Abstract
Background: Milicia excelsa is used to treat mental illnesses among the Hausa ethnic group of Northern Nigeria, but there is lack of scientific investigation to validate this ethnomedicinal claim. Hence, this study investigated the antidepressant-like effect of butanol fraction of Milicia excelsa leaves in mice (BFME).
Methods: The antidepressant-like effect of BFME was investigated using forced swim (FST) and tail suspension (TST) tests in mice. The probable neural mechanism of its antidepressant-like effect was investigated using receptor antagonists, nitric oxide precursor and inhibitors in the forced swim test. The phytoconstituents in BFME were also quantified.
Results: The BFME significantly (p<0.05) decreased the immobility time of mice in FST and TST indicating an antidepressant-like effect. This effect was significantly (p<0.05) reversed by prazosin (62.5 μg/kg, i.p.), yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p.), cyproheptadine (3 mg/kg, i.p.), methylene blue (10 mg/kg, i.p.), L-NG-Nitroarginine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) while L-arginine (750 mg/kg, i.p.) potentiated it suggesting the involvement of adrenergic, serotonergic and nitric oxide signaling pathways. Alkaloids and phenols were the most abundant phytoconstituents in BFME.
Conclusion: The study therefore, concluded that BFME may possess antidepressant-like effects, which may be due to the synergistic or additive effects of the phytoconstituents present while the mechanism(s) may involve adrenergic, serotonergic and nitric oxide signaling pathways.
Keywords: Milicia excelsa; antidepressant; phytoconstituents; adrenergic pathway; serotonergic neurotransmission; nitric oxide signaling pathways.
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