Recent studies have shown that some monoterpenes exert anxiolytic- and depressant-like actions, however, these effects from monoterpene 1,4-cineole are still unknown. This work aimed to study the effects of 1,4-cineole in classic animal models for depression- and anxiety-like behavior, specifically the elevated plus maze (EPM), hole board, open field, pentobarbital sleeping time, forced swimming, tail suspension and rota rod tests. 1,4-Cineole was administered orally to mice (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg), while diazepam (1 or 2 mg/kg) and imipramine (10 or 30 mg/kg) were used as standard drugs. 1,4-Cineole (400 mg/kg) modified all parameters observed in the EPM, while no significant variation was observed on general motor activity in the open-field test. In the hole-board assay, 1,4-cineole induced increase on the number of head dips. Forced swimming and tail suspension tests showed that cineole (200 and/or 400 mg/kg) was able to promote significant increase on the immobility time, while a decreased sleep latency was observed (200 and 400 mg/kg ) on the pentobarbital sleeping time. Cineole had no effect on the motor coordination of animals in the rota rod test. The results suggest that 1,4-cineole presents potential anxiolytic-like action consistent with possible general depression of the CNS.
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