Evaluation of anti-anxiety activity of Lawsonia inermis Linn.

Abstract

Anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders, characterized by changes in mood, behavior, somatic function, and cognition. Benzodiazepines and SSRIs are most commonly employed drugs for the treatment of anxiety. Synthetic drugs available for treatment of anxiety have various adverse effects. Drugs obtained from natural sources are known to cause fewer side effects compared to synthetic drugs despite of same ability to cure disease. Lawsonia inermis commonly known as henna is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to family Lythraceae. Traditionally it has been used to treat skin diseases, dysentery, bronchitis, anemia and inflammation. The aim of present study was to investigate the anxiolytic activity of methanolic extracts of Lawsonia inermis leaves in mice. Methanolic extracts were administered orally at a dose of 200 and 400mg/kg bw. The results were analyzed by One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).The results showed the extracts of leaves showed significant anxiety relatively methanolic extract. The findings concluded that Lawsonia inermis leaves exhibit anxiety and further studies are suggested to isolate the active principles responsible for the activity.