Abstract

Background: Depression is one of the most upsetting mood disorders. The various antidepressant medications used today are having the adverse drug effects. Withania coagulans – a vulnerable species, is not explored much for its effects on mood except in the late 70s. Therefore, it was thought worthy to explore anti-depressive activities of the alcoholic extract of W. coagulans fruits in Swiss albino mice using forced swimming test. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to study the antidepressant activities of the alcoholic extract of W. coagulans fruits in Swiss albino mice using forced swimming test.
Materials and Methods: Forced swimming test was used for assessing the anti-depressive activity of W. coagulans fruits alcoholic extract. If the extract had antidepressant activity, then it was expected that the period of mobility would increase and immobility would decrease. This decrease in immobility, if found statistically significant, was considered for antidepressant activity.
Results: There was statistically highly significant (P < 0.001) association observed between alcoholic extract of W. coagulans fruits with depressive effect on mood in Swiss albino mice. Conclusion: The alcoholic extract of W. coagulans fruits did not demonstrate antidepressant activity in Swiss albino mice. In contrast, it revealed depressive effect on the mood in the forced swimming test.