Effects of high doses of Gelsemium sempervirens L. on GABA receptor and on the cellular and humoral immunity in mice

Abstract

In this study, our objective was first to evaluate the anxiolytic-like effect of the acute intraperitoneally 
administration of high doses (9 CH, 15 CH and 30 CH) of Gelsemium sempervirens L. in mouse model 
of anxiety, the light/dark choice test. Secondly, to evaluate the effect of the acute intraperitoneally 
administration of these same doses on the cellular and humoral immunity in mice with contrasting 
level of anxiety evaluated also in the light/dark choice test. Our results showed that all doses of G. 
sempervirens, more particularly the 30 CH, presented a significant anxiolytic-like effect comparable to 
that obtained by the well known anxiolytic diazepam. On the other hand, flumazenil (a benzodiazepine 
receptor antagonist) significantly blocked the effects induced by all doses of the homeopathic drug G. 
Sempervirens which also exerted an important effect on the cellular (granulocytes, monocytes, total 
lymphocytes, TCD4+ , TCD8+ and NK cells) and humoral (Ig A, E and G) immunity.