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Evaluation of volatile components from spikenard: valerena-4,7(11)-diene is a highly active sedative compound

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Abstract

Valerena-4,7(11)-diene and β-maaliene were isolated from spikenard for the first time, and the effects of inhaling these compounds were investigated. Both compounds reduced the locomotor activity of mice dose-dependently, even at a low dose. Valerena-4,7(11)-diene had a particularly profound effect, with the strongest sedative activity observed at a dose of 0.06%. Caffeine-treated mice that showed an area under the curve (AUC) for locomotor activity that was double that of controls were calmed to normal levels by administration of valerena-4,7(11)-diene. The continuous sleep time of pentobarbital-treated mice was prolonged by about 2.7 times with valerena-4,7(11)-diene, an effect similar to that of chlorpromazine administered orally.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported in part by the Takeda Science Foundation (For M. Ito, 2007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kitasato University, 5-9-1 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8641, Japan

    Hiroaki Takemoto

  2. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 11 Takenouchi-cho Ichijoji, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8134, Japan

    Toru Yagura

  3. Department of Pharmacognosy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-Shimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Michiho Ito

Authors
  1. Hiroaki Takemoto
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  2. Toru Yagura
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  3. Michiho Ito
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Correspondence to Michiho Ito.

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Takemoto, H., Yagura, T. & Ito, M. Evaluation of volatile components from spikenard: valerena-4,7(11)-diene is a highly active sedative compound. J Nat Med 63, 380–385 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-009-0340-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-009-0340-x

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