Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTIDEPRESSANT ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS AND ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA

Arzoo Qureshi*, Dr. Prateek K. Jain, Arpit Shrivastava, Sameeksha Jain, Prakhar Nema, Dr. Harshita Jain

Adina Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saugor (M.P.), India.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to see how an aqueous extract (400 mg/kg) and an ethanolic extract (200 mg/kg) of G. glabra affected TST and FST in mice, with efficacy comparable to fluoxetine. G. glabra extracts demonstrated an antidepressant-like effect, however the exact mechanisms are unknown. According to the current findings, when tested in TST, the medicines sulpiride (a selective dopamine D2-receptor antagonist) and p-CPA (a serotonin synthesis inhibitor) greatly reduced the antidepressant-like action of G. glabra extracts. This suggests that G. glabra extracts raise norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin levels in mice's brains, which may have an antidepressant effect. In TST, the antidepressant effect of fluoxetine (a specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor) was drastically decreased by p-CPA, suggesting that fluoxetine has an antidepressant effect via the serotonergic system. Liquorice extract has antidepressant-like effects due to an increase in norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain. The antidepressant-like properties of liquorice may be owing to its inhibitory action on monoamine oxidase.

Keywords: Antidepressant, Forced swim test, Tail suspension test, Glycyrrhiza glabra.