Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the sedative and hypnotic effect of ethyl acetate extract from male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv and to determine its optimal effective dose using Kunming male mice as experimental animals. The effect of the extract on spontaneous activity in mice, possible synergetic effect with pentobarbital sodium and anticonvulsant effect of with different doses were analyzed. Results showed that the ethyl acetate extract was able to significantly induce sleep in mice, inhibit the spontaneous activity, enhance the percentage of sleeping mice with the treatment of subthreshold dose of pentobarbital sodium, prolong the sleeping time induced by superthreshold dose of pentobarbital sodium and the convulsion latency, shorten the sleep latency, and reduce the eclamptia ratio in mice. In summary, ethyl acetate extract from male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv possess obviously sedative and hypnotic effects in mice.

Key words: male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv, ethyl acetate extract, sedation, hypnosis