Determination of five neurotransmitters in the rat brain for the study of the hypnotic effects of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen aqueous extract on insomnia rat model by UPLC-MS/MS.
10.1016/S1875-5364(19)30077-9
- Author:
Yan YAN
1
;
Qiang LI
1
;
Hui-Zhi DU
1
;
Chen-Xi SHEN
1
;
Ai-Ping LI
1
;
Xiang-Ping PEI
2
;
Chen-Hui DU
3
,
4
;
Xue-Mei QIN
5
Author Information
1. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
2. School of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan 030619, China.
3. School of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan 030619, China. Electronic address: 13653412562@vip.
4. com.
5. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China. Electronic address: qinxm@sxu.edu.cn.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Hypnotic effects;
Neurotransmitters;
UPLC-MS/MS;
Ziziphi Spinosae Semen
- From:
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.)
2019;17(7):551-560
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS) has been used for treatment of insomnia in China for centuries. To reveal the influence of insomnia on the levels of the neurotransmitters including serotonin (5-HT), glutamic acid (Glu), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), noradrenaline (NE) and dopamine (DA), and to study the role of ZSS aqueous extract in the treatment of insomnia, an UPLC-ESI- MS/MS method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of five neurotransmitters in the rat brain. The brain samples were pretreated by one-step direct protein precipitation with acetonitrile. The analytes were detected in positive mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and the procedure was completed in less than 10 min. The method showed a good linearity (R > 0.9967) with the other validation parameters were within acceptance range. The results indicated that the concentration of 5-HT, GABA and DA is significantly lower (P < 0.01) in para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-induced insomnia rat model group, while Glu and NE significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01). Treatment with ZSS aqueous extract (4 or 8 g·kg·d for seven days) could ameliorate the symptoms of insomnia by significantly changing the levels of the neurotransmitter parameters mentioned above. The data obtained in this study demonstrate that ZSS aqueous extract could ameliorate the symptoms of insomnia by modulating the levels of monoamines and amino acid neurotransmitters in the brain.
