title: Antianxiety effect of cannabidiol in the elevated plus-maze.
abstract: In order to assess the presence of anxiolytic properties in cannabidiol (CBD) the drug was tested in an elevated plus-maze model of anxiety, in rats. Doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg significantly increased the entry ratio (open/total number of entries), an anxiolytic-like effect. CBD at a dose of 20.0 mg/kg was no longer effective. None of the doses of CBD used changed total number of entries, a measure of total exploratory activity. Diazepam (2.0 mg/kg) also caused an anxiolytic-like effect in this model. These results indicate that CBD causes a selective anxiolytic effect in the elevated plus-maze, within a limited range of doses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chiaretti
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Graeff
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Zuardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D002186:Cannabinoids; D002185:Cannabidiol; D003975:Diazepam