Mediterranean Journal Of Pharmacy And Pharmaceutical Sciences

Effect of ephedra altissima stems extract on behaviour in the mouse

Authors Details :
Suhera M. Aburawi,
Jamal S. Mezogi,
Khawla F. Abuelkhair

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Herbal products are being paid particular attention by people around the world since they are natural, effective, and without side effects. In modern medicine, some drugs prescribed to the patients are derived from medicinal plants. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the central nervous effects of methanol extract of Ephedra altissima stems, in Albino mice. Doses of 500, 1500, and 3000 mg/kg of the methanol extract were administered in sub-acute doses (three doses), intraperitoneally at 24, 5.0, and 1.0 hours before scoring. General locomotor behavior profile, antidepressant activity, and anxiolytic activity were studied. The results revealed that the methanol extract of Ephedra altissima at 500, 1500, and 3000 mg/kg produced central nervous system depression, a remarkable decrease in the immobility time (forced swimming maze test), no anxiolytic-like effect by using elevated plus-maze model of anxiety. These results suggest that methanol extract of Ephedra altissima exhibits a central depressant activity, antidepressant-like activity, and mild antipsychotic activity without anxiolytic-like effect in tested experimental animal models with the doses used. Therefore, it can be concluded that Ephedra altissima extract may have a central depression, antidepressant-like activity with no effect as anxiolytic-like mood.