Title : Antidepressant activity of alstonine and picralima nitida durand and hook, (fam. Apocynaceae) extract in albino mice
Abstract:
This presentation will cover the isolation, structure identification and antidepressant activity of alstonine (1) and Picralima nitida extract. Depression is the second leading cause of disease related disability since 2020, following heart disease. Currently available treatment of depression is often associated with several undesirable side effects and it is effective only in a certain portion of the patients. As part of our continuing search for secondary metabolites, extracts and antidepressant compounds from Nigeria plants. We made the collection of fruits of Picralima nitida from Umukabia village, Ehime-Mbano LGA in Imo State of Nigeria. Bioassay-guided isolation using preparative TLC and CC, and structure identification of the isolated compound with the authentic sample of alstonine in our Lab led to the identification of 1. Antidepressant activity was investigated using Forced swimming test (FST) model. diazepam was used as reference standard. It was observed that both the alstonine and Picralima nitida at higher concentration showed significant reduction in immobility in tail suspension and forced swim model of depression comparable to diazepam.
Keywords: Antidepressant Activity, alstonine, Picralima nitida, diazepam
