The experimental study of psychotropic and neurotropic properties of Acorus calamus leaves

Abstract

One of the most widespread plants in Ukraine is sweet flag (Acorus calamus). Acorus calamus leaves possess the pharmacological properties. In recent years there have been data on the neurotropic properties of Acrous calamus extracts.

Aim. To determine the effect of Acorus calamus leaves on the animal’s behavioral responses, anxiety, depression, as well as the muscle tone and the coordination of movements.
Materials and methods. The dealcoholized water-alcohol extract of Acorus calamus leaves (conditional name ECL) was obtained by M.S. Yaremenko, a postgraduate student at the Department of Botany of the NUPh under the supervision of prof. T.M. Gontova. The psychotropic and neurotropic properties of the original extract from Acorus calamus leaves in the doses of 1 and 5 ml/kg by the behavioral responses of mice in the open field test, manifestations of depression in the tail suspension test, the course of thiopental-induced anesthesia and physical endurance in the forced swim test were studied.
Results. It has been found that the extract from Acorus calamus leaves has a dose-dependent effect on the locomotor, orienting-exploratory activity, as well as the muscle tone and the movement coordination of the experimental animals. In the doses of 1 and 5 ml/kg the extract from Acorus calamus leaves demonstrated a moderate actoprotective activity. The extract from Acorus calamus leaves in the dose of 5 ml/kg showed a moderate analeptic effect. The reference drug Bilobil in a single dose of 100 mg/kg did not show a significant effect on the behavioral responses, manifestations of depression, the course of thiopental-induced anesthesia and physical endurance of mice.
Conclusions. The extract from Acorus calamus leaves shows a dose-dependent effect on the animal’s behavioral responses, anxiety, depression, as well as the muscle tone and the coordination of movements. The extract from Acorus calamus leaves demonstrates a moderate actoprotective activity and a moderate analeptic effect. The data obtained indicate the necessity for further in-depth studies of extracts from Acorus calamus leaves to create effective drugs based on them for the correction of the central nervous system disorders.