Skip to main content
Log in

Panax ginseng extract modulates sleep in unrestrained rats

Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Cite this article

Abstract

The amount of wakefulness and slow wave sleep (SWS) during the 12-h light period slightly but significantly decreased and increased, respectively, in freely behaving rats after continued 1-week intake of Panax ginseng extract through drinking water (15 mg/day). Paradoxical sleep was little affected. No sleep parameters were modulated by the treatment during the dark period. The diurnal SWS enhancement disappeared and recovered to the baseline level after 2 weeks of continued treatment. It is speculated that the well known health-improving effect of the ginseng may be, at least in part, related to an enhancement of sleep.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brekhman II, Dardymov IV (1969) New substances of plant origin which increase nospecific resistance. Ann Rev Pharmacol 9:419–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang WA, Kim C (1974) Influence of Panax ginseng upon gastric ulceration produced by restraint. J Cath Med Coll 27:249–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Honda K, Inoué S (1978) Establishment of a bioassay method for the sleep-promoting substance. Rep Inst Med Dent Eng 12:81–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Honda K, Inoué S (1981) Effects of sleep-promoting substance on sleep-waking patterns of male rats. Rep Inst Med Dent Eng 15:115–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Honda K, Inoué S (1988) Sleep-promoting effects of a bracket fungus, Fomes japonicus. In: Koella WP, Obál F, Schulz H, Visser P (eds) Sleep '86. G. Fischer, Stuttgart, pp 338–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Honda K, Komoda Y, Inoué S (1988) Sleep-promoting effects ofGanoderma extracts in rats: comparison between long-term and acute administrations. Rep Inst Med Dent Eng 22:77–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Hou JP (1977) The chemical constituents of ginseng plants. Comp Med East West 5:123–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu SY (1977) A contribution to our knowledge of ginseng. Am J Chin Med 5:1–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim AE, Kim CC (1984) Effect of ginseng on the serum fatty acid composition in the rats. J Cath Med Coll 37:55–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee BK, Kim CC (1984) Change of the serum composition in the rats receiving ginseng. J Cath Med Coll 37:47–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee SP, Honda K, Rhee YH, Inoué S (1990) Chronic intake ofPanax ginseng extract stabilizes sleep and wakefulness in food-deprived rats. Neurosci Lett 111:217–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee SP, Rhee YH, Honda K, Inoué S (1989) Effect of the ginseng extract on sleep in unrestrained rats. Jpn J Psychiatry Neurol 43:776

    Google Scholar 

  • Li CP, Li RC (1973) An introductory note to ginseng. Am J Chin Med 1:249–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim SY, Kim CC (1982) Influence upon male rats' sexual behavior of ginseng administered before and after mature state. J Cath Med Coll 35:9–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Nabata H, Saito H, Takagi, K (1973) Pharmacological studies of neutral saponins (GNS) of Panax ginseng root. Jpn J Pharmacol 23:29–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito H, Morita M, Takagi, K (1973) Pharmacological studies of Panax ginseng leaves. Jpn J Pharmacol 23:43–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito H, Tsuchiya M, Naka S, Takagi, K (1977) Effects of Panax ginseng root on conditioned response in rats. Jpn J Pharmacol 27:509–516

    Google Scholar 

  • Takagi, K, Saito H, Nabata H (1972a) Pharmacological studies of Panax ginseng root: estimation of pharmacological actions of Panax ginseng root. Jpn J Pharmacol 22:245–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Takagi, K, Saito H, Tsuchiya M (1972b) Pharmacological studies of Panax ginseng root: pharmacological properties of a crude saponin fraction. Jpn J Pharmacol 22:339–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamamura Y, Kumagai A, Oura H, Okuda T, Morisawa S, Yamamoto M (eds) (1989) Medicinal ginseng: progress in its basic and clinical studies. Kyoritsu Shuppan, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rhee, Y.H., Lee, S.P., Honda, K. et al. Panax ginseng extract modulates sleep in unrestrained rats. Psychopharmacology 101, 486–488 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02244226

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02244226

Key words

Navigation