Anxiolytic Effects of Royal Sun Medicinal Mushroom, Agaricus brasiliensis (Higher Basidiomycetes) on Ischemia-Induced Anxiety in Rats

Int J Med Mushrooms. 2015;17(1):1-10. doi: 10.1615/intjmedmushrooms.v17.i1.10.

Abstract

We investigated the anxiolytic effects Agaricus brasiliensis extract (AbSE) on ischemia-induced anxiety using the plus-maze test and the social interaction test. The animals were treated orally with AbSE (4, 8, and 10 mg/kg/d, respectively) for 30 d, followed by middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced cerebral ischemia. Levels of noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin in the cerebral cortex of rats, as well as oxidative stress and plasma corticosterone levels were analyzed, respectively. The rota-rod test was carried out to exclude any false positive results in experimental procedures related to anxiety disorders, and the catalepsy test was carried out to investigate whether AbSE induces catalepsy. Our results demonstrate that oral administration of AbSE presented anxiolytic-like effects in the elevated plus-maze test and the social interaction test. Furthermore, AbSE did not induce extrapyramidal symptoms in the catalepsy test. The mechanism underlying the anxiolytic effect of AbSE might be increased brain monoamine levels and plasma corticosterone levels and decreased oxidative stress in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion rats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agaricus / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Anxiety / drug therapy*
  • Anxiety / metabolism
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Humans
  • Ischemia / complications*
  • Male
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • Plant Extracts