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EVALUATION OF ANTIDEPRESSANT-LIKE
EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF SEA BUCKTHORN (HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES
L. SSP. TURKESTANICA) FRUITS IN EXPERIMENTAL MODELS OF DEPRESSION
FARHAT BATOOL1*, AISHA KAMAL1, MADIHA SATTAR1,
ASAD HUSSAIN SHAH2, SYED DILNAWAZ AHMED2, ZAFAR
SAIED SAIFY3 AND DARAKHSHAN JABEEN HALEEM1
Abstract:
Herbs have been used as food and for
medicinal purposes for centuries. Research interest has focused on
various herbs that possess antidepressant properties and may be useful
adjuncts in helping the management of depression in humans. The present
study was therefore designed to investigate the antidepressant-like
effects of aqueous fruit extract of Sea buckthorn (Hippophae
rhamnoides L. ssp. turkestanica) in animal models of
depression. In first phase of study test rats were treated with long
term oral administration of Sea buckthorn (40 mg/kg P.O.) and controls
received an equal volume of fresh water for two weeks. In the second and
last phase of study, two groups of animals were exposed to repeated
restraint stress (one group from water treated and other group from
SBT-FE treated) for next one week All groups of animals were separately
submitted to forced swim test (FST), open field test (OFT) and elevated
plus maze (EPM) tests for the
bio-screening of fruit extract with antidepressant profile. Results
revealed that the immobility time in the FST was significantly (p<0.05)
reduced and prolong struggling (numbers of jumps) was observed
particularly in rats orally administered with SBT-FE (40 mg/kg P.O.)
following one week stress when compared with their respective controls.
Open field ambulation was also significantly (p<0.05) increased in a
similar manner. Number of entries in open arms (OA) and % time spent in
OA were also significantly increased (p<0.01) and were more pronounced
in SBT-FE treated rats following exposures to repeated restraint stress
when compared with their controls. Thus, it is suggested that aqueous
fruit extract of Sea buckthorn exhibited significant antidepressant-like
effects in animal models of depression and may be served as a potential
resource for natural psychotherapeutic agent, against depression.
**1Neurochemistry
and Biochemical Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory,
Department of Biochemistry, University
of Karachi, Karachi-75270. Pakistan
2Department
of Plant Breeding and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,
Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir Pakistan
3International
Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research
Institute of Chemistry.
University of Karachi. Pakistan.
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