Article · Volume 4, Issue 15 · pp. 155–156
Antidepressant activity evaluation of Hypericum brasiliense standardized extract
Fábio F. Perazzo1, Leonardo M. Lima2, Leandro M. Rocha3, Hildegardo S. França3, José Carlos T. Carvalho3
- 1Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto – Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto - SP, Brazil.
- 2Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Universidade Federal Fluminense – Niterói - RJ, Brazil.
- 3Laboratório de Fármacos – Universidade Federal do Amapá - Rod. Juscelino Kubitschek, KM-02 - Jardim Marco Zero - CEP 68.902-280 - Macapá - AP – Brazil, Brazil.
Abstract
Hypericum brasiliense (Hypericaceae) is a Brazilian traditional plant used as an excitant, antispasmodic and antiofidic agent in the South and Southeastern areas. Pharmacological studies were performed to evaluate antidepressant effects of standard extract of H. brasiliense (SEHB) alone or combined with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg i.p.), GBR-12909 (10 mg/kg ip) or Trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine (5 mg/kg ip) using forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT) and rota rod assays. In the FST, SEHB reduced in a dose-dependent manner the immobility time, and has shown antagonistic effect when administrated with fluoxetine. In the OFT, SEHB has caused marginal effect of the evaluated parameters (ambulation and rearing), but when associated with fluoxetine or trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine, the reduction of the parameters was noticed. On rota rod test, SEHB did not produce significant alteration. Based on results we suggest that SEHB has an antidepressant activity.
Keywords: Hypericum brasiliense; Hypericaceae; Forced swimming test (FST); Open field test (OFT); Antidepressant
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