Sleep-promoting effects of the GABA/5-HTP mixture in vertebrate models

• GABA/5-HTP mixture regulated the sleep duration.
• GABA/5-HTP mixture increased the sleep quality than single administration.
• GABA/5-HTP mixture increased GABAA receptor mRNA levels and GABA content in brain.

The aim of this study was to investigate the sleep-promoting effect of combined γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) on sleep quality and quantity in vertebrate models. Pentobarbital-induced sleep test and electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis were applied to investigate sleep latency, duration, total sleeping time and sleep quality of two amino acids and GABA/5-HTP mixture. In addition, real-time PCR and HPLC analysis were applied to analyze the signaling pathway. The GABA/5-HTP mixture significantly regulated the sleep latency, duration (p < 0.005), and also increased the sleep quality than single administration of the amino acids (p < 0.000). Long-term administration increased the transcript levels of GABAA receptor (1.37-fold, p < 0.000) and also increased the GABA content compared with the control group 12 h after administration (1.43-fold, p < 0.000). Our available evidence suggests that the GABA/5-HTP mixture modulates both GABAergic and serotonergic signaling. Moreover, the sleep architecture can be controlled by the regulation of GABAA receptor and GABA content with 5-HTP.