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This study investigated the antidepressant like effect of chloroform and ethanol extract of Sargassum ilicifolium, A brown algae in mouse forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). The locomotor activity was tested using Actophotometer to detect any association of immobility in the FST and TST with changes in motor activity of mice treated with extracts. The results of present study shows that chloroform extract (400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg) and Ethanolic extracts (400 mg/kg) significantly decrease the immobility time of mice in FST and TST, whereas extracts did not show any significant effect on locomotor activity of the mice. The efficacy of extract was comparable to imipramine (15 mg/kg) and fluoxetine (20 mg/kg). This preliminary study demonstrated the antidepressant like effect of ethanolic and chloroform extract of Sargassum ilicifolium. However, additional research will be necessary to investigate the mechanism underlying this antidepressant-like effect.
INTRODUCTION
Depression is a common, debilitating, life-threatening mood disorder with a significant incidence in the population (Berton and Nestler, 2006). The main symptom of depression is characterized by a pervasive low mood, feeling of helplessness, loss of interest and loss of pleasure in most of the usual activities. Stressful environment, adverse life-event and lack of supporting relationship are some of the causal factor that contributes to development of depression in human (Bhutani et al., 2009).
Numerous antidepressant compounds are now available, presumably acting via different mechanisms including serotonergic, noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic systems. Heterogeneity of the clinical responses to antidepressant and mood-stabilizing drugs and susceptibility to adverse effects are the major clinical problems (Lerer and Macciardi, 2002). Recently, more herbal medicine has being used as alternative therapy for depression (Kessler et al., 2001). Also some marine organism and marine macroalgae showed the potential as a source of new drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders (Nunez et al., 2006, Pangestuti and Kim, 2011). Due to natural constituent and availability, natural and marine flora are believed to provide less untoward effect profiles and provide greater effectiveness as compared to synthetic drug.
Marine macroalgae or seaweeds have created a promising significance in the biomedical area, mainly because of their contents of bioactive substances polysaccharides, meroterpenoids, phlorotanins, fucoidans, sterols and glycolipids show wide range of pharmacological properties which includes anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral,...