Phytotherapeutic agents for insomnia: A scoping review on the mechanistic insights and evidence from animal models

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Background: Sleep disorders particularly, insomnia, are a worldwide issue with serious implications for public health and individual well-being. While traditional and psychological therapies are already accessible, there is growing interest in exploring complementary plant-based treatments for insomnia due to their potential efficacy and fewer side effects. This narrative review investigates medicinal plants with sleep enhancing properties, focusing on species from various countries and those also found in the Philippines. Methods: Journal articles that evaluated sleep duration, rapid eye movement, non-rapid eye movement sleep, sleep latency, number of sleep, sleep quality, wake times, and sedative-hypnotic effects of plants in vivo were retrieved from electronic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, SpringerLink, EBSCO, and ScienceDirect. Results: A total of 39 plants with sleep-enhancing activities were reviewed and identified. Their bioactive components and pharmacological mechanisms were presented. Plants such as Lactuca sativa, Nelumbo nucifera, and Ziziphus jujuba demonstrated consistent efficacy in improving sleep quality through interactions with the GABAergic system, as confirmed by various studies Conclusion: Many therapeutic plants exhibit promising potential to manage insomnia and enhance sleep. However, most studies are still preliminary, with the molecular mechanisms behind their sleep-enhancing effects remaining inconclusive.