Pharmacological activities of Hypericum scabrum L.

OBJECTIVES Hypericum spp. (H.) has been used in traditional medicine for their sedative effect for many years. In spite of many works on this genus, little is known about H. scabrum. In this work antidepressant and its protective effect against hypoxia-induced lethality were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Antidepressant and its protective effects against hypoxia-induced lethality were evaluated. Antidepressant activity was determined by forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). Antihypoxic activities were determined by asphytic, haemic and circulatory hypoxia models in mice. Also, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and cumene hydroperoxide (CuOOH) induced hemolysis also were investigated. RESULTS At all tested doses H. scabrum significantly and dose dependently reduced the immobility periods in FST and TST. Also, extract showed statistically significant antihypoxic activities in three asphytic, haemic and circulatory hypoxia models in mice. The extract showed moderately good scavenging activity with IC50 = 518.8 +/- 20.7 microg ml(-1). Extract inhibited significantly CuOOH induced hemolysis in red blood cells (RBC). CONCLUSIONS H. scabrum aqueous extract showed remarkable antihypoxic and antidepressant effects thus, lend pharmacological justification to the use of the plant extract by traditional medicine practitioners. Mechanism of antidepressant activity of extract may be through nitric oxide pathway.