EVALUATION OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF ALOYSIA GRATISSIMA VAR. GRATISSIMA LEAVES ON BEHAVIOR AND ANXIETY IN MICE

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent and high-cost diseases. Medicinal plants are a very good option to treat, and several have shown the ability to reduce anxiety. We report here the effect of A. gratissima var. gratissima (Agg) on behavior and anxiety in mice. The methanol extract of leaves was tested in order to verify the safety, effect on sleeping time and behavior. Anxiety was tested through the Open field, Hole board, and elevated plus maze tests, with 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of Agg, and diazepam as positive control drugs. The results showed that A. gratissima var. gratissima did not cause signs of toxicity or sedative effect, and the general behavior of mice was not altered with any dose. All doses of Agg and diazepam, after the mice were submitted to the Open field and Hole board, evidenced a significant increase in ambulation, and a significant decrease in immobility time, related to the control group. On Hole board, a significant increase in number and time spent in exploration indicated a possible anxiolytic-like effect, that was confirmed by the results obtained in the elevated plus-maze, where mice increased the number of entries and time spent in open arms, and decreased the number of entries and time spent in closed arms of the labyrinth. Al the results evidenced the safety of Agg, and denoted an anxiolytic-like effect in mice.