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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis

Natural products in insomnia: Molecular mechanisms, action targets, and therapeutic potential

  • Haonan Gao1
  • Zhenhua Liu2
  • Xia Zhong3
  • Shimeng Lv1
  • Yitong Lu1
  • Ruirui Shang4
  • Guoqiang Li5
  • Xiaowen Yu6
6 affiliations
  1. 1First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China
  2. 2Weifang Nursing Vocational College, Weifang, Shandong, 262500, China
  3. 3Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
  4. 4College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
  5. 5Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 25000, China
  6. 6Division 4 of Neurology Department, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250011, China
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Abstract

Insomnia is a disorder characterized by sleep disturbances and daytime impairments. It can be alleviated with conventional clinical medications, but considerable individual variability and adverse effects (AEs) remain persistent challenges. Many natural products are known for their low toxicity and multi-target properties. These products offer distinct advantages in treating insomnia by modulating its underlying pathological mechanisms. Although previous reviews have summarized the effects of natural products on insomnia, systematic classification based on natural products and comprehensive exploration of their interactions with multidimensional pathological mechanisms remain insufficient. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms by which natural products modulate insomnia. It also offers an in-depth discussion of the current limitations and challenges. The goal is to establish a theoretical foundation and technical framework to optimize treatment strategies and advance the clinical translation of natural product research.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{gao2026natural,
  title = {{Natural products in insomnia: Molecular mechanisms, action targets, and therapeutic potential}},
  author = {Haonan Gao and Zhenhua Liu and Xia Zhong and Shimeng Lv and Yitong Lu and Ruirui Shang and Guoqiang Li and Xiaowen Yu},
  journal = {Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis},
  year = {2026},
  month = may,
  doi = {10.1016/j.jpha.2026.101661},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpha.2026.101661},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Natural products in insomnia: Molecular mechanisms, action targets, and therapeutic potential
AU  - Haonan Gao
AU  - Zhenhua Liu
AU  - Xia Zhong
AU  - Shimeng Lv
AU  - Yitong Lu
AU  - Ruirui Shang
AU  - Guoqiang Li
AU  - Xiaowen Yu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/21
JO  - Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis
DO  - 10.1016/j.jpha.2026.101661
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpha.2026.101661
AB  - Insomnia is a disorder characterized by sleep disturbances and daytime impairments. It can be alleviated with conventional clinical medications, but considerable individual variability and adverse effects (AEs) remain persistent challenges. Many natural products are known for their low toxicity and multi-target properties. These products offer distinct advantages in treating insomnia by modulating its underlying pathological mechanisms. Although previous reviews have summarized the effects of natural products on insomnia, systematic classification based on natural products and comprehensive exploration of their interactions with multidimensional pathological mechanisms remain insufficient. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms by which natural products modulate insomnia. It also offers an in-depth discussion of the current limitations and challenges. The goal is to establish a theoretical foundation and technical framework to optimize treatment strategies and advance the clinical translation of natural product research.
SN  - 2095-1779
SN  - 2214-0883
ER  -