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ABSTRACT Synthetic antidepressants are effective drugs for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Along with the effectiveness these drugs are also associated with some side effects. Since ancient times herbs are used as medicinal purposes. One such herb is Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). Fennel has many efficacious uses. It is a common herb and spice. It is used in many culinary purposes and also it has therapeutic purposes. In the present study antidepressant effects of fennel oil was monitored by comparing it with a synthetic antidepressant drug, fluoxetine. The rats were divided into three groups as control, drug and oil which were respectively treated with water, fluoxetine (0.3 mg/kg) and fennel oil (0.5 ml/day). The treatment was continued for three weeks.
Struggling time in forced swim test (FST), number of square crossed in open field test (OFT) and time spent in open arm in elevated plus maze (EPM) was monitored weekly. Repeated administration of fennel oil for 3 weeks showed significant antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in FST and EPM, respectively which were comparable to fluoxetine treated group. A significant increased cholesterol levels were observed in fluoxetine treated rats which was not observed in fennel oil treated rats. Therefore, repeated administration of fennel oil may exert antidepressive- and anxiolytic-like behaviors. These effects were found to be comparable to that of the clinically used synthetic drug, fluoxetine.
Key words Anxiety, Depression, Fennel oil, Fluoxetine.
INTRODUCTION The word depression is used in everyday language. Depression with 16% and anxiety with 10% of lifetime prevalence around the world are among the most common psychiatric disorders (Kessler et al., 2014). Brain is susceptible to the damaging effects of free radicals resulting in oxidative stress. Hence, oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of psychotic illnesses (Berk et al., 2011). Treatment with antioxidant compounds has shown to ameliorate deleterious pathological conditions (Karabulut-Bulan et al., 2016). It is suggested that plant-derived antioxidants may provide therapeutic protection by increasing the antioxidant levels and normalizing the damage caused by oxidative stress which further protect against neuronal damage and may result in diminution of depression and anxiety symptoms (Lee et al., 2013; Xu et al., 2014).
Herbs are used as folk medicines since times. Among many herbs Foeniculum vulgare mill has enduring therapeutic antiquity. F. vulgare...