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Hypnotic effect of GABA from rice germ and/or tryptophan in a mouse model of pentothal-induced sleep

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Abstract

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, and tryptophan (Trp), a substrate for melatonin, are found in functional foods and exert hypnotic effects. The hypnotic effects of 3 doses of GABA and a combined-preparation of GABA and Trp (GABA+Trp) were investigated in mice. Hypnotic activity was evaluated using pentothal-induced sleep time testing. Treatments included low, middle, and high doses of GABA and GABA+Trp. Low doses of GABA (low-GABA) and low-GABA+Trp reduced sleep latency and significantly (p<0.05) prolonged the sleep time induced by pentothal, compared with controls, although the melatonin concentration in the serum was not affected. On the other hand, the adenosine A1 receptor (AA1R) immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus was significantly (p<0.05) increased after administration of low-GABA and/or low-GABA+Trp, compared to controls. Low doses of GABA and/or Trp cause hypnotic effects that may be related to AA1R activation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 200-701, Korea

    Ji Hyeon Ahn, Joon Ha Park & Moo-Ho Won

  2. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 200-702, Korea

    Changkyun Im

  3. Department of Preventive Pharmacy and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, Korea

    Se Young Choung

  4. Biovan Co., Chuncheon, Gangwon, 200-160, Korea

    Seokhoon Lee

  5. Natural Way Co., Pocheon, Gyeonggi, 487-030, Korea

    Jonghun Choi

  6. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 200-702, Korea

    Il-Jun Kang

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  1. Ji Hyeon Ahn
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  2. Changkyun Im
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  3. Joon Ha Park
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  4. Se Young Choung
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  7. Moo-Ho Won
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Correspondence to Il-Jun Kang.

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Ahn, J.H., Im, C., Park, J.H. et al. Hypnotic effect of GABA from rice germ and/or tryptophan in a mouse model of pentothal-induced sleep. Food Sci Biotechnol 23, 1683–1688 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-014-0229-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-014-0229-7

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