Citrus limon (L.) Burm f. Essential Oil Has Anxiolytic and Sedative Properties by Modulating GABAA-Receptors
Braz. arch. biol. technol
;
63: e20200206, 2020. tab, graf
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: biblio-1132262
ABSTRACT
Abstract The high prevalence of anxiety disorders associated with pharmacotherapy side effects have motivated the search for new pharmacological agents. Species from Citrus genus, such as Citrus limon (sicilian lemon), have been used in folk medicine as a potential therapy to minimize emotional disorders. In order to searching for new effective treatments with fewer side effects, the present study evaluated the anxiolytic mechanism of action and the hypnotic-sedative activity from the Citrus limon fruit's peels essential oil (CLEO). Adults male Swiss mice were submitted to barbiturate-induced sleep test; elevated plus-maze (EPM) and light-dark box (LDB) (evaluation of the mechanism of action); rotarod; and catalepsy tests. CLEO oral treatment decreased latency and increased the sleep total time; moreover it induced in animals an increased the number of entries and percentage of time spent into open arms of the EPM; an increased the number of transitions and the percentage of time into light compartment in the LDB; which were only antagonized by flumazenil pretreatment, with no injury at motor function. Thus, results suggest that CLEO treatment induced an anxiolytic behavior suggestively modulated by the benzodiazepine binding site of the GABAA receptor or by an increase of GABAergic neurotransmission, without cause impairment in the motor coordination.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Anxiety
/
Anti-Anxiety Agents
/
Oils, Volatile
/
Citrus
/
GABA Modulators
/
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Type of study:
Risk factors
Limits:
Animals
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. arch. biol. technol
Journal subject:
Biology
Year:
2020
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Federal University of Alagoas/BR
/
Federal University of Bahia/BR
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