A Comparison of the Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Effects of Origanum majorana Essential Oil and Alprazolam in Male Mice

Manouchehri, Negin and Abbasi-Maleki, Saeid and Mousavi, Zahra (2019) A Comparison of the Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Effects of Origanum majorana Essential Oil and Alprazolam in Male Mice. Herbal Medicines Journal, 4 (1). pp. 18-26. ISSN 2538-2144

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Abstract

Background and Aim: Previous studies have reported several pharmacological properties, including anticonvulsant, analgesic, sedative, and antidepressant-like effects, for Origanum majorana. Likewise, the aim of the present study was to compare the anxiolytic and hypnotic properties of Origanum majorana essential oil (OMEO) and alprazolam in male mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental research, 60 male NMRI mice were divided into 10 groups of six mice. In both of the experiments, negative control groups received vehicle (10 ml/kg), positive control groups received alprazolam (0.5 mg/kg), and treatment groups received OMEO (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg). For assessing the anxiolytic effects, the elevated plus maze (EPM) test was used to record the number of entries and the time spent in the open and closed arms. Moreover, the onset and duration of the sleep were recorded by the use of ketamine-induced sleeping time test in order to evaluate the hypnotic effects. Finally, one-way ANOVA, and subsequently post hoc Tukey's test were utilized to carry out the statistical analysis. Results: All doses of OMEO and alprazolam, compared to the control group, raised the number of entries and the time spent in the open arms and, conversely, decreased the number of entries and the time spent in the closed arms. Furthermore, similar to alprazolam, all doses of the essential oil reduced the onset of sleeping and raised the duration of sleep. Conclusion: The results indicated that the OMEO could have anxiolytic and hypnotic effects. However, further studies are required to determine their exact mechanism of action

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