DOI: 10.36347/sajp.2020.v09i09.003

Pages: 263-271

Background and Aim: Valeriana is a well-known Indian traditional medicinal herb with sleep remedy. Valeriana wallichii (Tagara) is perennial herb of Valerianaceae family growing on higher altitude. Experimental studies proved its activity on anxiety, stress, sleep, depression, performance, alertness, GABA receptor, Hence an effort was made to study the ethnopharmacological uses of V. wallichii. Sedative drugs mostly cause dose-dependent depression of the central nervous system which results in hypnosis and anaesthesia possibly; however, these agents are associated with some side effects ranging respiratory, digestive, immune system dysfunctions, tolerance, cognitive function deterioration, and physical dependence; hence, investigations of newer and safer agents are, therefore, imperative. The current study was aimed at investigating the sedative and hypnotic activity of the ethanol root extract of Valeriana wallichii in mice. Methods: The roots of Valeriana wallichii were extracted with ethanol following soxhlation process and tested for the presence of phytochemical constituents. The sedative and hypnotic activity were then investigated using Hole cross, Open field, Hole board and Rota rod tests in mice at the doses of 50, 100, and 200mg/kg of EEVW (ethanolic extract of roots of Valeriana wallichii). Diazepam at the dose of 1mg/kg was used as a reference drug in all the experiments. Results: We found that EEVW produced a significant dose dependent inhibition of locomotor activity of mice both in Hole cross and Open field tests (𝑃 < 0.05). Besides, it also decreased Rota rod performances and the number of head dips in hole-board test. Conclusion: Our study suggests that EEVW may possess sedative principles with potent hypnotic properties. Further investigation is required in the area of pharmacokinetics and toxicology to contribute additional information on the therapeutic use and quality control of the plants.