• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.437-442
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to characterize the putative anxiolytic-like effects of phenylpropanoids using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test in mice. Cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid were orally administered to male ICR mice, 1 h before behavioral evaluation in an EPM, respectively. Control mice were treated with an equal volume of vehicle, and positive control mice diazepam (1 mg/kg). A single treatment with phenylpropanoids (at 8 mg/kg) significantly increased time-spent and arm entries into the open arms of the EPM, and decreased time-spent and arm entries into the closed arms of the EPM versus control (P<0.05). However, no changes in the locomotor activity and myorelaxant effect were seen in any group versus the saline control. These results suggest that phenylpropanoids may be an effective anx-iolytic agent.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.21-43
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• 2006

This study was designed to assess Effects of jingansikpungtanggagam-bang on Central Nerve System. Method : jingansikpungtanggagam-bang, a Korean traditional prescription, was evaluated for its anticonvulsant effect, hypnotic activity, analgesic action, anxiolytic effect, memory enhancement, and MAO inhibitory activity and detennined the content of neurotransmitter in brain by HPLC method. Result : 1. The extract increased potently anticonvulsant effect at 1g/kg by 5.6-fold extention of onset time against control group. 2. The extract increased hvrmsis at 500mg/kg by over twofold length of sleeping time compared to control. 3. The extract showed a significant analgesic effect with 86.0% inhibition on writhing frequency at 500mg/kg by phenylquinone-induced writhing test. 4. The extract inhibited dose-dependently the activity of monoamine oxidase in vitro. 5. This prescription increased the brain levels of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid by 3.3% and 1.4%, respectively. 6. the extract exhibited the anxiolytic effect with 21.3% decrease of the immobility duration against control group. 7. the extract enhanced memory recovery on scopolamine-induced impairment of passive avoidance performance at 1g/kg pretreatment with 20.2% increase of latency time. Conclusion : The result sugguest that jiugansikpungtanggagam-bang can be used effectively as a sedative prescription in Korean traditional medicine.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.213-222
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• 2014

Abnormal adaptation of the stress-response system following traumatic stress can lead to alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis that may contribute to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study used several behavioral tests to investigate the anxiolytic-like and antidepressant activity of L-tetrahydropalmatine (L-THP) in an experimental rat model of anxiety and depression induced by single prolonged stress (SPS), an animal model of PTSD. Male rats were treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with vehicle or varied doses of THP 30 min prior to SPS for 8 consecutive days. Daily THP (50 mg/kg) administration significantly increased the number and duration of open arm visits in the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, reduced the anxiety index, increased the risk assessment, and increased the number of head dips over the borders of the open arms after SPS. THP was also associated with increased time spent at the center of the open field, reduced grooming behaviors in the EPM test, and reduced time spent immobile in the forced swimming test (FST). It also blocked the decrease in neuropeptide Y (NPY) and the increase in corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) expression in the hypothalamus. This is the first study to determine that THP exerts pronounced anxiolytic-like and antidepressant effects on the development of the behavioral and biochemical symptoms associated with PTSD, indicating its prophylactic potential. Thus, THP reversed several behavioral impairments triggered by the traumatic stress of SPS and is a potential non-invasive therapeutic intervention for PTSD.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.4-10
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• 2015

Etifoxine (etafenoxine, $Stresam^{(R)}$) is a non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic with an anticonvulsant effect. It was developed in the 1960s for anxiety disorders and is currently being studied for its ability to promote peripheral nerve healing and to treat chemotherapy-induced pain. In addition to being mediated by $GABA_A{\alpha}2$ receptors like benzodiazepines, etifoxine appears to produce anxiolytic effects directly by binding to ${\beta}2$ or ${\beta}3$ subunits of the $GABA_A$ receptor complex. It also modulates $GABA_A$ receptors indirectly via stimulation of neurosteroid production after etifoxine binds to the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) of the outer mitochondrial membrane in the central and peripheral nervous systems, previously known as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). Therefore, the effects of etifoxine are not completely reversed by the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil. Etifoxine is used for various emotional and bodily reactions followed by anxiety. It is contraindicated in situations such as shock, severely impaired liver or kidney function, and severe respiratory failure. The average dosage is 150 mg per day for no more than 12 weeks. The most common adverse effect is drowsiness at the initial stage. It does not usually cause any withdrawal syndromes. In conclusion, etifoxine shows less adverse effects of anterograde amnesia, sedation, impaired psychomotor performance, and withdrawal syndromes than those of benzodiazepines. It potentiates $GABA_A$ receptor-function by a direct allosteric effect and by an indirect mechanism involving the activation of TSPO. It seems promising that non-benzodiazepine anxiolytics including etifoxine will replenish shortcomings of benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors according to animated studies related to TSPO.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.331-335
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• 2005

