European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

INFLUENCE OF ?-SITOSTEROL ON NEUROBEHAVIORAL PARADIGM IN EXPERIMENTAL MICE

*Parveez Muzaffar, Anshul Namdev, Dr. Neelam Balekar

ABSTRACT

Beta-sitosterol belongs to the faction of phytosterols, which are dynamic trace components existing in natural plants, known as the “key of life”, and have a steroid nucleus structure similar to cholesterol. Due to the insolubility issue of beta-sitosterol, most pharmacological studies and clinical applications are restricted. Therefore, the modification of beta-sitosterol into its derivatives to improve its pharmacologic activity is possible. In this study, β-sitosterol was administered orally to mice in two doses, 5mg/kg and 10mg/kg. In both of the experimental models of anxiety elevated plus maze and mirror chamber test used to evaluate the anti-anxiety effect, the results imply that the drug possesses an anti-anxiety effect.

Keywords: Anxiety, Serotonin, Gama-amino butyric acid,?-sitosterol.