الفهرس 
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Abstract
Major depression is a mental disorder that occupies fourth position of worldwide disability list and is expected to become the second most frequent disease by 2030. Major depression not only decreases productivity and quality of life of patients but also represents a significant financial burden for health care. Depression is multifactorial disorder and its etiology includes genetics, environmental, psychological, and biological factors.
Reserpine is antihypertensive drug that has been used for the control of high blood pressure. Because of its numerous side-effects such as unusual changes in mood or behavior and depression, it is rarely used today. Purslane is a plant with good nutritional and medicinal potential and it is used for its beneficial effects. So, thus can be used as a remedy. Because its antioxidant effect that may make an alternative to the chemical antidepressant drugs which have many undesirable side effects and sometimes affecting other organs leading to life threatening health hazards. Escitalopram, also known by the brand names “Lexapro and Cipralex” among others, is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adults and children over 12 years of age with major depressive disorder (MDD) or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
The objective of the study:
Two experiments have been planned in this study; the first experiment was held to select the most suitable dose of reserpine for induction of depression in mice with minimal side effects and minimal mortality rate. The main study (the second ) was carried out to estimate the therapeutic antidepressant effect of purslane plant (aqueous and ethanolic extracts) on depression model in mice induced by reserpine compared to escitalopram (Cipralex) which is considered one of the most common used antidepressant drug all over the world.
Experimental design:
The first experiment divided into 4 groups each group of 15 mice normal control, reserpine 0.1 mg/kg, reserpine 0.5 mg/kg and reserpine 1 mg/kg. The duration of the experiment was 3 days. All the groups were injected intra-peritoneal (i.p) as a single dose of reserpine (Res) at the day 1. Then forced swimming test was performed 1 hour later. The mice were left to rest at the second day and finally were sacrificed by decapitation at the 3rd day was done.
In the second experiment the mice were divided into 5 groups; each group contains 15 mice, normal control received with 1% tween 80 via oral cavage as 1ml/100g bwt. group 2: received tween 80 as control group then injected once intraperitoneal by 0.1 mg/kg reserpine chosen according to the results of the first experiment at the 15th day. group 3: received purslane aqueous extract (5 g/kg). group 4 received purslane ethanolic extract (2 mg/kg). group 5 received escitalopram (1 mg/kg). The animal received purslane and escitalopram from the beginning of the experiment daily until the 16th day. The duration of the second experiment was 16 days. The reserpine was given to the animals in groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 as a single dose at the day 15 then forced swimming test was performed 1 hour later on all the animals. The mice were left to rest at the day 16 from the behavior task and finally all the groups were sacrificed at the day 17th by decapitation
The current study investigated the following parameters:
Behavioral investigation Forced swimming test (number and percentage of jumping and immobility time).
Brain tissue, were used for determination of Adenosine monophosphate (AMP), Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) and Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), Monoamins neurotransmitters (NE, DA, and 5-HT), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Glutathione reduced (GSH), Glutathione oxidized (GSSG), GSH/GSSG ratio, nitric oxide (NO) and 8- hydroxyl-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHDG) in brain cortex and brain stem.
Serum, was collected for estimation of the Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Total protein (Tp), Albumin (Albu), Globulin and A/G ratio.
Results
The first experiment recorded the following results
The most suitable reserpine dose for inducing depression with minimal mortality was 0.1 mg/kg of body weight. The forced swimming test, number of jumping, the energy content parameters, the monoamine neurotransmitters, the oxidative stress parameters, the antioxidants results and serum biochemical tests showed no significant difference between different doses.
The second experiment indicated the following results
- Number and percentage of jumping in mice treated with reserpine represented a significant decrease as compared with purslane and escitalopram treated animals.
- Moreover, there was a significant decrease in immobility time in the mice treated with purslane and escitalopram as compared with reserpine group.
- Mice treated with reserpine exhibited a significant decrease in adenosines (AMP, ADP and ATP) contents, neurotransmitters (NE, DA and 5-HT) contents, glutathione reduced (GSH) and (GSH /GSSG) ratio contents in cortex and brain stem as compared with control group.
- Also, reserpine treatment cause a marked increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, glutathione oxidized (GSSG) content, nitric oxide (NO) content and 8- hydroxyl-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHDG) content as compred to the control group.
- The cortex and brain stem contents of adenosines (AMP, ADP and ATP) in purslane and escitalopram treated mice showed a significant increase as compared to the resepine group.
- Neurotransmitters (NE, DA and 5-HT) contents, glutathione reduced (GSH) and (GSH /GSSG) ratio contents of cortex and brain stem in purslane treated groups (AEP + Res and EEP + Res) reflected a significant increase as compared with reserpine group.
- Also, these increases were recorded in escitalopram treated animal as compared with reserpine group.
- Results of serum Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) recorded a significant increase in reserpine group as compared to the control group. Whreras there was a significant decrease in all treated groups (AEP + Res, EEP + Res and ESC + Res) when compared with resepine group. Moreover, a significant increase exhibited in serum total protein, albumin, globulin and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio in all treated groups as compared to Res group and at the same time there was a significant decrease as compared to the control group.