Open AccessAnxiolytic-Like Effects of Bergamot Essential Oil Are Insensitive to Flumazenil in Rats
Author(s) -
Laura Rombolà,
Damiana Scuteri,
Annagrazia Adornetto,
Marilisa Straface,
Tsukasa Sakurada,
Shinobu Sakurada,
Hirokazu Mizoguchi,
Maria Tiziana Corasaniti,
Giacinto Bagetta,
Paolo Tonin,
Luigi Antonio Morrone
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.552
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1741-4288
pISSN - 1741-427X
DOI - 10.1155/2019/2156873
Subject(s) - flumazenil , aromatherapy , anxiolytic , anxiety , benzodiazepine , pharmacology , gabaergic , clobazam , diazepam , medicine , psychology , receptor , psychiatry , epilepsy , alternative medicine , pathology
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental disorders, and benzodiazepines (BDZs), acting on gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA-A) receptor complex, represent the most common antianxiety medications in the world. However, chronic BDZ use elicits several adverse reactions. Reportedly, aromatherapy is safer for the management of anxiety. Bergamot essential oil (BEO) extracted from Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau fruit, like other essential oils, is widely used in aromatherapy to relieve symptoms of stress-induced anxiety. Interestingly, preclinical data indicate that BEO induces anxiolytic-like/relaxant effects in animal behavioural tasks not superimposable to those of benzodiazepine diazepam. To better elucidate the involvement of GABAergic transmission, the present study examines the effects of pretreatment with flumazenil (FLZ), a benzodiazepine site antagonist, on BEO effects using open-field task (OFT) in rats. The data yielded show that FLZ does not significantly affect behavioural effects of the phytocomplex. These results demonstrate the lack of overlapping between BEO and BDZ behavioural effects, contributing to the characterization of the neurobiological profile of the essential oil for its rational use in aromatherapy.