Effects of α-and ß-thujone on anxiety behavior in neonatal chicks: involvement of GABAA receptors

RIVERA M; CID M.P; SALVATIERRA N.A.

Congreso; IIIRCN, Third joint meeting of the argentine society for neurosciences (SAN) and the argentine workshop in neurosciences (TAN).; 2011

Essential oils are mixtures of several volatile and aromatic substances predominantly composed of terpenes. They have various pharmacological properties, anesthetics, analgesics, gastric sedative agent that may have profound consequences on animal behavior. á-thujone and â-thujone are bicyclic monoterpenes with neuroactive properties due to an effect on neuronal intracellular signaling or by modulating ionic currents of ionotropic receptors. GABAAR can be modulated by various natural compounds such as flavonoids, glycosides, terpenes, among others. Alterations in the activity and density of GABAAR are involved in anxiety, fear, depression and chronic substance abuse. The aim of this paper is to study the effects of in vivo administration of á-thujone and â-thujone on anxiety behaviour and the recruitment of GABAAR, in neonatal chicks. Terpenes icv administered (78 µmol per chick, ~0.24 mg/kg) induced an anxiogenic effect, observed as latency increased to ambulate and locomotor activity decreased in an Open Field of both experimental groups compare to control (saline). In addition, á-thujone only modulated synaptic inhibition through the decrease of flunitrazepam-sensitive-GABAAR recruitment during Open Field, avoiding the increment induced by acute stress.