EVALUATION OF ANTI DEPRESSION ACTIVITY OF POLYHERBAL FORMULATION IN RESERPINE INDUCED DEPRESSED ANIMAL MODEL

The present study was designed to evaluate the anti depression activity of methanolic extract of shankhapushpi, alpinia officinarum and ginkgo biloba against reserpine induced depressed animal model. The study was carried for 21 days. Depression disease was induced using reserpine 0.75mg/kg b.w. The phytochemical screening was carried out and showed the presences of flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, steroids, terpinoids, and glycosides. Swiss albino mice of 25-30grams were used for the study. Depression disease was screened by absorving behavioural parameters using method force swim test and tail suspension test and also evaluating the biochemical parameters like estimation of dopamine , serotonin and nor epinephrine. The treatment with methanolic extract of shankhapushpi, alpinia officinarum and ginkgo biloba(MESAG) 250mg/kg  and 500mg/kg effectively decreases the immobility time in Force swim test(FST) and Tail suspension test( TST) when compared with the disease control group and also enhances the levels of serotonin ,nor epinephrine and dopamine in treated group when compare with the disease control. The MESAG treated groups showed similar results to standard group. Thus the results suggested that MESAG posses anti depression properties.

Keywords: Depression disease, Reserpine, Clomipramine, Methanolic extract of  shankhapushpi(Convolvulus pluricaulis), Alpinia officinarum, Ginkgo biloba. Serotonin , nor epinephrine and dopamine.