The sedative, anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects of the aqueous extract of aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica (Lamiaceae) (DM) were evaluated in behavioral models in mice. The general toxic effects of DM were evaluated as well as their chemical analysis was performed.
DM effects were evaluated on pentobarbital-induced sleeping time (SPT), the hole-board (HBT), and the avoidance exploratory behavior (AEBT) tests and on the forced swimming test (FST). General activity and motor coordination were evaluated in the open field (OFT) and Rota-rod tests, respectively. The acute toxicity of DM was determinate by its LD50 dose. The chemical analyses DM were performed by chromatographic and HPLC-ESI-MS techniques.
DM prolonged the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, induced sedation in the HBT, decreased spontaneous activity and produced motor coordination impairment in mice. However, DM did not show anxiolytic effects in the AEBT or HBT and it was not effective in FST. The DM-treatment produced mortalities with LD50 = 470 mg/kg body weight.
The HPLC-ESI-MS analysis of DM revealed that (acacetin, apigenin and luteolin)-7-O-尾-d-(6鈥?O-malonyl)-glucoside derivates are the main compounds of DM.
DM induced sedative actions and a general inhibition of CNS activity observed by the decrease of animals鈥?general activity, motor coordination and exploration.