Antianxiety activity of methanol extract of Gelsemium sempervirens (Linn.)Ait

Background: Despite significant advances in understanding and management of neuropsychiatric disorders during past few decades, anxiety and depression, still remains the leading cause of deaths, primarily for want of effective and safe treatment of these ailments. Approximately, two third of the anxious or depressed patients respond to the currently available treatment but the magnitude of improvement is still disappointing Purpose of Study: The aim of the present study was to investigate the antianxiety activity of Gelsemium sempervirens (Linn.) Ait. Various doses (50,100, 150, 200mg/kg) of plant extracts viz., of petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water were administered orally to Swiss Albino Mice before evaluating their behavioural pattern. Diazepam (2.5 mg/kg) was used as standard drug. Result: The methanol extract of G. sempervirens (150 mg/kg) increased the mean time spent, mean number of arms entries in the open arms of elevated plus maze (EPM) and decreased the mean time spent in the closed arms. The locomotor activity of methanol extract was not affected to the same extent as observed for diazepam. Conclusion: The results suggested that methanol extract of G. sempervirens possess anxiolytic effects with no sedative activity when compared to diazepam.