Antidepressant-like effect of Ilex paraguariensis in rats.

Elizete De Moraes Reis,Alcindo Busanello,Aline Augusti Boligon,Margareth Linde Athayde,Luis Ricardo Peroza,Francisco Waldomiro Schreiner Neto,Milena Libardoni,Roselei Fachinetto,Tássia Fontana Lehmen,Caroline Queiroz Leal,Vitória Berg Cattani

doi:10.1155/2014/958209

Elizete De Moraes Reis, Alcindo Busanello + Show 9 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/958209

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Abstract

In this study, we investigated the possible antidepressant-like effect of I. paraguariensis in rats. Rats were treated for four weeks with an aqueous extract of I. paraguariensis in drinking water, following the traditional preparation of this beverage. After the period of treatment, behavioral (elevated plus-maze, open field test, and forced swimming test) and biochemical parameters (lipid peroxidation assay, thiol content, vitamin C levels, and monoamine oxidase activity) were evaluated. Animals were also analyzed on forced swimming test after 24 hours of I. paraguariensis intake. An additional group was injected with selegiline 24 hours and 30 minutes before forced swimming test as positive control. HPLC analysis revealed the profile of I. paraguariensis extract. I. paraguariensis reduced the immobility time on forced swimming test without significant changes in locomotor activity in the open field test. Any anxiolytic/anxiogenic effect of I. paraguariensis was observed in rats through the elevated plus-maze test. The antidepressant-like effect of I. paraguariensis was not accompanied by inhibitory effect on monoamine oxidase activity. There were no significant alterations on lipid peroxidation, thiol content, and vitamin C levels among the groups. In conclusion, aqueous extract of I. paraguariensis decreases the time of immobility in rats suggesting an antidepressant-like effect.

Highlights

Depression is a psychiatric illness with a high prevalence in humans reaching 21% of the worldwide population [1]
As a large quantity of antidepressant drugs act through monoamine oxidase inhibition, we investigated if the I. paraguariensis could modify the activity of this enzyme
HPLC fingerprinting of Ilex paraguariensis infusion revealed the presence of the gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, caffeine, theobromine, rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol (Figure 1 and Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Depression is a psychiatric illness with a high prevalence in humans reaching 21% of the worldwide population [1]. Even the more recent synthetic antidepressants, like atypical ones, have numerous side effects These undesirable effects compromise the life quality of the patients and, their clinical use by causing the relapse of the treatment and the recurrence of the symptoms. About 30% of patients do not present remission under therapy with these drugs, which leads to the association of more than one class of antidepressants beyond other classes of drugs, as atypical antipsychotics. All of these pharmacological combinations predispose the patient to severe side effects [4]

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