PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ANTIDEPRESSANT AND ANTIANXIETY ACTIVITY OF BUPLEURUM FALCATUM IN ANIMAL MODELS

Bupleurum falcatum, belongs to the family Apiaceae. Anxiety and Depression are widespread psychiatric disorders affecting around 5% of the population. Furthermore, it is difficult to predict which patient will respond to any given treatment. In the traditional systems of medicine, many plants have been used to treat anxiety and depression for thousands of years. The present study was designed to evaluate the antianxiety and antidepressant activity of the alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Bupleurum falcatum leaves in rodents. Antianxiety activity was tested by exposing rats to unfamiliar aversion in different methods like elevated plus maze model and actophotometer. The results infer that reduced aversion fear elicits antianxiety activity. The antidepressant activity was tested by using forced swim test and tail suspension test. The results infer that reduced immobility time elicits antidepressant activity. It was concluded that alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Bupleurum falcatum leaves having antianxiety and antidepressant activity. Alcoholic extract of Bupleurum falcatum leaves showing more significant activity over the aqueous extract.

Keywords: Bupleurum falcatum, Antianxiety activity, Antidepressant activity, Elevated plus maze, Actophotometer, Despair swim test, Tail Suspension Test.