RESEARCH TITLE: Antidepressant-like effect of methanolic extract of Punica granatum (pomegranate) in mice model of depression
COUNTRIES: Malaysia
CONDUCTED BY: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences, Malaysia; Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
PUBLISHED ON: Journal of Natural Products and Biomedical Research
RESEACH:
Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is commonly known for its traditional use as a food supplement and for its medicinal values. Punica granatum methanolic pulp and peel extract were investigated for its antidepressant activities on mice model of depression using tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST).
Punica granatum pulp and peel extract were administered at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally, respectively while fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally as the standard drug.
The results showed that Punica granatum pulp extract at 25 mg/kg significantly exhibited antidepressant activity in both TST and FST which able to reduce the immobility time, similar to fluoxetine, a recognized antidepressant drug. It is concluded that Punica granatum methanolic extract has the ability as antidepressant-like agent. Further research is required to investigate the exact pharmacological mechanism of action of this fruit.
Conclusion
The results showed that pomegranate pulp extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg was effective as an antidepressant investigated by the two tests, FST, and TST.
This pomegranate pulp extract 25 mg/kg was the lowest dose given, and it showed a decreased immobility time in TST and FST when compared to the negative control group, stress induced group.
Pomegranate pulp extract 25 mg/kg when compared to other pomegranate pulp extracts, it was the only extract that showed a significant similarity to that of the standard antidepressant drug, fluoxetine.
Punica granatum may have the ability to decrease the activity of MAO A and B in which this mechanism is fairly similar to that of a MAOI antidepressant drug, but further molecular study should be conducted to confirm it.
YEAR: 2015