EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF PURIFIED CURCUMA LONGA ON ANXIETY LEVELS IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

Objectives: This study was performed to see the effects of aqueous extract of purified Curcuma longa (CL) on anxiety levels of Swiss albino mice using open-field test. Methods: CL at 50 mg/kg body weight (b.w) (CL50), CL at 100 mg/kg b.w. (CL100), and CL at 200 mg/kg b.w. (CL200) with negative and positive controls were used. The experimental results were represented as mean±standard deviation, p<0.05 was considered. Statistical differences between the test drug and control groups as well as within the test drug groups were calculated using Mann–Whitney U-test. Results: The number of squares crossed in 5 min was least in distilled water (DW) as compared to all other groups (CL50, CL100, and CL200 [p=0.002], diazepam [p=0.002]).Time spent in the central square was lesser in the DW group than CL50 (p=0.045), CL200 (p=0.005), and DP (p=0.004). More time was spent by DP in the central square than CL50 (p=0.045) and CL100 (p=0.037) groups. The number of rearing was lesser in DW group as compared to CL50 (p=0.030), CL100 (p=0.006), and CL 200 (p=0.006) as well as DP. The number of rearing was less in CL50 than CL200 (p=0.045) group. Conclusion: This study showed that CL possesses anxiolytic effect