title: Anxiolytic-like effect of asiaticoside in mice.
abstract: The putative anxiolytic activity of asiaticoside was examined in male mice by using a number of experimental paradigms of anxiety, with diazepam being as a positive anxiolytic control. In the elevated plus-maze test, diazepam (1 and 2 mg/kg) or asiaticoside (5 or 10 mg/kg) increased the percentage of entries into open arms and of time spent on open arms. In the light/dark test, as with 1 mg/kg diazepam, asiaticoside (10 and 20 mg/kg) increased the time spent in the light area and the movement in the light area without altering the total locomotor activity of the animals. In the hole-board test, asiaticoside at 10 mg/kg significantly increased head-dipping counts and duration as well as diazepam (0.3 mg/kg). Thus, these findings indicated that asiaticoside exhibited an anxiolytic-like effect. Further studies will be required to assess the generality of present findings to other species and behavioural paradigms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Box 41, 103 Wenhua Road, 110016 Shenyang, PR China. c100sw@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Si Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen Juan
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei Jing
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu Lei
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan Ni
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014315:Triterpenes; C004446:asiaticoside