title: Anxiolytic-like effect of α-asarone in mice.
abstract: The effects of α-asarone in four assays predictive of anxiolytic activity in male mice were studied, with diazepam as a positive anxiolytic control. The use of the elevated plus-maze test revealed that diazepam (2 mg/kg) or α-asarone (3.5 mg/kg) increased the percentage of entries into open arms and of the time spent on open arms. In the light/dark transition test, as with 2 mg/kg diazepam, 7 mg/kg α-asarone increased the time spent in the light area and the number of transitions between the two compartments. In the novel food consumption test, α-asarone (3.5, 7 and 14 mg/kg) caused significant increases in food intake during 5 min as well as diazepam (0.5 mg/kg). In the marble burying test, α-asarone also produced a significant inhibition of marble burying at doses of 14 and 28 mg/kg, as did diazepam (5 mg/kg). Thus, these findings indicated that α-asarone exhibited an anxiolytic-like effect. Further studies will be required to assess the generality of the present findings to other species and behavioral paradigms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Si Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xing Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan Zi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao Dan
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000818:Animals; D000840:Anisoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; C012195:asarone; D003975:Diazepam