P

＞0.05）； the number of sleeping rats at 8：00， 12：00 and 16：00 and the open field experiment movement distance significantly decreased in the GLMD group， while the REM proportion increased， and serum and brain 5-HT level and the expression of 5-HT in the cerebral cortex， hypothalamus and brainstem decreased （

P

＜0.05）. GLMD group had decreased standing times and movement distance， increased resting time， and REM proportion than the eszopiclone group （

P

＜0.05）.

Conclusion

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GLMD can improve the sleep condition of insomnia model rats with lung failing to store corporeal soul syndrome， and the mechanism may be related to the restore of serum and brain 5-HT level.