Evaluation of Anti-anxiety activity of Achillea millefolium 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. Achillea millefolium commonly known as ‘yarrow”,bhutkesi, puthkanda, gandrain in India is a plant belonging to family Astaraceae. Traditionally it has been used to treat skin diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, insomnia, and inflammation. The aim of present study was to investigate the anxiolytic activity of ethanolic extracts of Achillea millefolium in mice. Ethanolic extracts were administered orally at a dose of 30 and 60mg/kg bw. The results were analyzed by One Way Analysis ofVariance (ANOVA).The results showed the extracts of leaves showed significant anxiety relatively ethanolic extract. The findings concluded that Achillea millefolium exhibit anxiety and further studies are suggested to isolate the active principles responsible for the activity.