Biomolecules & Therapeutics

The Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology (한국응용약물학회)
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Anxiolytic-like Effects of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow Using the Elevated Plus Maze and Hole-board Apparatus in Mice

  • Jung, Ji-Wook (Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Yoon, Byung-Hoon (Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy) ;
  • Kim, Sun-Yeou (Department of Herbal Pharmacology, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Cheong, Jae-Hoon (Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University) ;
  • Ryu, Jong-Hoon (Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University)
  • Published : 2005.06.01
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to characterize the putative anxiolytic-like effects of the aqueous extract of the root of Polygala tenuifolia ( AEPT) using an elevated plus maze (EPM) and hole-board apparatus in mice. The AFPT was orally administered at 50, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg to ICR mice, 1 h before the behavioral evaluation in the EPM respectively. Control mice were treated with an equal volume of saline, and positive control mice with buspirone (2 mg/kg). Single treatments of the AEPT significantly increased the percentage of time spent and arm entries into the open arms of the EPM vedrsus saline controls (P<0.05). Moreover, there were no changes in the locomotor activity and myorelaxant effects in any group compared with the saline controls. In the hole-board test,single treatments of the AEPT (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly increased the number of headdips versus saline controls (P<0.05). In addition, the anxiolytic-like effects of the AEPT were blocked by WAY 100635(0.3mg/kg, I.p), a5-$HT_{1A}$ receptor antagonist not by flumazenil, a $GABA_{A}$ antagonist. These results indicate that P. tenuifolia is an effective anxiolytic agent, andsuggest that the anxiolytic-like effects of P. tenuifolia is mediated via the serotonergic nervous system.

Keywords

References

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