Pharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Nov 25;150(2):665-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.023. Epub 2013 Oct 9.
Carica papaya has been used in the Ethiopian traditional medicine to relieve stress and other disease conditions.
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anxiolytic and sedative effects of 80% ethanolic Carica papaya (Caricaceae) pulp extract in mice.
Carica papaya pulp extract was screened for anxiolytic effect by using elevated plus maze, staircase and open field tests, and ketamine-induced sleeping time test for sedation at doses of 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/kg. Distilled water and Diazepam were employed as negative and positive control groups, respectively.
Carica papaya pulp extract 100 mg/kg significantly increased the percentage of open arm time and entry, and reduced the percentage of entry and time spent in closed arm in elevated plus maze test; reduced the number of rearing in the staircase test; and increased the time spent and entries in the central squares while the total number of entries into the open field were not significantly affected, suggesting anxiolytic activity without altering locomotor and sedative effects. A synergistic reduction in the number of rearing and an inverted U-shaped dose response curves were obtained with important parameters of anxiety
The results of this study established a support for the traditional usage of Carica papaya as anxiolytic medicinal plant.
木瓜在埃塞俄比亚传统医学中被用于缓解压力和其他疾病状况。
本研究旨在评估 80%乙醇木瓜（番木瓜科）果肉提取物对小鼠的抗焦虑和镇静作用。
使用高架十字迷宫、楼梯和旷场试验以及氯胺酮诱导的睡眠时间试验，在 50、100、200、400mg/kg 剂量下筛选木瓜果肉提取物的抗焦虑作用。蒸馏水和地西泮分别作为阴性和阳性对照组。
木瓜果肉提取物 100mg/kg 可显著增加高架十字迷宫试验中开放臂时间和进入次数，减少进入次数和关闭臂时间；减少楼梯试验中的直立次数；增加中央广场的停留时间和进入次数，而开放场的总进入次数没有显著变化，提示具有抗焦虑活性，而不改变运动和镇静作用。重要焦虑参数的协同减少直立次数和倒置 U 形剂量反应曲线。
本研究结果支持木瓜作为抗焦虑药用植物的传统用途。
