Pharmacological Evaluation of Benincasa Hispida Cogn. Fruit on Chronic Foot Shock Induced Stress in Mice

Abstract

Stress can be defined as a brain-body reaction towards stimuli arising from the environment or from internal cues that are interpreted as a disruption of homeostasis. A number of reports indicated that treatment with herbal plant extracts could lead to a significant reduction in stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antistress activity through Inescapable electric chronic foot shock model in mice and to assess the effect of extract on stress induced behavioral changes in animals and to determine the efficiency of Benincasa hispida Cogn. Extract on Motor activity and Elevated plus maze to assess anxiety. In this study, mice were divided into five groups with five animals each. The first group received ip dose of the vehicle saline (2ml/kg). The second group received diazepam 1mg/kg ip along with foot shock. Third, fourth, and fifth groups received oral dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg /kg of fruit extract of Benincasa hispida along with foot shock. Inescapable electricFoot-shocks (intensity 0.8mA, interval: 10sec, duration:10sec) were delivered through a grid floor once daily for 21 days. The results showed that Benincasa hispida extract (200 and 400mg/kg) was found to have an antistress effect. The dose of Benincasa hispida extract (200 and 400mg/kg), increased entries into open arm and the time spend in open arm on the elevated plus maze test indicate that extract reduced the stress level and it significantly reduced the spontaneous motor activity and decreased the anxiety. The results suggest that the ethanolic extract of Benincasa hispida has potential antistress effect that can be explored for therapeutic advantage as an alternative treatment in medical conditions.