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In the traditional Sardinian system of medicine, Rubia peregrina L. (Rubiaceae) is reported as an aphrodisiac herb. Since the aphrodisiacs may also have antioxidant and dopaminergic activities, the aim of this study was to study the effect of ethanolic extract of aerial parts of R. peregrina for the scavenging of free DPPH radicals and the inhibition of haloperidol-induced catalepsy in mice and reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia in rats. The extract exhibited significant antioxidant activity in a free radical DPPH assay with IC50 = 55.6 µg mL−1, which was very close to IC50 of ascorbic acid. The extract of R. peregrina (100 and 200 mg kg−1 intraperitoneally, i.p.) significantly inhibited haloperidol (1 mg kg−1 i.p.) – induced catalepsy in mice (p < 0.01). In rats, the extract (200 mg kg−1 i.p.) significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited the orofacial dyskinesia induced by intraperitoneal administration of reserpine (1 mg kg−1 on days 1, 3 and 5). This study demonstrates that R. peregrina has antioxidant activity and improves the dopaminergic function. Results therefore justify the development of further experiments to investigate the psychopharmacological profile of R. peregrina. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the traditional system of medicine in Sardinia, Rubia peregrina (RP) is reported as an aphrodisiac herb. Since aphrodisiacs may also have dopaminergic activity, and there can be a reciprocal relationship between dopaminergic and serotonergic functions in the central nervous system, the aim here was to study the effect of the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of R. peregrina on monoamine-mediated behaviour. The RP (100 and 200 mg kg−1 intraperitoneally) significantly inhibited haloperidol (1 mg kg−1 i.p.) induced catalepsy in mice (p < 0.01, dopamine-mediated response) lithium sulphate induced head twitches in rats (serotonin-mediated response) and was without effect on clonidine-induced hypothermia in rats (noradrenaline-mediated response). The study concludes that R. peregrina improves the dopaminergic function, diminishes the serotonin-mediated function and is devoid of any effect on the noradrenergic function. The study suggests that we should carry out further experiments to investigate the psychopharmacological profile of R. peregrina. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]