Characterization of 6-methoxyflavanone as a novel anxiolytic agent: A behavioral and pharmacokinetic approach.

Benzodiazepines are regularly prescribed for treatment of anxiety though there are side effects. Flavonoids have selective affinity for GABA receptors implicated in anxiolytic-like activity in rodents, but are devoid of the unwanted side effects of benzodiazepines. In this study, 6-methoxyflavanone (6-MeOF), a positive allosteric modulator of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) responses at human recombinant GABA receptors, was evaluated for its behavioral profile in the elevated plus-maze as well as the staircase- plus and open-field tests in mice.

Passiflora incarnata attenuation of neuropathic allodynia and vulvodynia apropos GABA-ergic and opioidergic antinociceptive and behavioural mechanisms.

Background: Passiflora incarnata is widely used as an anxiolytic and sedative due to its putative GABAergic properties. Passiflora incarnata L. methanolic extract (PI-ME) was evaluated in an animal model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathic allodynia and vulvodynia in rats along with antinociceptive, anxiolytic and sedative activities in mice in order to examine possible underlying mechanisms.