Evaluation of Therapeutic Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Baichuan Baile Formula in Rodent Insomnia Models

Background/Objectives: Baichuan Baile (BCBL), a novel functional dietary formula, has been shown to exert antidepressant-like effects through modulation of the 5-HT system in our prior studies. Given the close neurobiological connections between depression and insomnia, along with its pharmacodynamic profile guided by TCM theory and nutritional assessments, BCBL is likely to possess beneficial effects against insomnia. However, this hypothesis and its underlying mechanisms require further validation. Methods: The chemical constituents of BCBL were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, and network pharmacology was applied to predict potential sleep-relevant targets and pathways. Subsequently, BCBL was evaluated for sedative-hypnotic effects using pentobarbital-induced hypnosis, locomotor activity, and polysomnography (EEG/EMG). Its therapeutic efficacy was further assessed in insomnia models induced by environmental stress, serotonin depletion, and rotarod-based sleep deprivation. The rotarod-induced chronic model was selected for mechanistic studies due to its sustained insomnia-like phenotype. Finally, key network-predicted targets were validated in this model through histopathology, Western blotting, and ELISA. Results: Pharmacological evaluation confirmed that BCBL significantly promoted sleep at both behavioral and EEG levels, confirming its sedative-hypnotic properties. BCBL mitigated environmental stress-triggered impairments in NREM sleep continuity and duration, and exerted protective effects against body weight loss and sleep disturbances in a serotonin depletion-induced insomnia model. In the rotarod sleep deprivation model, BCBL treatment increased spontaneous alternation rates and recognition indices, ameliorated hippocampal pathological alterations, and reduced hippocampal levels of HIF-1α, TNF-α, and IL-1β. Furthermore, BCBL elevated the p-GSK3β/GSK3β ratio and enhanced SIRT₁ expression in the hypothalamus. It also modulated the activity of key sleep-wake neurotransmitters/neuromodulators (serotonin, dopamine, adenosine, and glutamate) and key circadian rhythm regulators (BMAL₁, PER₂, and CLOCK) in this region. Conclusions: BCBL exhibits significant therapeutic efficacy against insomnia, indicating its potential as a dietary supplement for managing insomnia. Its mechanisms appear to involve anti-inflammatory effects, rebalancing of neurotransmitters/neuromodulators, and stabilization of circadian rhythm gene expression.