Role of the Volatile Components in the Anti-insomnia Effect of Jiao-Tai-Wan in PCPA-induced Insomnia Rats

Background:Jiao-Tai-Wan(JTW)is widely used for insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine.It has been found that berberine in JTW has a potential anti-insomnia effect,but the anti-insomnia effect of volatile oil,which is another major component in JTW,remains unclear.Objective:To comprehensively analyze the anti-insomnia effect of volatile oil through chemical analysis,phar-macological research and network pharmacology methods.Methods:Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)analysis and network pharmacology platform were used to elucidate the material basis,effect and mechanism of JTW in the treatment of insomnia.A rat model of insomnia induced by p-Chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)was used to verify its anti-insomnia effect.The levels of Melatonin(MT)and Melatonin receptor type 1b(MTNR1B)in the brain and serum of rats were detected by ELISA,Western blot and Real-time PCR methods.Results:Eighteen volatile oil ingredients of JTW were identified by GC-MS,containing six new components which were found in JTW for the first time.Cinnamaldehyde,Behenic alcohol,Tetradecanal,and Gleenol can promote sleep by targeting MTNR1B according to the predicted results of network-pharmacology.Compared with the model group,JTW can increase the level of MTNR1B in rats’prefrontal cortex and brain stem,while reducing the level of MT in rats’brain stem.Conclusion:The volatile oil components,such as Cinnamaldehyde,Tetradecanal,and Gleenol,might also be playing a critical role in the anti-insomnia effect of JTW by target MTNR1B.