title: Neuropharmacological study of Dracocephalum moldavica L. (Lamiaceae) in mice: sedative effect and chemical analysis of an aqueous extract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dracocephalum moldavica is used as a tranquilizer and as remedy for nervous conditions relief in the Mexican traditional medicine. Despite its intensive use no literature reported neuropharmacological studies on Dracocephalum moldavica as yet.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The sedative, anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects of the aqueous extract of aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica (Lamiaceae) (DM) were evaluated in behavioral models in mice. The general toxic effects of DM were evaluated as well as their chemical analysis was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  DM effects were evaluated on pentobarbital-induced sleeping time (SPT), the hole-board (HBT), and the avoidance exploratory behavior (AEBT) tests and on the forced swimming test (FST). General activity and motor coordination were evaluated in the open field (OFT) and Rota-rod tests, respectively. The acute toxicity of DM was determinate by its LD(50) dose. The chemical analyses DM were performed by chromatographic and HPLC-ESI-MS techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DM prolonged the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, induced sedation in the HBT, decreased spontaneous activity and produced motor coordination impairment in mice. However, DM did not show anxiolytic effects in the AEBT or HBT and it was not effective in FST. The DM-treatment produced mortalities with LD(50)=470 mg/kg body weight. The HPLC-ESI-MS analysis of DM revealed that (acacetin, apigenin and luteolin)-7-O-β-D-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside derivates are the main compounds of DM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DM induced sedative actions and a general inhibition of CNS activity observed by the decrease of animals' general activity, motor coordination and exploration.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Coyoacan, Mexico DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez-Vázquez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estrada-Reyes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Laurrabaquio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: López-Rubalcava
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heinze
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D019686:Lamiaceae; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts