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Planta Med 2011; 77(8): 795-803
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1250589
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Telemetry as a Tool to Measure Sedative Effects of a Valerian Root Extract and Its Single Constituents in Mice

Nicholas K. Chow1 , Michael Fretz2 , Matthias Hamburger2 , Veronika Butterweck1
  • 1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
  • 2Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Further Information

Publication History

received Sept. 8, 2010 revised Nov. 3, 2010

accepted Nov. 5, 2010

Publication Date:
10 December 2010 (online)

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Abstract

Valeriana officinalis L. is a popular herbal treatment for mild sleep disorders. Clinical and non-clinical studies found contradictory results for valerian extracts and single constituents regarding the influence on sleep parameters. It was the aim of this study to investigate the sedative effects of a valerian root extract. Therefore, locomotor activity and core body temperature were recorded in male mice using radiotelemetry. A 70 % ethanolic extract prepared from the roots of V. officinalis (s. l.) and some of its single constituents, valerenic acid, linarin, and apigenin, were tested for effects on locomotion and body temperature over 180 minutes after oral administration. The extract was tested in a dose range of 250–1000 mg/kg, and only a dose of 1000 mg/kg valerian extract showed a mild short-term sedative effect with reduced locomotor activity between 66–78 min minutes after administration. Paradoxically, an increased activity was observed after 150 minutes after gavage. A dose of 1 mg/kg valerenic acid produced an intermittent stimulation of activity. However, a mild short-term sedative effect was found for linarin at 12 mg/kg and apigenin at 1.5 mg/kg. Considering the cumulative locomotor activity over the observation period of 180 min, it is concluded that neither the extract nor one of the compounds had considerable sedative effects. More precisely, the observed short-term changes in activity pattern indicate that valerian extract as well as the flavonoids linarin and apigenin are rather effective to reduce sleep latency than to act as a sleep-maintaining agent.

Key words

Valeriana officinalis L. - Valerianaceae - linarin - valerenic acid - apigenin - telemetry

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Dr. Veronika Butterweck

Department of Pharmaceutics
College of Pharmacy
University of Florida

PO Box 100494

Gainesville FL 32610

USA

Phone: +13 5 22 73 78 59

Fax: +13 5 22 73 78 54

Email: butterwk@cop.ufl.edu

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