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Sedative and hypothermic effects induced by β‐asarone, a main component of Acorus calamus
Author(s) -
Zanoli P.,
Avallone R.,
Baraldi M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1573(1998)12:1+<s114::aid-ptr268>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - acorus calamus , calamus , traditional medicine , pharmacognosy , sedative , eucalyptol , medicine , pharmacology , biology , biological activity , essential oil , botany , rhizome , biochemistry , in vitro
In the present study we investigate the behavioural effects of β‐asarone, the main compound of the essential oil obtained from Acorus calamus. β‐asarone, when administered intraperitoneally in rats, exerts sedative and hypothermic but not analgesic effects. β‐asarone, however, when administered in association with the cannabinomimetic drug WIN 55,212‐2, was shown to potentiate some of the typical behavioural activities induced in animals by cannabinoids. Binding assays, performed on cortical synaptic membrane preparations using a specific cannabinoid radioligand ([ 3 H]CP‐55,940), excluded the ability of β‐asarone to exert a direct agonistic activity on CB1 receptors. Hence, β‐asarone cannot be considered a pure cannabinomimetic agent but it can be envisaged at least as an allosteric modulatory agent. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.