Huanglian Ejiaotang in Treating Insomnia： A Review
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20242296
- VernacularTitle:黄连阿胶汤治疗失眠的研究进展
- Author:
Zepeng DU
1
;
Qinni ZHENG
1
;
Xiwu ZHANG
2
;
Jinjin DOU
3
Author Information
1. Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine，Harbin 150040，China
2. Experimental Training Center，Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine，Harbin 150040，China
3. The Fourth Affiliated Hospital，Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine，Harbin 150077，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Huanglian Ejiaotang;
insomnia;
clinical research;
pathogenesis;
pharmacological action
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2024;30(21):279-288
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in clinical practice， and prolonged insomnia can significantly impact daily life and work. Currently， the clinical treatment of insomnia primarily relies on sedative and hypnotic drugs， which， although fast-acting， come with numerous adverse reactions. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） approaches the treatment of insomnia by employing syndrome differentiation and focusing on addressing the root cause of the disease. This approach is characterized by fewer adverse reactions， stable long-term effects， and better patient compliance. Huanglian Ejiaotang was first recorded in Zhang Zhongjing's Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases（《伤寒杂病论》） during the Han dynasty. It has the effects of nourishing Yin， reducing fire， eliminating irritability， and calming the nerves. Clinical studies have shown that Huanglian Ejiaotang is frequently used to treat insomnia and， when combined with other classic prescriptions， Western medicine， or other therapies， it can have a synergistic effect， thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes. Research indicates that the mechanism of action of Huanglian Ejiaotang in treating insomnia may be related to the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal （HPA） axis， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， norepinephrine （NE）， dopamine （DA）， central neurotransmitters， gut microbiota， and the inhibition of inflammatory factors. The active components of Huanglian Ejiaotang that are effective in treating insomnia include berberine， baicalin， baicalein， total glucosides of paeony， and collagen. This article discussed the treatment of insomnia with Huanglian Ejiaotang from several perspectives， including its theoretical foundation， clinical research， and mechanisms of action， and also summarized the latest research progress on Huanglian Ejiaotang for insomnia， with the aim of providing more comprehensive ideas for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of insomnia.
