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. 2025 Jan 12;15(1):110.
doi: 10.3390/biom15010110.

Anxiolytic, Antidepressant, and Anticholinesterase Effects of Essential Oil from Myrcia sylvatica (G.Mey.) DC

Antônio Quaresma da Silva Júnior  1   2 , Mariana Maciel Garcia  2   3 , Wanderson da Silva Farias  2 , Deise Juliane Dos Anjos de Sousa  2 , Adenilson de Sousa Barroso  2 , Pablo Luis Baia Figueiredo  1   4 , Gabriela B Dos Santos  5 , Ricardo Bezerra de Oliveira  1   2   5 , Rosa Helena Veras Mourão  1   2   3   5
Affiliations

Anxiolytic, Antidepressant, and Anticholinesterase Effects of Essential Oil from Myrcia sylvatica (G.Mey.) DC

Antônio Quaresma da Silva Júnior et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

Aromatic plants are rich sources of essential oils (EOs), recognized for their therapeutic properties due to their diversity of phytochemicals. This study investigated the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil (MsEO) through inhalation in an animal model and its in vitro anticholinesterase (AChE) activity. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation, and its volatile constituents were analyzed by GC-MS. Swiss mice were exposed to doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% of the EO via an inhalation apparatus. The anxiolytic activity was assessed using the elevated plus maze and light-dark box tests, while antidepressant activity was evaluated using the tail suspension and forced swimming tests. To examine potential side effects, the animals were subjected to rotarod, Y-maze, and Morris water maze tests to assess motor coordination, memory, and learning. Anticholinesterase activity was determined by direct bioautography and colorimetry based on the Ellman method. The results demonstrated that inhalation of MsEO at doses of 0.1% and 1% significantly reduced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors without impairing memory, learning, or motor coordination in the animals. Moreover, MsEO inhibited acetylcholinesterase with an IC50 of 0.47 μg/mL. These findings suggest that MsEO has potential therapeutic applications for anxiety and depression disorders, with additional anticholinesterase activity warranting further investigation in cognitive-related conditions.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; anxiety; aromatherapy; central nervous system; depression.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Time (in seconds) spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze by animals exposed for 5 min to inhalation of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil at doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% (2 s) (n = 8). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s test. NC = negative control, PC = positive control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of entries into the open arms of the elevated plus maze by animals exposed for 5 min to inhalation of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil at doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% (n = 8). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation. ** p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s test. NC = negative control, PC = positive control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Time spent (seconds) in the light compartment of the light–dark box test by animals exposed to 5 min of inhalation of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil at doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% (n = 6). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s Test. NC = negative control, PC = positive control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Immobility time (seconds) in the tail suspension test of animals exposed to 5 min of inhalation of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil at doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% (n = 5). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation. * p < 0.05 ** p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s Test. NC = negative control, PC = positive control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Latency time to immobility during forced swimming of animals exposed to inhalation of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil at doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% (n = 6) for 5 min. The values represent the mean ± standard deviation. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s test. NC = negative control, PC = positive control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Percentage of alternation in the arms of the Y-maze in animals exposed to 5 min of inhalation of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil at doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% (n = 8). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation. p < 0.05; p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s Test. NC = negative control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Average time in seconds spent to locate the platform from the four reference points in the Morris water maze of animals exposed to 5 min of inhalation of the essential oil of Myrcia sylvatica at doses of 0.1%, 1%, and 2% (n = 8). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation. p < 0.05, p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s Test. NC = negative control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Mean time in seconds spent on the rotarod by animals exposed to 5 min of inhalation of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil at doses of 0.1, 1, and 2% (n = 8). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation. p < 0.05, p < 0.01, compared to the negative control group using ANOVA and Tukey’s test. NC = negative control. EMS: Myrcia sylvatica essential oil.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Direct bioautography on silica gel chromatoplates (CCD) of the anticholinesterase activity of the essential oil of Myrcia sylvatica and the standard physostigmine. (B) blank, (CN) negative control: methanol, (CP) positive control: physostigmine (100 μg/mL). MS = EO of M. sylvatica.
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