Sleep-promoting material from human urine and its relation to factor S from brain

Abstract

A sleep-promoting factor was extracted from human urine. Intraventricular infusion of the purified material induced excess slow-wave sleep in rats and rabbits for 5--10 h after the infusion. Chemical properties of the urinary factor were similar to those of factor S derived from whole brains of sleep-deprived goats, sheep, and rabbits. The behavior of the urinary factor in two ion exchange chromatographic steps, high voltage electrophoresis, gel-filtration, and ultrafiltration was similar to that of factor S. Effects of the purified urinary factor on slow-wave sleep of rats and rabbits were similar in time-course and duration to those of factor S from brain. However, the factor obtained from human urine did not increase the amplitude of cortical slow waves to the same extent as did factor S from brains of sleep-deprived animals.