Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: The present study compared the putative anxiolytic effect of baicalin, one of the active principles isolated from Huangqin ( Scutellariae Radix ), a Chinese herbal drug, with diazepam in mice by using the elevated plus-maze test, the light/dark test, the hole-board test and the isolationinduced
aggression test. Both baicalin ( 80 mg/kg, i.p. ) and diazepam ( 2.5 mg/kg, i.p. ) reduced the total fighting time in the isolation-induced aggression test. Baicalin ( 40 and 80 mg/kg, i.p. ) and diazepam ( 2.5 mg/kg, i.p. ) increased the percentage of time and entries spent in open arms in the elevated plus maze and increased the time spent in the light area of the light/dark box. In the hole-board test, baicalin ( 40 or 80 mg/kg, i.p. ) and diazepam ( 2.5 mg/kg, i.p. ) significantly increased both head-dip counts and head-dip duration and reduced head-dip
latency. Thus, the present findings indicate that baicalin has an anxiolytic effect.

Key words: Anxiety, Baicalin, Elevated plus-maze test, Hole-board test, Light-dark test, Isolation-induced aggression test