Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, India.
Indian J Pharmacol. 2012 Jan;44(1):63-7. doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.91869.
To study the anxiolytic activity of methanol extract of Achyranthes aspera Linn (Amaranthaceae).
Male Swiss albino mice were used. Methanolic extract of Achyranthes aspera (MEAA) was administered in the doses of 100, 300 and 600 mg/kg p.o. Hole board (HB), open field (OF), elevated plus maze (EPM) and light/dark exploration (LDE) tests were used for determination of anxiolytic activity.
The methanolic extract of Achyranthes aspera significantly increased the number and duration of head poking in HB test. The extract also significantly increased the time spent and the number of entries in open arm in EPM. In LDE test, the extract produced significant increase in time spent and number of crossings and decreased the duration of immobility in light box. In OFT, the extract showed significant increase in number of rearing, assisted rearing and the squares crossed.
In the present study, MEAA exhibited anxiolytic activity which might be attributed to its phyto-constituents viz. alkaloid, steroid and triterpenes. Since Achyranthes aspera is ubiquitous and abundantly grown, it could be a fairly economical therapeutic agent for management of anxiety disorders.
研究牛膝（苋科）甲醇提取物的抗焦虑活性。
使用雄性瑞士白化小鼠。牛膝甲醇提取物（MEAA）以 100、300 和 600 mg/kg 口服剂量给药。使用洞板（HB）、旷场（OF）、高架十字迷宫（EPM）和明暗探索（LDE）试验来确定抗焦虑活性。
牛膝甲醇提取物显著增加了 HB 试验中的头部探查次数和持续时间。该提取物还显著增加了 EPM 中开放臂的停留时间和进入次数。在 LDE 试验中，提取物在亮盒中显著增加了停留时间和穿越次数，并减少了不动时间。在 OFT 中，提取物表现出明显增加的后肢抬高、辅助后肢抬高和穿越方格数。
在本研究中，MEAA 表现出抗焦虑活性，这可能归因于其植物成分，如生物碱、类固醇和三萜。由于牛膝分布广泛且大量生长，因此它可能是一种相当经济的治疗焦虑症的药物。
