Abstract:
The increased emotional stress and anxiety in the modern human life are common causes of mental health problems which substantially grown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Timely intake of phytosedatives could mitigate the impact of stressful situations and reduce the risk of psychosomatic diseases. Essential oil-bearing plants belonging to the Lamiaceae Martinov family are valuable sources of bioactive compounds possessing sedative effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the sedative effects of the infusions obtained from five unofficial Lamiaceae Martinov species. Infusions were daily administered to rats intragastrically in a prophylactic mode. The observations of behavioral reactions were carried out on the 1st, 4th and 7th days of the experiment using "open field" test. The sedative effect of infusions after their single administration to animals on the 1st day of the experiment was not observed. Starting with 4 days of the experiment, a noticeable sedative effect was established for the infusions from Dracocephalum moldavica and Ocimum americanum herbs. The noticeable sedative effects of the Dracocephalum moldavica and Ocimum americanum infusions are regarded as a result of
synergistic properties of a lot of their biologically active compounds. Further research would help to reveal the mechanism of their sedative effect.
