title: Anxiolytic and sedative effects of dehydroeffusol from Juncus effusus in mice.
abstract: Dehydroeffusol, a phenanthrene isolated from Juncus effusus L., possesses characteristic anxiolytic and sedative properties, as determined by an array of behavioral tests in mice. In the elevated plus-maze test, dehydroeffusol significantly increased the number of entries into the open arms and the time the mice spent in these arms in a dose-dependent manner, with a minimum effective dose of 2.5 mg/kg. Dehydroeffusol also significantly increased the head-dips of mice in the hole-board test in a dose-dependent manner, with a minimum effective dose of 5 mg/kg. Dehydroeffusol reduced mouse locomotion in the open-field test with a minimum effective dose of 5 mg/kg. In the rota-rod test, 1-5 mg/kg dehydroeffusol did not decrease the fall-down time of mice. The above results confirm that dehydroeffusol possesses anxiolytic and sedative properties and does not affect the general movement coordination of mice. This suggests that dehydroeffusol is a novel anxiolytic chemical derived from herbal medicines.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: You-Jiao
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tian-Xuan
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Jian-Mei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; C573784:dehydroeffusol