Antidepressant Activity and Mechanism of Aqueous Extract of Vigna Unguiculata ssp. Dekindtiana (L.) Walp Dried Aerial Part in Mice

Lateef Abiola Akinpelu,Adesoji Mutiu Adegoke,Julius Kayode Olaonipekun,Theophilus Adekunle Adegbuyi,Gbola Olayiwola,Idowu Julius Olawuni,Idris Ajayi Oyemitan,Samuel Sunday Agboola

doi:10.13189/ijnbs.2017.050102

Lateef Abiola Akinpelu, Adesoji Mutiu Adegoke + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.13189/ijnbs.2017.050102

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Abstract

Objective: Vigna unguiculata ssp. dekindtiana (L.) Walp is used in traditional practice to treat depression-like disorders in some communities of Southwest Nigeria. This study investigated the antidepressant-like effects of the aqueous fraction of the dried aerial parts of V. unguiculata ssp. dekindtiana (AFVU). Methodology: AFVU was evaluated for antidepressant effect on the force-swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and locomotor activity (LC) in the open field test (OFT) using mice; and its probable neural mechanism(s) investigated using various receptor antagonists. Elemental composition (EC) and phyto-constituents of AFVU were analyzed using standard methods. Results: The AFVU (600 and 800 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly (p<0.05) decreased the immobility time of mice in FST and TST without significant (p<0.05) effect on LC, suggesting that its antidepressant-like effect is specific; anti-immobility effect of AFVU was significantly (p<0.05) blocked by intraperitoneal injection of prazosin (62.5 µg/kg), yohimbine, (1 mg/kg), cyproheptadine (3 mg/kg), sulpiride (50 mg/kg), methylene blue (10 mg/kg) and L-NNA (10 mg/kg) suggesting adrenergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic and nitergic pathways. The EC assured its safety; while phenols and alkaloids were the most abundant phytoconstituents in AFVU. Conclusion: This study concluded that AFVU possessed antidepressant-like effects which may be mediated through multiple receptor pathways.

Highlights

Herbal therapy is a type of complementary and alternative therapy that uses plants or herbs to treat various disorders [1] and has been an integral part of many cultures [2]
It is noted in recent times that synthetic drugs are not proving efficient in the treatment of some diseases, but are becoming expensive, unavailable and often associated with unwanted effects and adulterations in many developing countries [6]
The aqueous fraction of V. unguiculata (AFVU) showed CNS stimulatory effect when subjected to novelty-induced behaviours in open field test (OFT) during the preliminary screening and was chosen for further investigation for the antidepressant tests

Summary

Introduction

Herbal therapy is a type of complementary and alternative therapy that uses plants or herbs to treat various disorders [1] and has been an integral part of many cultures [2]. Several plants commonly used in traditional medicine provide biologically active molecules which could be lead compound(s) for the development of new drugs or modified derivatives with enhanced activity and/or reduced toxicity [5]. There is need to search for new drugs from the medicinal plant since the active components of medicinal plant extracts have greater advantage of being combined with many other substances that may be biologically inactive. These complementary components account for its safety and efficacy as a whole plant its superiority over the isolated and pure active components [6]

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