Many plants have been used in Korean medicine for treating insomnia. However, scientific evidence for their sedative activity has not been fully investigated. Thus, this study was carried out to investigate the sedative effects of the extracts of medicinal plants, including Yukmijihwang-tang and its various modified forms through the 5-HT2c receptor binding assay, and to further confirm its sleep-promoting effects and the underlying neural mechanism in rats utilizing electroencephalography (EEG) analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serotonin (5-HT) in the brain. The water extracts of modified Yukmijihwang-tang (YmP) displayed binding affinity to the 5-HT2C receptor (IC50 value of 199.9 µg/mL). YmP (50 mg/kg) administration decreased wake time and increased REM and NREM sleep based on EEG data in rats. Additionally, treatment with YmP significantly increased the 5-HT level in the hypothalamus. In conclusion, the sedative effect of YmP can be attributed to the activation of the central serotonergic systems, as evidenced by the high affinity of binding of the 5-HT2C receptor and increased 5-HT levels in the brain of the rat. This study suggests that YmP can be a new material as a sleep inducer in natural products.
Background: The purpose of this research was to present a foundation for improving the relationships between gynecological cancer patients and their spouses, as well as their quality of life, by studying the sexual life of gynecological cancer patients before and after surgery and the relationship between their marital intimacy and depression. Methods: Data were collected from April 20 to May 23, 2010, from research subjects who were diagnosed with gynecological cancer and received treatments as outpatients in the University Hospital K in Seoul. A total of 153 questionnaires were collected from qualified research subjects for the final analysis. The Sex Life Measurement Tool for Cancer Patients (2006) and the Marital Intimacy Questionnaire developed by Warring and Reddon (1993) were used to investigate marital intimacy, and Beck's (1967) Depression Inventory (BID) was used to assess depression.
Results:The following hypotheses were supported: There would be a change in the sexual attitude of gynecological cancer patients and their spouse's, there would be a change in the sexual characteristics of gynecological cancer patients and their spouse's, and there would be a change in the marital intimacy of gynecological cancer patients and their spouse's.
Conclusion:The sexual behavior attitude of gynecological cancer patients changed in a negative way after their operations, and their sexual behavior characteristics were also reduced with a higher degree of depression after operations.
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