Source Paper
Elucidating the Mechanism of the Liqi Yangyin Formula in Treating Depression–Constipation Comorbidity: An Integrative Approach Using Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation
Xu L, Ong SS, Deng X, Qian Y, Tang Z et al.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel) • 2026
Open Field Test (OFT)
Objective: To evaluate anxiety- and locomotion-related behaviors in mice
This is a Open Field Test (OFT) protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 2 equipment items, 1 materials. Extracted from a 2026 paper published in Pharmaceuticals (Basel).
Model and subjects
mouse • C57BL/6 • male • 7-week-old • 8
Study window
~5 minutes hands-on
Core workflow
Acclimation period • Return to starting position • Recording session
Primary readouts
- time spent in the central zone
- total distance traveled
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Acclimation period
Place mice in the arena for initial acclimation
View evidence from paper
“Mice were placed in a 45 cm × 45 cm × 45 cm arena for a 5 min acclimation”
Return to starting position
Return mice to the starting position after acclimation
View evidence from paper
“and then returned to the starting position for a 5 min recording session”
Recording session
Record mouse behavior and movement for 5 minutes using automated tracking
View evidence from paper
“returned to the starting position for a 5 min recording session. Movements were tracked with an automated system”
Clean apparatus
Clean the arena with ethanol between trials
View evidence from paper
“The apparatus was cleaned with 75% ethanol between trials to eliminate olfactory cues”