Author(s)

Xiao-Yan Zu, Zhen-Ya Zhang, Ji-Qiang Liu, Hong-Hai Hu, Guo-Qing Xing, Ying Zhang, Di Guan

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Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) leaf aqueous extracts (PLAE) has been reputed to be a type of sleep-aid in China. To investigate the sedative effects and effect pathways of PLAE, rats (n = 31) were employed in two experiments and intragastrically administrated of (1) distilled water, PLAE (500 mg/kg body weight (BW)) and peanut stem aqueous extracts (PSAE, 500 mg/kg BW); (2) 0, 100 or 500 mg/kg BW of PLAE, respectively for at least 14 days. Six relevant neurotransmitters were measured finally. Experiment-1 (n = 16) results showed that the brain Lactate were significantly elevated (p < 0.05) in rat cerebrums after PLAE administrations, compared with Control and PSAE groups. In respect of brain energy system, significant degradations of the brain adenosine triphos- phate (ATP) (p < 0.05) were observed in the brainstems and even the whole brains of rats though PLAE treatments. Moreover, we found that the brain Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) were clearly decreased (p < 0.05) in rat cerebrum and brainstem regions, while the brain Adenosine revealed an increasing propensity (p = 0.076) in the cerebrums of freely behaving rats. After experiment-2 (n = 15), the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentrations were statistically (p < 0.05) enhanced and the ratios of Glutamate/GABA were simultaneously reduced (p < 0.05) in rat brainstems, no matter which one dose (100 or 500 mg/kg BW) of PLAE were used. Results indicated that PLAE could influence the target neurotransmitters that related to rat circadian rhythms in the specific brain regions, possessing the potentialities as a sedative or sleep-aid for hypnic therapy purposes.

Arachis Hypogaea L. Leaf Aqueous Extracts; Sedative Effects; Rats; Neurotransmitters

Zu, X. , Zhang, Z. , Liu, J. , Hu, H. , Xing, G. , Zhang, Y. and Guan, D. (2010) Sedative effects of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) leaf aqueous extracts on brain ATP, AMP, Adenosine and Glutamate/GABA of rats. Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, 3, 268-273. doi: 10.4236/jbise.2010.33036.