Effects of South African traditional medicine in animal models for depression.
BACKGROUND
The four South African medicinal plants Agapanthus campanulatus (AC), Boophone distica (BD), Mondia whitei (MW) and Xysmalobium undulatum (XU) are used in traditional medicine to treat depression.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of ethanolic extracts of the plants in models for depression.


METHODS
The extracts were screened for affinity for the serotonin transporter (SERT) in the [(3)H]-citalopram-binding assay. The inhibitory potency of the extracts towards the SERT, the noradrenalin transporter (NAT) and the dopamine transporter (DAT) were determined in a functional uptake inhibition assay. Antidepressant-like effects of the extracts were investigated using the tail suspension test (TST) and the forced swim test in both rats (rFST) and mice (mFST).


RESULTS
All four plants showed affinity for SERT in the binding assay. AC and BD showed functional inhibition of SERT, NAT and DAT, MW affected SERT while XU showed no effect. BD showed significant effect in the TST and in the mFST/rFST, AC showed significant effect in mFST, MW showed significant effect in the rFST and XU showed significant effect in the mFST.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study we have demonstrated the antidepressant activity of four South African medicinal plants in vitro and in vivo, supporting their rational use in traditional medicine.
Pedersen
Mikael E
ME
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2 Universitetsparken, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark.
Szewczyk
Bernadeta
B
Stachowicz
Katarzyna
K
Wieronska
Joanna
J
Andersen
Jacob
J
Stafford
Gary I
GI
van Staden
Johannes
J
Pilc
Andrzej
A
Jäger
Anna K
AK
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D015283:Citalopram / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology
D000470:Alkaloids; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015283:Citalopram; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors