ABSTRACT
The usage of benzodiazepines, the major class of anxiolytic drugs is invariably accompanied by many side effects like sedation and myorelaxation leading to incoordination of movements. Intense research is going on all over the world to find out most effective and safer anxiolytic compounds. In the present study, portilaca oleracea has been investigated in detail for its anxiolytic in mice. The anxiolytic activity was screened by using two well validated methods namely elevated plus maze, stair case test. Portilaca oleracea displayed a dose-dependent anxiolytic effect similar to diazepam in the animal models of anxiety as revealed by a significant increase in the time spent in open arms of the elevated plus maze and significant reduction in the number of rearing responses in staircase test, the results of the present study have identified the novel anxiolytic compound.