title: Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta on marble-burying behavior in mice: Implications for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over the past decades, the inhibition of spontaneous burying of glass marbles by mice has been used as an index of anxiolytic drug action in the so-called marble-burying test. Although Colocasia esculenta Linn. (Araceae), commonly known as elephant ear (English), possesses several medicinal properties, little is known for its use in neurological activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current research evaluated the anti-obsessive-compulsive disorder (anti-compulsive) activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta (HECE) for the first time using the marble-burying behavior test in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, the effect of HECE (25 and 50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.) was examined using the marble-burying behavior test, which is an animal model of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), using Swiss albino mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The acute toxicity studies showed that the LD50 value of the HECE in mice was 1000 mg/kg by i.p. route. The effect of HECE (25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) was characterized by significant reduction in the number of buried marbles as compared with the control group (p < 0.001). The effect of HECE was comparable with that of fluoxetine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) - a reference standard drug used in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (p < 0.001). Fluoxetine and HECE do not produce any overt motor dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study for the first time show that the plant possesses anti-compulsive activity, confirming the traditional claims. Future research should focus on the identification and the anti-compulsive activity of the constituents from this plant.
authors.affiliation: B. K. Mody Govt. Pharmacy College, Polytechnic Campus , Rajkot, Gujarat , India and.
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalariya
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prajapati
authors.forename: Sachin K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Parmar
authors.forename: Navin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sheth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D031060:Colocasia; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Fluoxetine; marble-burying behavior; preliminary phytochemical screening