Integrating animal experiments, mass spectrometry and network-based approach to reveal the sleep-improving effects of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen and γ-aminobutyric acid mixture.

Our data demonstrated that ZSSG improved the sleeping quality of mice and helped to balance metabolic disorders-associated with sleep disorders. Moreover, based on the network-based prediction method, the four potential active ingredients in ZSSG could serve as quality markers-associated with insomnia. The network-based framework may open up a new avenue for the discovery of active ingredients of herbal medicine for treating complex chronic diseases or symptoms, such as insomnia.