Homeopathic Doses of Gelsemium sempervirens Improve the Behavior of Mice in Response to Novel Environments
Joint Authors
Zanolin, Elisabetta
Bellavite, Paolo
Conforti, Anita
Magnani, Paolo
Source
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Issue
Vol. 2011, Issue 2011 (31 Dec. 2011), pp.1-10, 10 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2011-02-15
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
10
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
Gelsemium sempervirens is used in homeopathy for treating patients with anxiety related symptoms, however there have been few experimental studies evaluating its pharmacological activity.
We have investigated the effects of homeopathic doses of G.
sempervirens on mice, using validated behavioral models.
Centesimal (CH) dilutions/dynamizations of G.
sempervirens, the reference drug diazepam (1 mg/kg body weight) or a placebo (solvent vehicle) were intraperitoneally delivered to groups of mice of CD1 strain during 8 days, then the effects were assessed by the Light-Dark (LD) choice test and by the Open-Field (OF) exploration test, in a fully blind manner.
In the LD test, the mean time spent in the illuminated area by control and placebo-treated animals was 15.98%, for mice treated with diazepam it increased to 19.91% (P = .047), while with G.
sempervirens 5 CH it was 18.11% (P = .341, non-significant).
The number of transitions between the two compartments increased with diazepam from 6.19 to 9.64 (P < .001) but not with G.
Sempervirens.
In the OF test, G.
sempervirens 5 CH significantly increased the time spent and the distance traveled in the central zone (P = .009 and P = .003, resp.), while diazepam had no effect on these OF test parameters.
In a subsequent series of experiments, G.
sempervirens 7 and 30 CH also significantly improved the behavioral responses of mice in the OF test (P < .01 for all tested variables).
Neither dilutions of G.
sempervirens affected the total distance traveled, indicating that the behavioral effect was not due to unspecific changes in locomotor activity.
In conclusion, homeopathic doses of G.
sempervirens influence the emotional responses of mice to novel environments, suggesting an improvement in exploratory behavior and a diminution of thigmotaxis or neophobia.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Bellavite, Paolo& Magnani, Paolo& Zanolin, Elisabetta& Conforti, Anita. 2011. Homeopathic Doses of Gelsemium sempervirens Improve the Behavior of Mice in Response to Novel Environments. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine،Vol. 2011, no. 2011, pp.1-10.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-465994
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Bellavite, Paolo…[et al.]. Homeopathic Doses of Gelsemium sempervirens Improve the Behavior of Mice in Response to Novel Environments. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine No. 2011 (2011), pp.1-10.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-465994
American Medical Association (AMA)
Bellavite, Paolo& Magnani, Paolo& Zanolin, Elisabetta& Conforti, Anita. Homeopathic Doses of Gelsemium sempervirens Improve the Behavior of Mice in Response to Novel Environments. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011. Vol. 2011, no. 2011, pp.1-10.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-465994
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-465994