The anxiolytic effects of a Valerian extract is based on Valerenic acid

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Axel Brattström¹  Beat Meier²  Helmut Schröder³  Falko Felgentreff³  Axel Becker³ 

[1] Alexander Puschkin Str. 50, 39108 Magdeburg, Germany;Inst. Biotechnology, Zürich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland;Inst. Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany

关键词: Binding;    Anxiety;    Elevated plus maze;    Valerenic acid;    Valerian extract;   

Others  :  1087189
DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6882-14-267

 received in 2014-05-19, accepted in 2014-07-22,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Valerian is commonly used for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety. Valerian extracts allosterically modulate GABA-A receptors and induced an anxiolytic activity. This activity is closely related to valerenic acid. In the present experiments it was investigated whether acetoxy valerenic acid may interfere with the anxiolytic action of valerenic acid.

Methods

Situational anxiety was measured using male CD-1 mice in the elevated plus maze test after oral administration of the test substances. In addition the body core temperature was measured. For the ³H-GABA binding assay dissected tissue from frontal cortex of male RjHan:WI rats were used. Statistical evaluation was performed by means of the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallies H-test, followed by the two-tailed Mann–Whitney U-test.

Results

Adding of acetoxy valerenic acid abolished the anxiolytic action of valerenic acid. There was no effect on body core temperature. Moreover, the valerian extract did not show any affinity to benzodiazepine binding sites.

Conclusion

The determining compound for the observed anxiolytic effect of the valerian extract is its content of valerenic acid.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Becker et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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