title: Behavioral and biochemical studies of dichloromethane fraction from the Areca catechu nut.
abstract: The dichloromethane fraction from Areca catechu was found to inhibit monoamine oxidase type A isolated from the rat brain with an IC50 of 665 +/- 65.1 microg/ml. Studies with pharmacological models of depression, i.e., forced swim and tail-suspension tests, indicated that it caused significant reduction in the immobility time similar to that of moclobemide (a selective inhibitor of MAO-A) without causing a significant change in motor performance. Alkaloids such as arecaidine, arecoline, and a few other constituents, reported to be present in Areca catechu were also tested, but none of them were found to inhibit MAO. Present study suggests that the dichloromethane fraction from A. catechu possesses antidepressant property via MAO-A inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Section, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khatoon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001114:Areca / Q000737:chemistry*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D020912:Moclobemide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D015016:Yohimbine; D008752:Methylene Chloride; D020912:Moclobemide