Abstract
Milicia excelsa (Moraceae) leaf is used as tonic and anti-stress agents to reinvigorate the body among other ethnomedicinal claims in African traditional medicines, but there is lack of scientific data on its efficacy. Hence, this study investigated the anti-stress potentials of the ethanol leaf extract of Milicia excelsa on anxiety-, and depressive-like behaviours induced by acute restraint stress in mice. The effect of the extract on spontaneous locomotor activities of mice was also evaluated. The extract at all the doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o. significantly (p<0.05) increased the percentage open arm entries and percentage open arm duration as well as demonstrated anti-anxiety effect as shown by the open arm avoidance index on elevated plus maze. The extract also significantly (p<0.05) reduced immobility time of mice in tail suspension test, indicating antidepressive-like effect. Subsequently, the extract at all the doses used in this study did not modify the spontaneous locomotor effect of the experimental mice suggesting that the observed anti-stress effect was neither due to stimulation nor sedation. This study, therefore, concluded that the extract may possess specific anti-stress effect, effective against anxiety and depression induced by acute restraint stress, thus providing scientific evidence for its suggested ethnomedicinal usage.
Highlights
The present-day lifestyle has increased the physical and psychological demands, resulting in rise in various stressrelated disorders like anxiety [1] [2], depression [3], cognitive dysfunction, insomnia and anorexia [4], among other disorders [5], which affect daily performance of tasks [6]
The objective of this study was to examine the therapeutic potentials of the ethanol leaf extract of Milicia excelsa on anxiety and depressive-like behaviours induced by acute restraint stress in mice
Effects of extract of Milicia excelsa (EME) on percentage open arm entries on elevated plus maze (EPM) following acute restraint stress (ARS) in mice There was a significant (p
Summary
The present-day lifestyle has increased the physical and psychological demands, resulting in rise in various stressrelated disorders like anxiety [1] [2], depression [3], cognitive dysfunction, insomnia and anorexia [4], among other disorders [5], which affect daily performance of tasks [6]. Stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders [4], which include anxiety, depression and cognitive dysfunction [7] [8] These neuropsychiatric disorders are the commonest psychiatric diagnosis in patients attending psychiatric clinics [9]. The stress-induced effects are supposed to be an outcome of altered activity of different mechanisms, such as central neurotransmitters, neurohormonal factors, those linked with the pituitary-adrenal axis, and free radical generation [10] Neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine (NE) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) are known to be involved in the expression of behavioral disorders, in adult individuals of several species, following stress [12]. Previous findings have shown that the currently used antidepressants act by increasing the concentration of the monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain [13]
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