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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice
Published on: January 25, 2016
Potentiating effects of Perovskia abrotanoides Karel. on pentobarbital-induced sleep
Fatemeh Forouzanfar1, Azar Hosseini1, Mohammad Sadegh Amiri2
1Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Objective:
Sleeplessness is the most common sleep disorder. In this study the hypnotic effect of the hydro-alcoholic extract (HAE) of Perovskia abrotanoides Karel. and its water fraction (WF), ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) and n-butanol fraction (NBF) were studied in mice.
Materials And Methods:
The test compounds were administered intraperitoneally to mice 30 min before the administration of sodium pentobarbital (30 mg/kg.). Moreover, the influence of flumazenil on the hypnotic effect of the extracts was evaluated. Besides, 30 min after administration of HAE, motor coordination (rota-rod test) was assessed. Additionally, LD50 for HAE was determined and the possible neurotoxicity of the extract was tested in neural PC12 cells.
Results:
The HAE and NBF decreased the latency of sleep (p<0.05), and significantly increased the duration of sleep (p<0.05) induced by pentobarbital. These effects of P. abrotanoides were reversed by flumazenil. HAE did not affect the animals' performance on the rota-rod test. The LD50 value for HAE was found to be 4.8 g/kg. HAE and its fractions did not show neurotoxic effects in cultured PC12 cell line.
Conclusion:
The results showed that P. abrotanoides significantly potentiated pentobarbital hypnosis without toxic effect. Probably, its effects are related to its non-polar constituents.
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