Phytochemical profile of Taxus globosa Schltdl. and its anxiolytic, antinociceptive, and toxicological evaluation in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Taxus globosa Schltdl. (Taxaceae) is commonly named "Tejo mexicano". It's a Mexican plant known in folk medicine as a remedy for pain such as stomachache and headache, arthritis, gout, and other inflammatory conditions. It belongs to the Taxus genus and contains one of the most successful natural anticancer drugs, paclitaxel, among other bioactive compounds.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To provide preclinical evidence of its phytochemical, toxicological, and pharmacological properties at central and peripheral levels for analgesia, as well as anxiolytic, due to its central nervous system (CNS) depressant properties.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Initially, the median lethal dose (LD50) of a polar extract of T. globosa was calculated to determine the doses for evaluating anxiolytic and antinociceptive activities, where the possible participation of endogenous opioids and serotonin 5-HT1A inhibitory receptors was explored, including electrocorticographic analysis. Phytochemical screening was also included using different chromatographic techniques to compare samples from wild and cultivated sources.

RESULTS

The acute toxicity was estimated to be greater than 316.23 mg/kg, i.p. in mice. The T. globosa extract produced a significant anxiolytic effect at 30 mg/kg, i.p., and an antinociceptive effect at a dosage of 56.2 mg/kg, i.p., mainly as anti-inflammatory, where both endogenous opioids and 5-HT1A serotonin receptors participated due to the presence of several known bioactive metabolites. No evidence of gastric, hepatic, renal, or cerebral damage was observed at therapeutic doses.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide preclinical evidence for the pharmacological medicinal properties of T. globosa in producing CNS depressant activity, useful as a remedy for anxiety and pain therapy in folk medicine.