Evaluation of antidepressant effects of the methanolic extract of Achyranthes aspera leaves in Swiss albino mice

Abstract

Achyranthes aspera Linn. (Amaranthaceae) has been used as a treatment for piles, renal dropsy, kidney stone, snake bite, gonorrhea, and dysentery in Asian people. The recent study was designed to assess the antidepressant effects of the methanolic extract of A. aspera (MEAA) in different behavioral animal models on mice for 14 d treatment. The antidepressant-like activity was evaluated at the doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg in the adult male mice by the forced swimming, tail suspension and open field tests. Deionized water was used as blank for control group. Imipramine hydrochloride (30 mg/kg) was employed as standard drug, respectively. Three test groups were received different doses of the MEAA for 14 d treatment. All substances were administered orally by the use of gavage. The major findings of the methanolic extract of A. aspera significantly reduced immobility times in both mice models for antidepressant-like activity such as FST and TST (*p