EVALUATION OF ANTI-COMPULSIVE EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF BACOPA MONNIERI L. LEAVES IN MICE

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive activity. OCD can impair all areas of brain functioning and produce devastating effects on patients and their families. Marble-burying behavior of mice is a well-accepted paradigm to screen anti-compulsive activity. The aim of present study was to evaluate the anti-compulsive effect of Bacopa monnieri extract in mice. The present investigation revealed a significant decrease in marble-burying behavior of mice after oral administration of EEBM (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg )and exhibit anti OCD like effect and the effect of EEBM was comparable to standard anti OCD drug Fluoxetine which also reduce the marble burying behavior in accordance with the previous findings. The maximum effective dose of EEBM was 200mg/kg, at which there was no change in the motor activity. The dose of 400mg/kg also exhibited inhibitory effect on marble burying behavior, but it also reduced the motor activity, hence it is not clear whether the effect of EEBM at 400mg/kg is perse effect or it is due to inhibition of motor activity.The experimental results of this study shows that ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri possess anticompulsive activities.