an in-vivo study on anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and sedative-hypnotic effects of the ‎polyphenol-rich thymus kotschyanus extract; evidence for the involvement of gaba_a ‎receptors

Antidepressant-like activity of t. kotschyanus has been recently reported by scientists but insufficient attention has ‎so far been devoted to t. kotschyanus, and there is a lack of information on the other neurobehavioral effects and ‎side effects of this species. in the current study, the anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic, effects of ‎thymus kotschyanus extract on male nmri mice were evaluated using pentylenetetrazole, maximal electroshock, ‎elevated plus maze, and pentobarbital-induced sleeping tests. since phenolic compounds and flavonoids have main ‎roles in pharmacological effects of most plant extracts, the phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were ‎measured with folin-ciocalteu and alcl_3 reagents. acute toxicity, passive avoidance, and open field tests were ‎carried out to assess the toxicity of the extract. to find out the possible mechanism of action, flumazenil as the ‎specific gabaa receptor antagonist was used. anticonvulsant and hypnotic effects of the extract were observed at ‎‎400 and 600 mg/kg. the extract at the dose of 200 mg/kg revealed significant anxiolytic effects, but it did not show ‎any adverse effects on learning and memory at all the tested doses. results of this study indicate that thymus ‎kotschyanus extract has anticonvulsant‎, anxiolytic and hypnotic effects, which are likely related to the ability of ‎some phenolic compounds to activate α1-containing gabaa receptors but more experiments still need to be carried ‎out in order to find the exact mechanism, active component, and the toxicity of the thymus kotschyanus extract. ‎