Behavioral effects of essential oil from salvia Aegyptiaca in rats

ABSTRACT

The genus Salvia, a member of the Lamiaceae family, includes over 900 species distributed through out the world. The hydro-distilled essential oil of wild growing S. aegyptiaca was analyzed by GCIMS. Twenty-one constituents were identified. The oil was characterized by high content of oxygenated compounds. The major constituents were virdiflorol [18.4%] CLs-nerone [18.1%] and carvenone [11.2%]. In the present study, the main behavioral effects along with the adverse effects of S. aegyptiaca essential oil [EO] in rats were investigated. The EO was used in three dose levels [125, 250, 750 mg/kg, I.P.] and examined in a series or check-list of tests with gradual increase in stress level for careful evaluation of a broad spectrum of behavioral effects. The used tests were swimming test [non-stressful], open-field test [mild stressful] and conditioned fear test [high stressful]. The study exhibits a marked dose-related behavioral changes regarding all stress levels or models. These changes are manifested as inhibition of attention and vigilance, muscular strength and neuromuscular co-ordination [in swimming test] as well as emotionality, locomoter and exploratory activity [in open-field test]. They also include enhancing of learning and memory as well as inhibition of avoidance and escape [in conditioned fear test], in addition to the high dose related hallucinogenic effects. It is concluded that EO of S. aegyptiaca has a wide dose-related behavioral effects ranged from anxiotytic, sedative, muscle relaxant, as well as cognitive and memory enhancing ability to hallucinogenic effects. It is also suggested to be efficacious in different anxiety-related conditions and can help in inhibiting the withdrawal syndrome in cases of addiction