9th multidisciplinary international
Conference of Biological Psychiatry
«Stress and Behavior»
Proceedings of the 9th International Multidisciplinary Conference «Stress and behavior» Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 16-19 May 2005 Editor: Allan V. Kalueff, PhD
CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS
Abstracts are listed in alphabetical order (by the first author) for each symposium.
1. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
SEDATIVE EFFECTS OF FLOWER EXTRACTS FROM SOUR ORANGE (CITRUS AURANTIUM L.) IN RATS
M. Abbasnejad, H. Jonaidi, M. Yousefi Faculty of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran
Citrus aurantium L. is commonly known as sour orange, one of the important medicinal herbs in traditional Iranian medicine, used to treat anxiety and insomnia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of extracts of the above plant on sedative behavior using an experimental animal model.
Methods: Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts sour orange flowers (SOF) were obtained. NMRI male rats were treated i.p. with several doses of these extracts, and also saline and Diazepam (1 mg/kg) as controls. For evaluation of sedative effect, we used duration of pentobarbital sleeping time based on V shaped wooden device for evaluation of balance reflex. Data were expressed as mean ±SEM and statistically analysed by Kruskal-Walis followed by Mann-Whitney U tests (P = 0.05).
Results: The result of this study show that the aqueous extract of SOF and Diazepam significantly prolong the duration of pentobarbital sleep compared to control group (P = 0.05). However, hydroalcoholic extracts had no effects.
Discussion and conclusions: SOF extracts showed a significant sedating effect in rats. The flavonoids identified in SOF, including neohespridine, may be attributed to these effects. In this regard, it has been reported that flavonoids have an affinity to bind to central benzodiazepine receptors. The results of this study correspond to ethnopharmacological practice to use sour orange flowers in primary medical care, after toxicological investigations.
Psychopharmacol. Biol. Narcol. 2005. Vol. 5, N 2. P. 882-883
Psyhopharmacology & biological narcology
ISSN 1606-8181