Nunavik Rhodiola rosea Attenuates Expression of Fear-Potentiated Startle

Abstract

!Rhodiola rosea is a plant with adaptogenic qualities used by Inuit populations of Nunavik, Quebec (Canada) for general mental and physical rejuvenation. Previous studies have demonstrated that the Canadian populations of R. rosea significantly attenuate the expression of learned fear and anxiety-like behaviors in rodent models. In order to further characterize the anxiolytic activity of Nunavik R. rosea, experiments were conducted to assess the effects of oral administration of the plant extract on both the fearpotentiated startle response and corticosterone levels. Findings suggest that oral administration of R. rosea ethanolic extract (75 mg/kg) significantly attenuated fear-potentiated startle, but did not produce any effects on stress-induced secretion of corticosterone.

Cannabidiol and the Remainder of the Plant Extract Modulate the Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Fear Memory Reconsolidation

“…This procedure may offer new avenues for treatment of fear-based disorders that are resistant to extinction. Although several medicinal plants and isolated compounds have been reported to affect fear expression and reconsolidation in rodents (Nader et al, 2000; Lin et al, 2006; Da Silva et al, 2008; Bustos et al, 2009; Stern et al, 2012; Murkar et al, 2016; de Carvalho and Takahashi, 2017), reconsolidation paradigms have had mixed success when translated in human studies (Brunet et al, 2008; Pitman et al, 2011; Spring et al, 2015). Thus, new targets are needed for future translational studies with humans and Cannabis spp .…”

Extract and Active Principal of the Neotropical Vine Souroubea sympetala Gilg. Block Fear Memory Reconsolidation

“…(syn. Rhodiola rosea Murkar et al, 2016), may be useful for the development of novel therapeutic interventions for human disorders based in fear memory. As part of our collaborative research to find new anxiolytics, we targeted the poorly studied family of neotropical vines, the Marcgraviaceae, in Central America.…”

“…Since some phytochemicals have been shown to affect reconsolidation and expression of learned fear (Stern et al, 2012;Murkar et al, 2016), phytotherapy may offer a novel approach to reconsolidation blockade as a treatment paradigm for fear-based disorders. Phytochemicals that affect consolidation and/or extinction of fear memory, as well as compounds acting through GABA that attenuate fear expression, may have memory-altering properties that generalize to other processes such as reconsolidation (although reconsolidation and extinction are thought to be distinct processes at the cellular and molecular level; Suzuki et al, 2004).…”