Recognition of anxiolytic constituents from Juncus effusus based on constituents knock-out technique / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To clarify the main anxiolytic components from Juncus effusus. Methods: Silica gel column chromatography was used to extract the stem pith of J. effuses by 80% ethanol. The ethy lacetate extracts of J. effuses by ultraphonic extraction were separated to be phenanthrene constituents, such as dehydroeffusol, effusol, dehydrojuncusol, and juncusol. The phenanthrenes were knocked out and the target phenanthrene constituents and negative samples were prepared. The anxiolytic effects of the two separated fractions and the whole extract were evaluated by elevated plus-maze test in mice. Results: In the elevated plus-maze test, phenanthrene constituents and the whole ethylacetate extract could significantly improve the time and number of times of mice into the open arms, without difference in the intensity of action, but no anxiolytic activity was shown in the negative sample. Conclusion: Phenanthrene constituents are the main anxiolytic components in J. effusus. Other constituents in the ethylacetate extract of J. effusus do not influence the anxiolytic effect of phenanthrene constituents.