Sedative Effect of<i>Sophora flavescens</i>and Matrine

Abstract

The present study investigated the sedative effects of <i>Sophora flavescens (SF)</i> and its bioactive compound, matrine through performing locomotor activity test and the electroencephalography (EEG) analysis in the rat. The underlying neural mechanism of their beneficial effects was determined by assessing c-Fos immunoreactivity and serotonin (5-HT) in the brain utilizing immunohistochemical method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that <i>SF</i> and matrine administration had an effect on normalization of caffeine-induced hyperactivity and promoting a shift toward non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. c-Fos-immunoreactivity and 5-HT level in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO), a sleep promoting region, were increased in the both <i>SF</i> and matrine-injected groups. In conclusion, <i>SF</i> and its bioactive compound, matrine alleviated caffeine-induced hyperactivity and promoted NREM sleep by activating VLPO neurons and modulating serotonergic transmission. It is suggested that <i>SF</i> might be a useful natural alternatives for hypnotic medicine.