Eupatilin Attenuates Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety-like Behavior in Rats by Improving Ventral Hippocampus GABAa Transmission

Objective: To study the improving effect of Eupatilin (Eptl) on ethanol withdrawal (EtOHWI)-induced anxiety-like behavior in rats and probe the mechanisms related to ventral hippocampus (vHippo). Methods: Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, 8 rats per group: Saline-treated control group, EtOHWI model group, low-dose Eptl treatment group and high-dose Eptl treatment group. The EtOHWI was established by intraperitoneal injection of 3 g/kg of ethanol (20% volume/volume, dissolved in saline) once a day for 28 days followed by 3 days of withdrawal, during the withdrawal period, the low-and the high-dose Eptl treatment groups were respectively given 10 and 30 mg/kg Eptl through oral route once a day, while the saline control group was administered with an equal volume of saline. Thirty minutes after the third Eptl, all the rats were subjected to open filed (OF) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests to detect anxiety-like behaviors. The serum coritosterone (CORT) concentrat