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. 2010 Oct;42(5):283-8.
doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.70108.

Effects of Ocimum sanctum and Camellia sinensis on stress-induced anxiety and depression in male albino Rattus norvegicus

Imrana Tabassum  1 , Zeba N Siddiqui, Shamim J Rizvi
Affiliations

Effects of Ocimum sanctum and Camellia sinensis on stress-induced anxiety and depression in male albino Rattus norvegicus

Imrana Tabassum et al. Indian J Pharmacol. 2010 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to study the ameliorative effects of Ocimum sanctum and Camellia sinensis on stress-induced anxiety and depression.

Materials and methods: The study was carried out using male albino rats (200 ± 50 g). The effect of O. sanctum and C. sinensis was evaluated for anxiety and depression using elevated plus maze (EPM) test, open field test (OFT), forced swim test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST).

Result: Restraint stress (3 h/day for six consecutive days) induced a significant reduction in both the percentage number of entries and time spent in open arms in EPM, and these changes were reversed with post-treatment of aqueous extract of O. sanctum and C. sinensis (100 mg/kg for 6 days). Restraint stress-induced (a) increased latency and (b) decreased ambulation and rearing were also reversed by O. sanctum and C. sinensis in OFT. A significant increase in immobility period was observed in FST and TST after restraint stress. O. sanctum and C. sinensis significantly reduced the immobility times of rats in FST and TST.

Conclusion: O. sanctum and C. sinensis possess anxiolytic and antidepressant activities.

Keywords: Anxiety; Camellia sinensis; Ocimum sanctum; depression; restraint stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A rat in a wire mesh restrainer.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bar diagram showing the alteration of % open arm entries and % time spent in EPM following restraint stress (3h/day for 6 days) and ameliorative action of O. sanctum and C. sinensis (100 mg/kg/day for 6 days) on Rattus norvegicus.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Bar diagram showing the alteration of latency, ambulation, and rearing in OFT following restraint stress (3 h/day for six consecutive days) and ameliorative action of O. sanctum and C. sinensis (100 mg/kg/day for 6 days) on R. norvegicus.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Bar diagram showing the alteration of immobility time in FST following restraint stress (3 h/day for six consecutive days) and ameliorative action of O. sanctum and C. sinensis (100 mg/kg/day for 6 days) on R. norvegicus.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Bar diagram showing the alteration of immobility time in TST following restraint stress (3h/day for 6 days) and ameliorative action of O. sanctum and C. sinensis (100 mg/kg/day for 6 days) on Rattus norvegicus.
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