Evaluation of the antianxiety activity of green zinc nanoparticles mediated by <i>Boswellia thurifera</i> in albino mice by following the plus maze and light and dark exploration tests

Abstract Anxiety is a typical emotional response, however, it becomes pathological and triggers psychiatric and cardiovascular disorders when it reaches a severe level. Benzodiazepines are the most frequently prescribed allopathic drugs for treating anxiety disorders, despite their numerous systemic side effects. Boswellia thurifera extract was employed in creating green zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) to address anxiety in albino mice by following the light and dark exploration (LDE) as well as plus maze tests. The resulting ZnNPs were subjected to UV-Vis, EDX, XRD, and FE-SEM analyses. The synthesized nanoparticles in this study had sizes of 30–60 nm. A UV-Vis spectrophotometry analysis was conducted to quantify the absorbance of nanoparticles in the 200–800 nm range. The anxiolytic effects of ZnNPs were assessed using two established methods: LDE and elevated plus maze tests. The mice were divided into five groups, with each group containing ten mice for both models. The efficacy of ZnNPs was evaluated at three distinct doses: 50, 100, and 200 µg/kg. These doses were compared to the control group and diazepam (1 mg/kg). The evaluation took place 1 h after the drug was administered. The observed alterations in the behavior in both paradigms indicate a reduction in anxiety, a decrease in sensitivity to light, and an increase in exploratory behavior in the animal. These changes were similar to the effects produced by the standard drug diazepam, thus supporting the conclusion that ZnNPs possess anxiolytic properties. The best results were seen at a dose of 200 µg/kg nanoparticles. ZnNPs show promise for clinical use in treating anxiety disorders. It is imperative to perform additional studies on the action mechanisms of the ZnNPs, along with identifying the active substance(s) responsible for their medical effects.