Author(s)

Shahrzad Khakpour¹, Maryam Khosravi², Zahra Mashayekhipour², Mahsa Hadipour Jahromy^1*

¹Medical Sciences Research Center, Islamic Azad University Tehran Medical Branch, Tehran, Iran.
²Biology Department, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic Azad University North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

Relationship between sociability and the amount of brain’s dopamine is very well known. In this study, we have examined the effect of Citrus aurantium L. essential oil on anxiety and its interaction with dopaminergic pathways. 70 male mice were assigned into experimental, control, and sham groups. Essential oil of Citrus aurantium L. was injected intraperitonealy at doses of 0.5%, 2.5% and 5% for 5 days. Subcutaneous injection of haloperidol was administered on the fifth day, 30 minutes before the injection of the essential oil. The anxiety-related behavior of mice was then assessed by elevated plus-maze test. The result of this study showed that the injection of Citrus aurantium L. essential oil at doses of 2.5% and 5% increased significantly the time spent in the open arms (OAT) (p < 0.001), also there was a significant increase in the number of entries into the open arms (OAE). Injection of different doses of the essential oil along with haloperidol significantly increased OAT (p < 0.001(. The results demonstrate that the essential oil of Citrus aurantium L. along with haloperidol medication reduces anxiety-related behaviors.

Anxiety, Citrus aurantium L., Essential Oil, Haloperidol, Mice

Khakpour, S. , Khosravi, M. , Mashayekhipour, Z. and Jahromy, M. (2014) Effect of Citrus aurantium L. Essential Oil and Haloperidol on Anxiety in Male Mice. World Journal of Neuroscience, 4, 427-433. doi: 10.4236/wjns.2014.45047.