Abstract

Hassan Rammal*, Rachid Soulimani

In this study, our objective was first to evaluate the anxiolytic-like effect of the acute intraperitoneally administration of high doses (9 CH, 15 CH and 30 CH) of Gelsemium sempervirens L. in mouse model of anxiety, the light/dark choice test. Secondly, to evaluate the effect of the acute intraperitoneally administration of these same doses on the cellular and humoral immunity in mice with contrasting level of anxiety evaluated also in the light/dark choice test. Our results showed that all doses of G. sempervirens, more particularly the 30 CH, presented a significant anxiolytic-like effect comparable to that obtained by the well known anxiolytic diazepam. On the other hand, flumazenil (a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist) significantly blocked the effects induced by all doses of the homeopathic drug G. Sempervirens which also exerted an important effect on the cellular (granulocytes, monocytes, total lymphocytes, TCD4+ , TCD8+ and NK cells) and humoral (Ig A, E and G) immunity.