ANXIOLYTIC AND ANTIDEPRESSANT EFFECTS OF MATRICARIA
CHAMOMILLA HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACT IN A RAT MODEL
OF SCOPOLAMINE
RADU IONIȚĂ 1, PAULA ALEXANDRA POSTU 1, OANA CIOANCĂ 2*, CORNELIA MIRCEA 2, MONICA HĂNCIANU 2 , LUCIAN HRIȚCU 1
1Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Department of Biology, 11 Bd. Carol I, Iaşi, România
2„Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iaşi, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy,
Universității 16, Iaşi, România
*corresponding author: oana.cioanca@gmail.com
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Abstract:
In the present study, we investigated the effects of the Matricaria chamomilla (chamomile) hydroalcoholic extract on anxiety
and depression using a scopolamine rat model. Behavioural procedures for anxiety and depression were assessed in rats using
elevated plus maze and forced swimming tests. The chamomile extract (25 and 75 mg/kg b.w.) was given intraperitoneally
once daily for 21 days, and scopolamine (0.7 mg/kg b.w.) was injected 30 minutes before the behavioural tests to induce
anxiety and depression. The extract efficacy was matched by those elicited by diazepam (1.5 mg/kg b.w.) and tramadol (10
mg/kg b.w.) for anxiolytic and antidepressant studies. Our results demonstrated that the extract abolishes scopolamineinduced
increasing of anxiety and depressive-like responses and exhibited therapeutic benefits for the management of
psychological ailments.

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