In vivo antidepressant-like effect of the ethanolic extract of Alternanthera bettzickiana whole plant in ICR albino mice

Date of Completion

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry

Keywords

Antidepressive Agents.

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the potential antidepressant-like effect of the ethanolic extract of Alternanthera bettzickiana whole plant. This is in response to the prevalence of major depressive disorder which affects 50% of the population and the adverse effects associated with taking antidepressants. The ethanolic extract of A. bettzickiana was administered to male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) albino mice in 700 mg/kg, 850 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg doses. The mice were subjected to antidepressant screening methods (i.e. forced swimming test and tail suspension test) wherein the duration of immobility was related to behavioral despair. There is a decrease in immobility duration as observed in the antidepressant- like effect of the standard antidepressant drug fluoxetine (% immobility: 48.540.21 in FST and 24.03±5.42 in TST) to which all the different doses of the extract were compared. Results revealed that all three doses decreased the immobility of mice in both tests as compared to the control (p<0.05). However, only the 1000 mg/kg dose (% immobility: 46.801.38 in FST and 18.060.56 in TST) showed a significant immobility decrease (p<0.01) which was similar to the results of the standard and 1000 mg/kg is the most effective dosage among the three prepared dosage. Thus, the antidepressant-like effect of the extract could be dose-dependent. However, further studies on the isolation and purification of the active compound/s in A. bettzickiana ethanolic extract are necessary in order to support the antidepressant-like effect observed in this study.

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