European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

POTENTIAL ANTIPARKINSONIAN AND ANTIDEPRESSANT EFFECTS OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SWERTIA CHIRATA AND HEMIDESMUS INDICUS IN WISTAR RATS

Sayyed Mateen*, Mohib Khan, N. Devanna, M. Farooque, Javed Akhtar Ansari, Aziz-ur-rahman

ABSTRACT

Parkinsonism is neurodegenerative disorder that causes combination of the movement abnormalities such as tremor, slow movement, impaired speech and muscle stiffness mainly due to the loss of dopamine containing neurons. Use of herbal drugs is an important initiative in the treatment of chronic diseases. In the present study we evaluated antiparkinsonian activity of two popular herbal drugs Swertia chirata and Hemidesmus indicus against haloperidol-induced parkinsonism (Catalepsy) in wistar rats. MESC and MEHI were prepared by successive solvent extraction (Soxhlet apparatus) & two doses 75 & 100 mg/kg i.p. of MESC and MEHI were evaluated for antiparkinsonian activity. Benzhexol was used as reference standard drug. Normal saline was used as a control. Pretreatment of test animals with Swertia chirata and Hemidesmus indicus (75 & 100 mg/kg i.p.) reduced the catalepsy score in haloperidol treated rats. Both (75 & 100 mg/kg i.p) doses of Swertia chirata and Hemidesmus indicus were protective against haloperidol-induced catalepsy (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). These herbal drugs also showed significant antidepressant effect. Thus the present study suggests that the Swertia chirata and Hemidesmus indicus has antiparkinsonian and antidepressant activity. Flavonoids, Phenols and Terpenes may be the responsible leads for our present antiparkinsonian activity. Further in depth studies are needed to explore & establish the role of these chemical constituents.

Keywords: Methanolic Extract of Swertia Chirata (MESC) and Hemidesmus indicus (MEHI), Muscular Rigidity, Catalepsy, Haloperidol.