TITLE:
Evaluation of the neuropharmacological properties of nerol in mice
AUTHORS:
Thiago Henrique Costa Marques, Maria Leonildes Boavista Gomes Castelo Branco Marques, Douglas dos Santos Lima, Hálmisson D’árley Santos Siqueira, José Damasceno Nogueira Neto, Maria do Socorro Boavista Gomes Castelo Branco, Alexandre Araújo de Souza, Damião Pergentino de Sousa, Rivelilson Mendes de Freitas
KEYWORDS:
Anxiety; Behaviors; Mice; Nerol; Essential Oils
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.3 No.1,
February
20,
2013
ABSTRACT: The search for therapeutic agents that will provide the ground for man and an improvement in their quality of life is ceaseless. The nerol (cis-2,6-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-8-ol) is a monoterpene which can be found in various medicinal plants as Lippia spp and Melissa officinalis L. The objective of this study was to analyze the acute effect of nerol in the central nervous system (CNS) by performing behavioral tests in mice (open field, elevated plus-maze, light/dark and rota rod tests). We used male albino mice (Mus musculus), Swiss variety, adult with 2 month-old. The animals were divided into five groups (n = 8) for each experimental protocol, and they were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.), respectively, Tween 80 0.05% dissolved in saline solution 0.9%, nerol (30, 60 or 90 mg/kg) or diazepam (2 mg/kg). In the open field test, all groups treated with nerol showed a significant decrease in motor activity (number of crossings, rearings and groomings) when compared with vehicle group. In the elevated plus-maze test, nerol groups significantly increased the number of entries and time of permanence in the open arms when compared with vehicle group. In the light-dark test, nerol groups showed a significant increase the time of permanence in the room clear when compared with vehicle group. In the rota rod test, the groups treated with nerol didn’t show modification in time spent and number of falls in the revolving bar when compared with vehicle group. These results indicate a possible anxiolytic effect of nerol in mice.