title: The effects of angelica essential oil in three murine tests of anxiety.
abstract: The effects of angelica essential oil in three assays predictive of anxiolytic activity in male mice were studied, with diazepam as a positive anxiolytic control. In the elevated plus-maze test, compared to the positive control diazepam, angelica essential oil (30.0 mg/kg, PO) had a modest anxiolytic-like effect (increased the percentage of open-arm time and reduced the percent protected head dips). In the light/dark test, angelica essential oil (30.0 mg/kg) prolonged the time spent in the light area without altering the locomotor activity of the animals. In the stress-induced hyperthermia test, 60 and 70 min after drug administration, rectal temperature was measured twice, angelica essential oil at the dose of 30.0 mg/kg inhibited stress-induced hyperthermia. Thus, these findings indicate that angelica essential oil, as does diazepam, exhibits an anxiolytic-like effect. Further studies will be required to assess the generality of the present findings to other species and behavioural paradigms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Box 41, 103 Wenhua Road, 110016 Shenyang, P.R. China. c100sw@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Si Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Wei Jing
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei Xi
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Jing Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yi Jing
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D029971:Angelica sinensis; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003624:Darkness; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010938:Plant Oils; D003975:Diazepam