Anxiolytic effects of a novel herbal treatment in mice models of anxiety.
OBJECTIVE
Anxiety and stress disorders are currently among the ten most important public health concerns, and in recent years, have reached epidemic proportions. The current success rate of treatments for anxiety disorders is not high, reaching 50% at most. These treatments are also associated with a wide variety of side effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anxiolytic properties of a novel herbal treatment produced in our laboratory compared to a conventional treatment for anxiety disorders, namely SSRIs.


METHODS
Anxiety-like behavior was evaluated in adult mice exposed to stress during childhood following 1, 2 and 3 weeks of treatment with the novel herbal treatment or escitalopram, using the novel open field and the elevated plus maze paradigms. The behavioral evaluation in these mice was followed by a biochemical assessment of their brain hippocampal BDNF levels and blood corticosterone levels.


RESULTS
The study showed that (1) the novel herbal treatment reduced anxiety-like behaviors in both behavioral tests. Interestingly, this reduction was observed only following a 3-week treatment; (2) following the novel treatment, corticosterone levels in the plasma of treated mice were reduced and this reduction was similar to the one observed following escitalopram treatment; and (3) BDNF levels in the hippocampus of mice treated both with the novel herbal treatment and escitalopram were increased.


CONCLUSIONS
These behavioral and biological findings indicate that our novel herbal compound has the potential of being highly efficacious in treating anxiety disorders.
Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University of Israel, 108 Ravutski St., P.O.BOX 808, Raanana, 43107, Israel. raviddo@openu.ac.il
Ravid
R
Doron
Dafna
D
Lotan
Anat
A
Rak-Rabl
Adi
A
Raskin-Ramot
Karen
K
Lavi
Moshe
M
Rehavi
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D028321:Plant Preparations; D003345:Corticosterone