GABA and L-theanine mixture decreases sleep latency and improves NREM sleep
- Authors
- Kim, Suhyeon; Jo, Kyungae; Hong, Ki-Bae; Han, Sung Hee; Suh, Hyung Joo
- Issue Date
- 1-2월-2019
- Publisher
- TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
- Keywords
- g-Aminobutyric acid; insomnia; pentobarbital-induced sleep test; electroencephalography
- Citation
- PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY, v.57, no.1, pp.65 - 73
- Indexed
- SCIE
SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY
- Volume
- 57
- Number
- 1
- Start Page
- 65
- End Page
- 73
- URI
- https://scholar.korea.ac.kr/handle/2021.sw.korea/67684
- DOI
- 10.1080/13880209.2018.1557698
- ISSN
- 1388-0209
- Abstract
- Context: gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter and it is well established that activation of GABAA receptors favours sleep. L-Theanine, a naturally occurring amino acid first discovered in green tea, is a well-known anti-anxiety supplement with proven relaxation benefits. Objective: This study investigated the potential synergistic sleep enhancement effect of GABA/L-theanine mixture. Materials and methods: Pentobarbital-induced sleep test was applied to find proper concentration for sleep-promoting effect in ICR mice. Electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis was performed to investigate total sleeping time and sleep quality in normal SD rats and caffeine-induced awareness model. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to investigate whether the sleep-promoting mechanism of GABA/L-theanine mixture involved transcriptional processes. Results: GABA/L-theanine mixture (100/20mg/kg) showed a decrease in sleep latency (20.7 and 14.9%) and an increase in sleep duration (87.3 and 26.8%) compared to GABA or theanine alone. GABA/L-theanine mixture led to a significant increase in rapid eye movement (REM) (99.6%) and non-REM (NREM) (20.6%) compared to controls. The use of GABA/L-theanine mixture rather than GABA or L-theanine alone restored to normal levels sleep time and quality in the arousal animal model. The administration of GABA/L-theanine led to increased expression of GABA and the glutamate GluN1 receptor subunit. Conclusions: GABA/L-theanine mixture has a positive synergistic effect on sleep quality and duration as compared to the GABA or L-theanine alone. The increase in GABA receptor and GluN1 expression is attributed to the potential neuromodulatory properties of GABA/L-theanine combination, which seems to affect sleep behaviour.
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