EVALUATION OF ANTIDEPRESSANT ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF DIPTERCANTHUS PROSTRATUS NEES

Objective: The major objective of the study is to evaluate the antidepressant activity of ethanolic extract of Dipteracanthus prostratus Nees using rats. The study also aims to assess the effect of the extract on behavioural pattern of treated rats. Methods: The antidepressant activity of the ethanolic extract of Dipteracanthus prostratus was evaluated using Forced swim test (FST). The effect of the extract on the behavioral pattern was assesssed by an Open field test. The oral doses of 500 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg of the extract were fixed after conducting acute toxicity studies. Imipramine (30 mg/kg) was used as the standard. Results: It was observed from the study that the ethanolic extract of Dipteracanthus prostratus at higher concentration showed significantly (p<0.01) reduction in immobility in forced swim test model of depression after repeated administration for 14 d. The results were comparable to the standard drug Imipramine. However, the extract did not any significant activity after acute administration. Neither the ethanolic extract of Dipteracanthus prostratus nor the standard drug imipramine produced any overt behavioural change or motor dysfunction in the open field test. Conclusion: The present study demands a further detailed investigation on the antidepressant and other possible CNS activities of Dipteracanthus prostrates