Journal of
Medicinal Plants Research

  • Abbreviation: J. Med. Plants Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0875
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMPR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 3840

Full Length Research Paper

Possible nitric oxide modulation in protective effects of withaferin A against stress induced neurobehavioural changes

Zaved Ahmed Khan and Asit Ranjan Ghosh
Medical Biotechnology Division, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore-632014 TN, India.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 10 March 2010
  •  Published: 18 March 2010

Abstract

The involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in stress-induced neurobehavioral changes in rats was evaluated using the elevated plus maze and open field tests. Restraint stress (1 h) reduced both the number of entries and time spent in open arms, with both expressed vehicle- controls and these changes were reversed with diazepam (1 mg/kg) and withaferin A(10 - 50 mg/Kg, i.p), N-nitro-L -arginine methyl ester ( L-NAME) (50 mg/kg)pretreatment. In the open field test, the restraint stress-induced (a) increased entry latency and (b) decreased ambulation and rearing were reversed by diazepam and withaferin A (40 mg/Kg), N-nitro-L -arginine methyl ester (L -NAME) (50 mg/kg). Biochemical data showed that withaferin A had a direct effect on the total brain nitrate/nitrite content after acute restraint stress. The root extract of Withania somnifera (100 - 500 mg/kg, oral) also showed anxiolytic effects in dose dependent manner. We suggest that withaferin A in doses of 40 and 50 mg/kg causes a mild anxiolytic-like behavior and discuss the possibility that this reported effect could be caused by inhibition of nitric oxide synthase.

 

Key words: Anxiety, withaferin A, nNOS, Image-NAME.