Antidepressant-like effect of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Mull. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) in mice: Involvement of monoaminergic system
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Date
2014-12-02
Authors
Akinleye, M.O.
Ishola, I.O.
Agbaje, E.O.
Ibeh, C.O.
Adeyemi, O.O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance The leaf of Alchornea cordifolia (Euphorbiaceae) is used in traditional African medicine in the treatment of various neurological and psychiatric disorders including depression. Previous studies have shown its potent antidepressant-like effect in the forced swimming test (FST). Hence, this study sought to investigate the involvement of monoaminergic systems in the antidepressant-like effect elicited by hydroethanolic leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia (HeAC) in the FST.
Materials and methods
HeAC (25–400 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered 1 h before the FST. To investigate the contribution of monoaminergic systems to antidepressant-like effect, receptors antagonists were injected 15 min before oral administration of HeAC (200 mg/kg) to mice and 1 h thereafter, subjected to FST.
Results
HeAC (200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) produced dose dependent and significant (P<0.001) antidepressant-like effect, in the FST, without accompanying changes in spontaneous locomotor activities in the open-field test. The anti-immobility effect of HeAC (200 mg/kg) in the FST was prevented by pretreatment of mice with SCH 23390 (0.05 mg/kg, s.c., a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist), sulpiride (50 mg/kg, i.p., a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist), prazosin (1 mg/kg, i.p., an α1-adrenoceptor antagonist), yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p., an α2-adrenoceptor antagonist), and GR 127993 (5-HT1B receptor antagonist). Similarly, 3 days intraperitoneal injection of p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA, 150 mg/kg, i.p., an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis) prevented the antidepressant-like effect elicited by HeAC. The combination of subeffective doses of imipramine (5 mg/kg, p.o.) or fluoxetine (5 mg/kg, p.o.), with HeAC (25 mg/kg, p.o., subeffective dose) produced a synergistic antidepressant-like effect in the FST.
Conclusion
The hydroethanolic extract of Alchornea cordifolia possesses antidepressant-like effect mediated through interaction with dopamine (D1 and D2), noradrenergic (α1 and α2 adrenoceptors), and serotonergic (5HT1B receptors) systems. Also, the potentiation of the anti-immobility effect of conventional antidepressants (fluoxetine and imipramine) by Alchornea cordifolia suggest potential therapeutic effect in depression.
Description
Staff publications
Keywords
Alchornea cordifolia , α-adrenoceptor , 5-HT1B receptor , Depression , Forced Swimming Test , Parachlorophenylalanine , Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Chemistry
Citation
Akinleye, M.O [Et...al] (2014). Antidepressant-like effect of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Mull. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) in mice: Involvement of monoaminergic system.