Anxiolytic properties of botanical extracts in the chick social separation-stress procedure

Rationale: The recent growth in sales of natural products labeled as dietar y supplements in the United States has renewed scientific interest in the s tudy of the therapeutic effects of multi-component botanical products. Obje ctives: This study sought to determine whether botanical extracts derived f rom the Rutaceae family, Acori graminei, the Magnoliaceae family, Alchemill a vulgaris and Primula veris, which had previously been identified in bioas says as having potential anxiolytic activity, were active in the chick soci al separation-stress procedure. Methods: Eight-day-old chicks received IP i njections of test articles 30 min before being tested in the presence of tw o social companions or in isolation for a 3-min observation period. Depende nt measures were: a) latency to adopt a ventral recumbent posture to index sedation, b) number of vocalizations to index separation-distress and c) a composite pain score (comprised of footlift frequency and footlift duration in response to 50 mul of 0.10% formalin injected into the plantar surface of the foot) to index stress-induced analgesia. Results: Proprietal extract s NPS00033 from the Rutaceae plant family and NPS00039 (Relora(TM)) from th e Magnoliaceae plant family screened positive in this chick model without c ausing sedation. Conclusions: These results suggest that botanical extracts Relora(TM) and NPS00033 may be useful in modulating anxiety states.