Document Type: Research article
Authors
1
Student Research Committee, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid ‎Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2
Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,Iran.
3
Food Safty Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical ‎Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
6
Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Antidepressant-like activity of T. kotschyanus has been recently reported by scientists but insufficient attention has so far been devoted to T. kotschyanus, and there is a lack of information on the other neurobehavioral effects and side effects of this species. In the current study, the anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic, effects of Thymus kotschyanus extract on male NMRI mice were evaluated using pentylenetetrazole, maximal electroshock, elevated plus maze, and pentobarbital-induced sleeping tests. Since phenolic compounds and flavonoids have main roles in pharmacological effects of most plant extracts, the phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were measured with Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3 reagents. Acute toxicity, passive avoidance, and open field tests were carried out to assess the toxicity of the extract. To find out the possible mechanism of action, flumazenil as the specific GABAA receptor antagonist was used. Anticonvulsant and hypnotic effects of the extract were observed at 400 and 600 mg/kg. The extract at the dose of 200 mg/kg revealed significant anxiolytic effects, but it did not show any adverse effects on learning and memory at all the tested doses. Results of this study indicate that Thymus kotschyanus extract has anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and hypnotic effects, which are likely related to the ability of some phenolic compounds to activate α1-containing GABAA receptors but more experiments still need to be carried out in order to find the exact mechanism, active component, and the toxicity of the Thymus kotschyanus extract.
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