Evaluation of the anti-depressant effect of Melissa officinalis along with electroshock therapy in male rat

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

2 Attending Gynecologist and Obstetrician at Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran

3 Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Objective: Depression is a chronic disease with a high prevalence in the world and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as well as M. officinalis treatment are effective and less complicated methods in its treatment. Considering the side effects of electroshock therapy, in this study, the antidepressant effect of M. officinalis plant along with electroshock therapy on the behavioral and biochemical parameters of depressed animals were investigated.
Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 56 male rats were divided into seven groups: 1- control, 2- depressed, 3- ECT, 4 and 5- treatment with M. officinalis at doses of 600 and 1000 mg/kg and 6 and 7- ECT+ M. officinalis at doses of 600 and 1000 mg/kg. Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) method was used to induce depression and finally the behavioral parameters of depression and oxidative stress biomarkers of the brain were evaluated.
Results: In the ECT+M. officinalis treatment groups, the parameters of sucrose consumption, swimming and moving time in the open box and settling in the open arm of the elevated maze significantly increased (P<0.05). Also, MDA and NO were considerably decreased (P<0.05) and GSH, CAT and SOD were markedly increased (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In general, our study showed that the consumption of the M. officinalis combined with ECT is quite effective in modulating the behavioral parameters and oxidative stress factors in depressive rats.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Basic and Clinical Pathophysiology
Volume 13, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
February 2025
Pages 36-43

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