The alcoholic extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o. and aqueous extract at a dose of 500 mg/kg, p.o. of stem of M. paradisiaca have significant effect on the liver of CCl4 and paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity animal models.

Nightmares also categorized as fighting dreams suddenly awake the sleeper from Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Nightmares can be caused by improper food intake, alcohol withdrawal, digestive or nervous disorders and drug induced (mainly due to the drugs which affect the neurotransmitters). Some of the drugs that can induce nightmares are Beta blockers, Statins, Anti depressants, Anti epileptics, Sedative hypnotics, General anesthetic agents, anti histamines, endocrinal agents etc., The exact mechanisms involved for these drug induced nightmares is not clear. The occurrence of these nightmares due to the intake of various drugs is rare and in all these cases drug withdrawal is beneficial.

Background: Sunset Yellow is a commonly used synthetic food additive in various food beverages. Over usage of this colorant induce the anxiogenic behaviour in mice through oxidative stress. Vernonia cinerea reverses anxiogenic behaviour by counteracting oxidative stress. Objective: The study was designed to screen the protective effect of Vernonia cinerea extract against sunset yellow induced anxiogenic behaviour in mice through counteracting oxidative damage. Methods: The anxiogenic effect was induced by the administration of sunset yellow (20 mg/kg, p.o) for 30 days. Ethanol extract of Vernonia cinerea (EEVC) aerial parts (400 mg/kg, p.o) administered, after 1 hour of sunset yellow treatment. Diazepam (1 mg/kg, p.o) was used as a reference drug for comparisons. Results: FT-IR studies of the extract were done by comparing with standards to determine the presence of phenols and flavonoids. Vernonia cinerea significantly improved the altered anxiogenic behaviour of sunset yellow treated animals. Significant increase in the brain antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and neurotransmitter Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level and decrease the lipid peroxidation and glutamate neurotransmitter was observed in Vernonia cinerea treated group and also this extract reversed the hippocampus CA3 region abnormalities such as perivascular oedema, haemorrhage and severe vocalisation in sunset yellow group. Conclusion: The Vernonia cinerea possesses significant antioxidant, antiradical and GABA enhancing effects against sunset yellow induced anxiogenic animals.