Many foodborne Chinese herbs exhibit significant efficacy in sedation and hypnotic effects, with the advantages of safety, mildness, and convenience. These properties have garnered widespread attention from individuals suffering from insomnia, scientific researchers, and relevant practitioners. Such herbs are predominantly utilized in health foods and ordinary foods. In the realm of health foods aimed at aiding sleep, dosage forms are diverse, and ingredients such as Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, Ganoderma lucidum, and Schisandra chinensis are frequently employed. Within the domain of ordinary foods, a variety of products including medicinal diets, beverages, and snacks are involved, showcasing diverse product forms and production processes. Regarding research advancements, the effective dosages of different food-derived Chinese herbs medicines for improving sleep vary, and their sleep-aid components encompass terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids and other constituents. The mechanisms of action span neurotransmitter regulation, signaling pathway modulation, gut microbiota improvement, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity. Nevertheless, there remain deficiencies in the research and product development of foodborne Chinese herbal medicines for sleep aid. This paper systematically summarized the applications and usage rules of foodborne Chinese herbal medicines in sleep aid foods, reviewed modern research on foodborne Chinese herbal medicines and sleep aids, and elucidated the efficacious components and mechanisms of foodborne Chinese herbal medicines for sleep enhancement, thereby providing valuable references for the research and development of sleep aid products based on foodborne Chinese herbal medicines.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |