Background and Aims: Anxiety disorders constitute a significant portion of the global mental health burden, affecting large segments of the population with considerable severity. Scutellaria pinnatifida, a medicinal plant belonging to the mint family, has been investigated for its potential anxiolytic effects. In this investigation, we assess the anxiolytic activity of methanolic extract derived from the roots of S. pinnatifida in mice, aiming to provide further insights into its neuropharmacological profile.
Materials & Methods: Forty-eight male mice, weighing 20–30 grams, were randomly distributed into six distinct groups, each consisting of eight animals. The groups consisted of: I) control group receiving normal saline; II) positive control given diazepam at 2 mg/kg; III, IV, and V) treatment groups administered S. pinnatifida methanolic extract at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively; and VI) a combination group receiving flumazenil at 2 mg/kg along with S. pinnatifida extract at 200 mg/kg. Following intraperitoneal administration of all treatments, behavioral responses indicative of anxiety were evaluated via the elevated plus-maze paradigm. Statistical computations were performed using InStat software. Results are presented as Mean ± SEM, with significance defined at P < 0.05.
Results: The results showed that administering diazepam and the highest dose of S. pinnatifida methanolic extract (200 mg/kg) notably raised the number of entries into the open arms and reduced the duration spent in the closed arms. Additionally, the addition of flumazenil to the 200 mg/kg dose of S. pinnatifida did not produce a significant alteration in the observed anxiolytic effects, indicating a comparable response between the two groups.
Conclusion: This study suggests that the methanolic extract of S. pinnatifida possesses anxiolytic and sedative properties, with the most pronounced anxiolytic effect observed at the highest dose.