Assessment of Anxiolytic and Anti-depressant Activities of different Extracts of Catharanthusroseus Leaves in Experimental Animals

Catharanthus roseus leaves are investigated to assess anxiolytic and antidepressant activity in experimental animal models. Successively extracted pet. ether, chloroform and ethanolic extracts were used in the experiment. Anxiolytic and antidepressant activity was studied using elevated plus maze and forced swim test respectively. Oral administration of 200 and 400 mg/kg petroleum ether extract shows significant (p<0.001) and dose dependant anxiolytic and antidepressant activity. Diazepam 4 mg/kg, i.p. and Imipramine 15 mg/kg p.o. were used as standard drug. All the extracts at 100 mg/kg dose didn’t show significant result in the experimental animals. In qualitative chemical test petroleum ether extract shows presence of tannins, flavonoids, glycoside, alkaloids and phenolic compounds. Petroleum ether extracts is rich in phenol content including flavonoids, which are reported responsive chemicals for anxiolytic and antidepressant activity in many preclinical studies. The assessed activities of Catharanthus roseus leaves could be due to polar and phenolic compounds.