title: Annomontine, an alkaloid isolated from Annona purpurea, has anxiolytic-like effects in the elevated plus-maze.
abstract: The effects of annomontine, a pyrimidine- β-carboline alkaloid isolated from the root of ANNONA PURPUREA, on anxiety was studied in mice using the elevated plus-maze. The behavioral effects of this alkaloid on the pentobarbital-induced hypnosis, the locomotor activity in an open field, and the motor coordination in the rotarod test were also evaluated. The intraperitoneal injection of annomontine (1-30 mg/kg) increased in a dose-dependent way the number of visits to and the time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze in comparison to the control animals. Such effects were blocked by the prior application of flumazenil (3 mg/kg; i. p.), a specific antagonist for the binding of benzodiazepines on the GABA (A) receptor. Under the same experimental conditions annomontine failed to affect the behavior of the animals in the pentobarbital-induced hypnosis test and had no effects on locomotion and motor coordination. These results suggest that annomontine possesses anxiolytic-like effects which may be mediated at the level of the benzodiazepine binding site on the GABA (A) receptor.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Experimental de Farmacobiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico. rejonjose@hotmail.com
authors.forename: José Del Carmen
authors.initials: Jdel C
authors.lastname: Rejón-Orantes
authors.forename: Alma Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: González-Esquinca
authors.forename: Miguel Pérez
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de la Mora
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roldan Roldan
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cortes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D031041:Annona / Q000737:chemistry*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D002243:Carbolines / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D002243:Carbolines; D018755:GABA Agonists; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011743:Pyrimidines; C508838:annomontine; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D005442:Flumazenil