Ginsenosides Action on Spontaneous Sleep in Rats

This work was performed to study the influences of Ginsenosides (GS) on spontaneous sleep. Adult SD rats were randomly divided into the control, GS 10 and 100mg/kg groups. After recovery from operation, rats were orally administered GS 10 and 100mg/kg or water once per day for 6 days. On day 1 and 6, Polygraphic signs of undisturbed sleep-wake activities were recorded for 12h after GS administration. On day 1, only 100mg/kg GS increased significantly NREM and total sleep but decreased wakefulness; 10 and 100mg/kg GS enhanced θ power of NREM and wakefulness but reduced θ power of wakefulness and α power during sleep and wakefulness, 10 and 100mg/kg GS lowered θ power of NREM and REM stage, respectively. On day 6, both 10 and 100mg/kg GS increased markedly NREM and total sleep but lowered wakefulness and sleep-wake cycles; 10 and 100mg/kg GS enhanced δ power during NREM and wakefulness but reduced θ power of wakefulness and α power during sleep and wake state, 10mg/kg GS also lowered θ power of NREM. The increase of δ power in all stages, the decrease of θ power in NREM and REM sleep and the decrease of α power during NREM and wakefulness were observed in 10mg/kg group; the decrease of θ power during NREM sleep and of α power during wakefulness and the increase of δ power in wakefulness shown in 100mg/kg group. These findings indicate that GS can regulate spontaneous sleep in time-dependent manner, cortical EEG power spectra in rats. Keywords-Ginsenosides; , Sleep;, REM; NREM; Electroencephalogram