Drug Res (Stuttg) 2019; 69(01): 53-60
DOI: 10.1055/a-0651-7939
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Butanol Fraction of Olax Subscorpioidea Produces Antidepressant Effect: Evidence for the Involvement of Monoaminergic Neurotransmission

Adebayo O. Adeoluwa
1   Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
,
Oladele A. Aderibigbe
2   Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria
,
Isaiah O. Agboola
3   Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island Bayelsa State, Nigeria
,
Toyin E. Olonode
1   Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
,
Benneth Ben-Azu
2   Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 26 December 2017

accepted 01 June 2018

Publication Date:
02 August 2018 (online)

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Abstract

This study sought to investigate involvement of monoaminergic mechanism in the antidepressant action of butanol fraction (BF) of Olax subscorpioidea in rodents and the bioactive principles present. Butanol fraction was evaluated for antidepressant-like effect in the tail suspension, forced swimming and open field tests. All animals were treated with BF (5, 10 & 20 mg/kg) thirty minutes prior to the tests. On the other hand, monoaminergic neurotransmission involvement was probed by pre-treating animals with yohimbine hydrochloride (1 mg/kg, α2 antagonist), prazosin (62.5 µg/kg, α1 antagonist), propranolol (2 mg/kg, non-selective β antagonist), sulpiride (50 mg/kg, D2 receptor blocker), haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg, non-selective D receptor blocker), metergoline (4 mg/kg, i.p., a 5HT-receptor blocker) and PCPA (100 mg/kg, i.p., inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase), fifteen minute before treatment with BF (10 mg/kg). Identification of the major bioactive constituents was done by HPLC. The findings show that BF (5 & 10 mg/kg) significantly decreased immobility in despair tests of depression without effect on locomotor activity. The data also shows that anti-immobility effect of BF (10 mg/kg) in the TST was reversed by prazosin, yohimbine, haloperidol, sulpiride, metagoline and PCPA but not with propranolol. Bioactive principles present are caffeic acid, rutin, morin and quercetin. In conclusion, our findings show that BF produces antidepressant-like effect, which may be dependent on its interaction with the monoaminergic system.