title: Anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic activities of polygalasaponins from Polygala tenuifolia in mice.
abstract: In the present study, the anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic activities of polygalasaponins extracted from Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow (Polygalaceae) were determined in mice using hole-board, elevated plus maze, open field, and sodium pentobarbital-induced hypnosis tests. Moreover, the acute toxicity of polygalasaponins was also estimated in mice. Sixty minutes after p.o. administration of polygalasaponins (40, 80, 160 mg/kg) in mice, the central crossing counts and percentage of central/total ambulation significantly increased and the number of rearings and defecations was evidently inhibited in the open field test. Polygalasaponins also increased the head-dips of mice in the hole-board test and the time spent by mice in the open arms of the X-maze, prolonged sleep duration and shortened sleep latency in the test of synergetic effect on sodium pentobarbital (45 and 25 mg/kg, respectively). Acute toxic study showed the oral median lethal dose (LD(50)) of polygalasaponins was 3.95 g/kg and 0% lethal dose 2.6 g/kg. These results suggest that polygalasaponin possesses evident anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic activities and has a relatively safe dose range, which supports the use of Polygala tenuifolia root as an anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drug in folk medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lian-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wan-Sheng
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rahman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000187:drug effects; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D031801:Polygala; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; C532370:tenuifolin diterpene; C407311:tenuifolic saponin