Prescriptions of Chinese Herbal Medicines for Insomnia in Taiwan during 2002

Table 6

Summary of major constituents and pharmacologic activities of Chinese single herbs prescribed for insomnia with sedative and hypnotic effects.

Chinese single herb (generic name)	Major constituent	Pharmacologic activity
Z. spinosa	Spinosin and jujubosides	Increases the hexobarbital-sleeping time and decreases the locomotor activity [22]
	Jujuboside A	Inhibits the glutamate-mediated excitatory signal pathway in the hippocampus [23]
	Saponins	Decreases monoaminergic system activity [24]
	Sanjoinine A	Regulates GABA-ergic systems and further increases the sleeping time and decreases the sleep latency induced by pentobarbital [25]
Polygala tenuifolia	3,4,5-Trimethoxycinnamic acid	Suppresses norepinephrine in the locus coeruleus of rats [26]
Salvia miltiorrhiza	Miltirone	Central benzodiazepine receptor partial agonist [27]
Stephania tetrandria	Tetrandrine	Effect on serotonergic system [28]
Poria cocos	Ergosterone	Enhances the secretion of the cytokines, interleukin-1β and TNF-α, which enhances non-rapid eye movement sleep [29, 30]