Abstract

ANTIDEPRESSANT AND ANTISTRESS ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF TAGETES ERECTA LEAVES AND ITS ACUTE TOXICITY PROFILE IN MICE

Shalini Tripathi, Falgun Bansode, Rama Kant Singh* and Pushpendra Tripathi

Abstract

Different parts of plant Tagetes erecta Linn. (Asteraceae) have been traditionally used for a number of disorders including fever, epileptic fits, astringent and as a carminative to relieve flatulence or abdominal pain or distension. The aim of the study was to evaluate antidrepressant/antistress activity of methanolic extract of Tagetes erecta leaves (TEL) and its acute toxicity profile including haematological/histopathological aspects, and phytochemical analysis. The mice were administered with vehicle (10 ml/kg saline, served as control), the extract of TEL (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight/rat/p.o.) and Standard drug, Diazepam (2 mg/kg/rat) for 7 days. Forced Swimming Test (FST), Tail Suspension Test (TST) and Anoxic Tolerance Test (ATT) were conducted 60 min after the last administration of TEL extract to determine the antidrepressant/antistress effects. Acute toxicity profile including haematological and histopathological aspects was carried out after 14 days treatment of TEL extract in mice. Results showed that TEL extract (at 250 and 500 mg/kg doses) significantly (p< 0.01 and 0.001) reduced the duration of immobility in FST and TST without affecting locomotor activity in open field test. It was also observed that TEL extract significantly increased (p< 0.05) anoxia stress tolerance time in a dose dependant manner as compared to control, but, less than in Diazepam treatment. The TEL extract did not show any toxic effects, and body/organ weights, histological characteristics and haematological parameters were normal after 14 days of treatment. High performance thin layer chromatography-ultra violet (HPTLC-UV) analysis indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponin, carbohydrates and glycosides as the active chemical constituents of TEL extract. In conclusion, TEL extract administration significantly reduced the immobility in FST and TST and increased anoxia stress tolerance in ATT in mice. It is also nontoxic in acute toxicity test. This may validate its traditional use in management of stress disorder.

Keywords: Forced swimming test, Tail suspension test, Anoxic stress tolerance test, Acute toxicity profile, Tagetes erecta Linn.