title: Bergamot Essential Oil Attenuates Anxiety-Like Behaviour in Rats.
abstract: Preclinical studies have recently highlighted that bergamot essential oil (BEO) is endowed with remarkable neurobiolological effects. BEO can affect synaptic transmission, modulate electroencephalographic activity and it showed neuroprotective and analgesic properties. The phytocomplex, along with other essential oils, is also widely used in aromatherapy to minimize symptoms of stress-induced anxiety and mild mood disorders. However, only limited preclinical evidences are actually available. This study examined the anxiolytic/sedative-like effects of BEO using an open field task (OFT), an elevated plus-maze task (EPM), and a forced swimming task (FST) in rats. This study further compared behavioural effects of BEO to those of the benzodiazepine diazepam. Analysis of data suggests that BEO induces anxiolytic-like/relaxant effects in animal behavioural tasks not superimposable to those of the DZP. The present observations provide further insight to the pharmacological profile of BEO and support its rational use in aromatherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy. laura.rombola@unical.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rombolà
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy. lauratridico@libero.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tridico
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy. damianascuteri@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Damiana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scuteri
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pharmacology, Daiichi College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 815-8511 Fukuoka, Japan. tsukasa@daiichi-cps.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tsukasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, 981-8558 Sendai, Japan. sakura@tohoku-pharm.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, 981-8558 Sendai, Japan. mizo@tohoku-mpu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, IT-70125 Bari, Italy. pinarosa.avato@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Pinarosa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Avato
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy. mtcorasa@unicz.it.
authors.forename: Maria Tiziana
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Corasaniti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy. g.bagetta@unical.it.
authors.forename: Giacinto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bagetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy. luigimorron@libero.it.
authors.forename: Luigi Antonio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Morrone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D010938:Plant Oils; C068336:bergamot oil
keywords: behavioural tests; bergamot essential oil; diazepam; rat