Main Article Content
Abstract
The objective was to investigate the antidepressant activity of the methanolic extract of leaves of Hibiscus in mice. The study aimed to assess the effect of Hibiscus on antidepressant activity in the brain. The results confirm the antidepressant activity of Hibiscus, as it reduced immobility in both the Forced Swim Test (FST) and Tail Suspension Test (TST). In the present study, Hibiscus significantly increased the frequency of 5-HTP-induced head twitches, Clonidine-induced aggression, and L-DOPA-induced hyperactivity and aggressive behavior, indicating enhanced activity on serotonergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic pathways, respectively. Our results also confirm the involvement of these pathways in depression. Pretreatment with Hibiscus significantly increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase while simultaneously decreasing lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in the mice brain, suggesting strong antioxidant activity. Since oxidative stress is reported to play an important role in depression, the antioxidant activity of Hibiscus might be part of the mechanism for its antidepressant effects. Results from behavioral experiments indicate that the antidepressant activity of Hibiscus might be due to its facilitatory effect on serotonergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic systems, in addition to its direct antidepressant activity.