Antidepressant activity of Litsea glaucescens essential oil: Identification of b-pinene and linalool as active principles S.L. Guzma ´ n-Gutie ´ rrez a , R. Go ´ mez-Cansino a , J.C. Garcı ´a-Zebadu ´a a , N.C. Jime ´ nez-Pe ´ rez b , R. Reyes-Chilpa a,n a Universidad Nacional Auto ´noma de Me´xico, Instituto de Quı ´mica, Departamento de Productos Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Coyoaca ´n Me´xico D.F., Mexico b Universidad Jua ´rez Auto ´noma de Tabasco, Divisio ´n de Ciencias Biolo ´gicas, Carretera Villahermosa-Ca ´rdenas Km 0.5, Villahermosa, Tabasco 86039, Mexico article info Article history: Received 18 February 2012 Received in revised form 22 June 2012 Accepted 22 July 2012 Available online 31 July 2012 Keywords: Litsea glaucescens Essential Oil Depression Sedative b-pinene Linalool abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance: Litsea glaucescens (Lauraceae) has been used in Mexican Traditional Medicine to relieve illness related to central nervous system, such as epilepsy, fright and sadness. In this study, L. glaucescens essential oil properties on central nervous system were evaluated in mice using different behavioral tests. Materials and methods: The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. Identification of major compounds was also carried out by comparison with authentic samples. The psychopharmacological profile of L. glaucescens essential oil, and some its major compounds, were evaluated in mice using several experimental models: forced swimming test (FST: Antidepressant-like activity), open field test (OFT: Spontaneous locomotor activity), elevated plus-maze (EPM: Anxiolytic- like activity), exploratory cylinder (ECT: Sedative-like activity), rotarod (motor coordination) and traction performance (myo-relaxant effect) the essential oil and active principles was administered intraperitoneally. Results: The essential oil showed antidepressant-like activity at doses of 100 and 300 mg/Kg. The monoterpenes b-pinene and linalool were identified as the two main active principles of the essential oil, and showed antidepressant-like and sedative-like activity. Eucalyptol, limonene and a-pinene they did not show antidepressant-like activity, and were not further tested. Conclusions: L. glaucescens essential oil showed antidepressant activity, b-pinene and linalool were identified as its active principles. These results support the use of L. glaucescens in Mexican Traditional Medicine for the treatment of sadness. & 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Increasing urban population and metropolitan lifestyle has led to health problems like depression and anxiety; insomnia can be associated with these sufferings worsening health status. The WHO estimates that depression will be the second disabling disease in the world in 2020. Application of different medicinal plant species for treatment of depression has shown to be effective (Sarris et al., 2011). Several essential oils obtained from aromatic species of plants are also used in aromatherapy to relive depression, for example: Lavandula spp (lavender), Jasminum officinale (jasmine), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Rosa spp (rose) and Matricaria chamomile among others (Steflitsch and Steflitsch, 2008). The monoterpenes are the major constituents of essential oils, and some of them have shown central nervous system activity, for instance linalool is sedative in humans (Sugawara et al., 1998) and a-terpineol is analgesic in mice (Quintans-Ju ´ nior et al., 2011). The leaves of Litsea glaucescens (Lauraceae), a native shrub species of Me ´ xico and Central America, known as ‘‘laurel’’, are commonly used in this area for seasoning food, replacing the leaves of the European species Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae), but they are also used in Traditional Medicine (Jime ´ nez-Pe ´ rez et al., 2011). Due to its extensive use, L. glaucescens constitute one of the main non timber forest products in Me ´xico (Tapia-Tapia and Reyes- Chilpa, 2008). Regarding to its medicinal applications, the infu- sion of the leaves of L. glaucescens are used to treat diarrhea, vomit, pain in the bones, postpartum baths, colic of children, and illness related to central nervous system (Jime ´ nez-Pe ´ rez et al., 2011). For instance, the people of the Mazahua ethnia from Atlacomulco, Me ´ xico, prepare a decoction to treat sadness, ner- vousness, anger, and fright (‘‘susto’’); for these purposes they boil the leaves of L. glaucescens along with others medicinal plants, such as Melissa officinalis (lemon balm), Mentha spp (mint), Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jep Journal of Ethnopharmacology 0378-8741/$ - see front matter & 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.07.026 n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ52 555 622 4430; fax: þ52 555 616 2203. E-mail address: chilpa@servidor.unam.mx (R. Reyes-Chilpa). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 143 (2012) 673–679