Antidepressant-Like Effects of the Ethanolic Extract of Albizzia lebbeck (Linn) Leaves in Animal Models of Depression

The present study was designed to investigate the antidepressant effects of Albizzia lebbeck leaves in various animal depression models. The alcoholic extract (70% v/v ethanol) of Albizzia lebbeck leaves (200 and 400 mg/kg. p.o) was administered once daily for seven successive days to separate groups of young male swiss albino mice. The immobility periods of control and treated mice were recorded in two behavioral despair models forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and the effect of extract on locomotor function of mice was studied using actophotometer. The antidepressant-like effect of tested drug was compared to that of imipramine (15 mg/kg. p.o) and fluoxetine (20mg/kg.p.o). The leaf extract at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly decreased the duration of immobility time in a dose dependent manner in both FST and TST.

The extract did not show significant effect on locomotor activity of mice. The efficacy of tested extract was found to be comparable to that of imipramine and fluoxetine. Our results suggested that the ethanolic extract of Albizzia lebbeck leaves exerts antidepressant-like effect.