The methanolic extract of Hibiscus vitifolius flowers (HVE), was evaluated for neurophamacological activities by carrying out rota rod, locomotor activity and traction performance in mice and swim endurance activity in rats in different dosages (10, 30 and 100mg/kg body weight). HVE showed a significant effect on central nervous system by increasing the time taken for rota rod, traction performance and locomotor activity while swimming time was found to be decreased when compared to normal control animals. These results suggest that HVE possess significant anxiolytic and anti depressant activity which may be attributed to the presence of flavonoid in HVE.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2007

Although treatments of anxiety symptom have been available for decades, the biological basis for anxiety disorders in humans is just beginning to emerge. Recently, there is a growing body of literature suggesting that group II metabotrpic glutamate (mGlu) receptors and group I mGlu receptors are important in the physiological and behavioral sequelae associated with stressful stimuli. Moreover, compounds selective for mGlu receptors, particularly mGlu2/3 and/or mGlu5, have proven as effective as classical anxiolytics in various animal models of anxiety without producing many of the unwanted side effects that are typical of current therapies. This article will focus on the emerging preclinical and clinical data that implicate modulation of the mGlu receptors as a potential anxiolytic strategy.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2005

Benzodiazepine (BDZ) has the possibilities of development of tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and abuse/addiction, as well as chronically adverse effects. Although many guidelines have proposed the restricted prescription of them, their uses in many psychiatric areas as well as primary practice are still wide spread. So we tried to reappraise the clinical characteristics of BDZ and then to consider the appropriate use. Firstly, meta-analyses on long-term use of BDZ indicated the cognitive impairment, which could be improved after discontinuation of BDZ. Next, there have been some evidences that the long-term use of BDZ does not develop tolerance, contrary to our concern, and maintains good anxiolytic effects. Also, physiological dependence should be discriminated from abuse/addiction, assuming the reality that the risk of BDZ abuse/addiction is surely overestimated. These issues are discussed in detail.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2016

Dental treatment under sedation requires various sedation depths depending on the invasiveness of the procedure and patient drug sensitivity. Inappropriate sedation depth may cause patient discomfort or endangerment. For these reasons, patient-controlled sedation (PCS) pumps are commonly used. Patients are able to control the sedation depths themselves by pushing the demand button after the practitioner sets up the bolus dose and lock-out time. Dexmedetomidine is an ${\alpha}$-2 adrenoreceptor agonist with sedative, analgesic, and anxiolytic properties. It has been widely used for sedation for its minimal respiratory depression; however, there are few studies on PCS using dexmedetomidine. This study assessed the applicability of dexmedetomidine to PCS.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2014

Magnoflorine, an important compound in Aristolochia, was usually used as an anxiolytic chemical. In this study, the magnoflorine was isolated from Aristolochia and the biological activities such as antioxidant, ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities were investigated. The magnoflorine showed significant antioxidant activity as a 2,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenger, $50{\mu}g/mL$ of the magnoflorine scavenged about 70.8% of all the free radicals. And it was good at ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase inhibiting, $100{\mu}g/mL$ of the magnoflorine inhibited 36.5% of the tyrosinase. High dosage of magnoflorine inhibited the inflammation production nitric oxide (NO), and the magnoflorine protected the murine macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) from LPS-induced apoptosis. The cell viability of human colon cancer calls (HT-29) was around 100% when treated with different dose of magnoflorine, it's suggesting that magnoflorine had no anticancer effect.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.) is a perennial that has been used for medicinal purposes from the ancient times and valerian preparations including root and rhizome extracts are known to possess a variety of biological activities such as anticonvulsant, antidepressant, sleep aid, tranquilizer, and anti-HIV activities. Main components of the extracts were classified according to the structural features. Importantly, one of the main components, isovaleramide, has drawn our attention due to the concise structure, broad spectrum, and low toxicities. The general aspects including generation of this interesting molecule, a variety of activities, pharmacokinetic properties, derivatization, and fusion with other known drugs were described. Isovaleramide has been isolated from valerian probably as an isolation artifact after treatment of ammonia to prepare ammoniated tincture, and is known to exhibit anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, sedative, and sleep aid activities without distinct side effects such as excessive sedation and decreasing muscle tone. It was also found to be well absorbed into the circulation system without specific cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The derivatives of isovaleramide, valpromide, valrocemide and valnoctamide were also briefly discussed.