title: Anxiolytic-like effect of Carvacrol (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol) in mice: involvement with GABAergic transmission.
abstract: Carvacrol (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol) is a monoterpenic phenol present in the essencial oil of many plants. It is the major component of the essential oil fraction of oregano and thyme. This work presents the behavioral effects of carvacrol in animal models of elevated plus maze (EPM), open field, Rotarod and barbiturate-induced sleeping time tests in mice. Carvacrol (CVC) was administered orally, in male mice, at single doses of 12.5; 25 and 50 mg/kg while diazepam 1 or 2 mg/kg was used as standard drug and flumazenil (2.5 mg/kg) was used to elucidate the possible anxiolytic mechanism of CVC on the plus maze test. The results showed that CVC, at three doses, had no effect on the spontaneous motor activity in the Rotarod test nor in the number of squares crossed in the open-field test. However, CVC decreased the number of groomings in the open-field test. In the plus maze test, CVC, at three doses significantly increased all the observed parameters in the EPM test and flumazenil was able to reverse the effects of diazepam and CVC. Therefore, CVC did not alter the sleep latency and sleeping time in the barbiturate-induced sleeping time test. These results show that CVC presents anxiolytic effects in the plus maze test which are not influenced by the locomotor activity in the open-field test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Rua Cel. Nunes de Melo 1127, 60430-270 Fortaleza, Brazil. helvira83@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Francisca Helvira Cavalcante
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Edith Teles
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Venâncio
authors.forename: Damião Pergentino
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Marta Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: de França Fonteles
authors.forename: Silvânia Maria Mendes
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Glauce Socorro Barros
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Francisca Cléa Florenço
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: de Sousa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D000081007:Cymenes; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000081007:Cymenes; D018757:GABA Modulators; D039821:Monoterpenes; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C073316:carvacrol