Effect of a herbal psychotropic preparation, BR-16A (Mentat), on performance of mice on elevated plus-maze.

Effect of BR-16A on various parameters of anxiety and transfer latency (TL) was studied in mice using elevated plus-maze. BR-16A (50-500 mg/kg) reduced the percentage of time spent in open arms and the percent preference of open arms for the first arm entry following acute as well as chronic drug administration. The total number of arm entries and the percentage of open arm entries remained unaffected. In combination with FG 7142 (10 mg/kg), BR-16A (100-500 mg/kg) further reduced the exploration of open arms. BR-16A reversed scopolamine (0.3 mg/kg)-induced delay in TL on 1st day. The reversal effect of BR-16A was enhanced by aniracetam (50 mg/kg). The data suggest anxiogenic and nootropic actions of BR-16A.