🧫 Experiment Protocol
Validationinsomnia-anxiety comorbidityPCPA-treated miceproposed
Mice were administered 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine (PCPA) to induce insomnia and anxiety-like behaviors, then treated with Zhi-Gan Formula (ZG) or diazepam for comparison. Behavioral assessments were conducted using pentobarbital-induced sleep test to measure sleep latency and duration, open-field test (OFT) and elevated plus-maze test (EPM) to evaluate anxiety-like behaviors. This experiment aimed to demonstrate ZG's therapeutic efficacy for comorbid insomnia and anxiety conditions compared to standard pharmacological treatment.
PRIMARY OUTCOME
sleep latency, sleep duration, and anxiety-like behaviors
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
ZG would improve both sleep parameters and anxiety-like behaviors better than diazepam
SUCCESS CRITERIA
Significant reduction in sleep latency, increased sleep duration, and decreased anxiety-like behaviors
PROTOCOL
PCPA injection followed by 3-day ZG or diazepam treatment, behavioral testing with pentobarbital-induced sleep test, OFT, and EPM