Antidepressant, anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic activity of Scutellaria nepetifolia methanolic extract using animal models

Introduction: Scutellaria nepetofolia is belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is native to the Zagros Mountains of Iran. Other species of Scotellaria, such as Scotellaria biciclensis and Scotellaria barbata, have been used in treatment of many diseases including sleep disorders in Iranian traditional medicine. In this study, we investigated the anti-anxiety, anti-depressant and sedative-hypnotic activity of Scutellaria nepetofolia using experimental models.Methods: The methanolic extract of Scutellaria nepetofolia was prepared and then administered intra-pritoneally to mice at different doses (50, 100, 200 mg/kg). Forced swimming test was carried out on swiss male mice, while open field, elevated plus maze, forced swimming and phenobarbital induced sleeping tests performed on NMRI mice with a body weight of 20-25 g (n=10 in all groups).Result: In open field test the extract of Scutellaria nepetofolia showed a decrease in locomotor activity of mice at the doses of 50, 100, 200 mg/kg. Administration of 100, 200 mg/kg extract of S. nepetofolia decreased the immobility time of mice in forced swimming test. The methanolic extract of S. nepetofolia at dose 200 mg/kg showed significant anti-anxiety like effect in elevated plus maze test. The extract at the doses of 100, 200 mg/kg show significant hypnotic effect in phenobarbital induced sleeping test.Conclusion: The results of this study reveal that the administration of S. nepetofolia extract in different doses may have anxiolytic, anti-depressant and sedative-hypnotic. However, more studies are needed to find the main mechanism of these activities. Furtherer toxicological evaluation are also recommended in future studies.

کلیدواژه های Antidepressant, anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic activity of Scutellaria nepetifolia methanolic extract using animal models:

ant-anxiety ، anti-depressant ، sedative-hypnotic ، Scutellaria nepetofolia