• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2005

Cnidii Rhizoma (CR) was subjected to extraction with 70% methanol and tested to determine whether it has anxiolytic activity in mouse by employing staircase and rotarod tests. In addition, to understand the mechanism of anxiolytic action, CR, picrotoxin, yohimbine, isoniazid and strychnine were utilized to deliniate the potential involvement of GABA and glycine receptors in the action of Cnidii Rhizoma. To gain insights into the safety of Cnidii Rhizoma extract, behavioral and MTT tests were carried out. The results were obtained as follows: 1. CR extract had little effect on climbing numbers in the stair case test. 2. CR extract had considerable anti-anxiety effects as evidenced by the reduction of rearing numbers in the stair case test. 3. CR extract had little effect on muscle relaxation. 4. Anxiolytic actions of CR extract appeared to be mediated by glycine receptor activation. 5. Cytotoxicity in the neuronal cell was not observed and no strange behaviors were found. In short, these results indicate that CR extract has the ability to exert anxiolytic activity, possibly by activating glycine receptor with little side effects in mouse.