OBJECTIVE

2

To investigate the effect of raw and wine-processed

Schisandra chinensis

on neuro-immune-endocrine network in insomnia mice and its mechanism.

METHODS

2

Fifty mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， diazepam group， raw

S. chinensis

group and wine-processed

S. chinensis

group， with 10 mice in each group. Except for blank group， the mice in the other groups were intraperitoneally injected with thyroxine solution to establish mice model of insomnia； at the end of each day’s modeling， the corresponding doses of diazepam，raw and wine-processed

S. chinensis

were given by gavage. The blank group and model group were given constant volume of normal saline. The general state of the mice was observed and recorded， and the total activity distance and upright times of the mice were detected； the EEG and EMG signals of mice were recorded， and the time ratio of sleep wake time （wake）， non-rapid eye movement （NREM） and rapid eye movement （REM） was analyzed； the contents of neurotransmitters [

γ

-aminobutyric acid （GABA）， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， dopamine （DA）， norepinephrine （NE）， cortisol （CORT）] in brain suprachiasmatic nucleus （SCN） were detected； and the expressions of tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α） and interleukin 1β （IL-1β） were detected； the mRNA expressions of clock gene

Bmal1

， circadian clock gene

Clock

and cycle gene

Per2

were all detected.

RESULTS

2

Compared with the blank group， the mental state of the model group mice was relatively depressed， the amount of food and water increased， the body mass decreased， the hair was rough and shiny， and the circadian rhythm was irregular； the total activity distance and upright times decreased significantly； the time ratio of wake increased significantly， while the time ratios of REM and NREM decreased significantly； the content of 5-HT in brain SCN decreased significantly， while the content of NE， DA and CORT increased significantly； the fluorescence intensity of IL-1β and TNF-α was significantly increased； the relative expression level of

Bmal1

and

Clock

mRNA was significantly increased， while the relative expression level of

Per2

mRNA was significantly decreased （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the general state of mice in diazepam group， raw

S. chinensis

group and wine-processed

S. chinensis

group was improved obviously， and most of the above index levels were significantly reversed （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）.

CONCLUSIONS

2

Raw and wine-processed

S. chinensis

have a certain therapeutic effect on insomnia mice， the mechanism of which may be related to the regulation of neuro-endocrine-immune system related biological indicators in insomnia mice.