OBJECTIVE The present study was designed to investigate the putative antidepressant effects of crocin and crocetin, two major active ingredients of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) using mice in two different regimens of acute and sub-acute administration. MATERIAL AND METHODS In acute treatment, antidepressant-like activities of crocin and crocetin (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) were evaluated using...

BACKGROUND Current antidepressants are clinically effective only after several weeks of administration. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is an identified component of Ligusticum wallichii with neuroprotective effects. Here, we investigated the antidepressant effects of TMP in mice models of depression. METHODS Antidepressant effects of TMP were first detected in the forced swim test (FST) and tail s...

This study investigated the involvement of NMDA receptors and the L-arginine-nitric oxide (NO) pathway in the antidepressant-like effects of zinc in the forced swimming test (FST). The immobility times in the FST and in the tail suspension test (TST) were reduced by zinc chloride (ZnCl(2), 30 and 10-30 mg/kg intraperitoneal (i.p.), respectively). The doses active in the FST and TST reduced loco...

Objectives : The development of natural drugs with antidepressant effects is important and needed. This study was performed to investigate the antidepressant-like effects of the distilled water extract of Portulaca oleracea L. (POL) in a mouse model and to investigate the role of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors in producing these antidepressant-like effect...

Three extracts of Valeriana wallichii DC (Valerianaceae) rhizome and fluoxetine were studied for antidepressant-like activity in two behavioral models, namely the forced swim test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST). Fluoxetine as well as methanolic and aqueous extracts of V. wallichii induced monophasic dose-related decrements in immobility times in both tests. However, the aqueous-ethano...

The antidepressant-like effect of a supercritical CO2 (SCCO2) Valeriana glechomifolia extract enriched in valepotriates was investigated in a mice tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). The SCCO2 extract decreased mice immobility in the FST (0.5-20 mg/kg p.o.) and elicited a biphasic dose-response relationship in the TST (1-20 mg/kg p.o.) with no alterations in locomotor act...

OBJECTIVE Pimpinella anisum (P. anisum ) has different pharmacological properties such as anticonvulsant, analgesic, tranquilizer, antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects. In this study the antidepressant-like effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. anisum fruit in mice was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) were used to determ...

In an effort to develop potent antidepressant agents, new pyrazoline derivatives 2a-s were synthesized and evaluated for their antidepressant-like activity by tail suspension test (TST) and modified forced swimming test (MFST). The effects of the compounds on spontaneous locomotor activity were also investigated using an activity cage apparatus. Among these derivatives, compounds 2b, 2d, 2f, 2o...

BACKGROUND In our previous study, the aqueous extract of Channa striatus (family: Channidae) fillet (AECSF) showed an antidepressant-like effect in mice. However, the mechanism of the antidepressant-like effect is unknown. AIM The objective of this study was to explore the involvement of monoamines in the antidepressant-like effect of AECSF in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS AECSF was prepared ...

Objective : Eclipta alba (Asteraceae) is a traditional medicinal plant known as Bhringaraj.This plant has been used for the treatment of a variety of diseases. The leaves of Eclipta alba showed antihyperglycemic activity. The roots of Eclipta alba were found effective in wound healing . Methods : This study was undertaken to evaluate the possible antidepressant effect of Eclipta alba leaf extra...