Evaluation of Sedative and Pre-Anesthetic Effects of Viola odorata Linn. Extract Compared With Diazepam in Rats

Diazepam is a long-acting "classical" benzodiazepine. Diazepam has anticonvulsant properties. Diazepam inhibits acetylcholine release in mouse hippocampal synaptosomes. Viola odorata contains alkaloid, glycoside, saponins, methyl slicylate, mucilage and vitamin C. the objective of present study was to evaluate of sedative and pre-anesthetic effects of Viola odorata linn. extract compared with diazepam in rats. In the present study, 30 wistar male rats weighting 300±10 g and about 3 month-old were used for laboratory experiments. In order to evaluate the sedation and pre-anesthetic effects of herbal extract compared with diazepam, 100 mg/kg of extract in first group, 200 mg/kg in second group, 400 mg/kg in third group, diazepam 1.2 mg/kg in group fourth, placebo 1.2 mg/kg (dimethyl sulfoxide) was injected intra peritoneal in fifth group, and sixth group did not receive any drug. Induction time and sleeping time were measured immediately following administration of ketamine. The results demonstrate that the injection of different dosages of the extract causes to increase sleeping time (p<0.01). Also, we showed that the extract has better sedation and pre anesthetic effects compared with diazepam. But dosages of 100 and 200 mg/kg BW of the extract didn’t show a significant difference with diazepam. Dosages of 100 and 200 mg/kg BW of the extract have weaker and identical functions, respectively, compared with diazepam. The significant of differences compared with extract dosage of 400 mg/kg BW suggests that the increase of extract dose leads to increase the sedation effect. In conclusion, we can declare that Viola odorata extract has better sedation and pre-anesthetic effects than diazepam but dose-dependently. Authors suggest that still need more studies on this plant component in order to understand the more sedative and anxiolytic effects of this plant.