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This study was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective effect of Citrus aurantium essential oil on hippocampal injury induced by transient global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rat. In total 50 rats were randomly assigned into five groups; control, sham, ischemia, and essential oil-treated (50 or 75 mg/kg) rats. Ischemia was induced by occlusion of the carotid artery for 30 min. Spatial memory, passive avoidance learning, anti-oxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation during ischemia/reperfusion were evaluated. The compounds of the essential oil were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Induction of ischemia/reperfusion caused a decline in learning and passive avoidance memory in rats. C. aurantium exerted protective effects on the spatial memory, passive avoidance learning, anti-oxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation during ischemia/reperfusion in animals. The main compounds of the essential oil were camphor (45.9%), thymol (11.2%), linalool (6.6%), carvacrol (6.3%) and borneol (2.9%). The essential oil with anti-oxidant compounds significantly decreased the symptoms of ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antidepressant effects of grape seed oil in male mice (n=60) using tail suspension and forced swim tests. Mice were divided to six groups of 10 in each group. Group I: Intraperitoneally receiving normal saline; Group II: Received normal saline & stress; Group III-V: Injected (i.p.) with different (60, 120, and 240 mg/kg) doses of grape seed oil; and Group VI: Received fluoxetine (10 mg/kg). Grape seed oil in 60 mg/kg significantly decreased immobility time in tail suspension and forced swim tests under chronic unpredictable stress compared to groups under chronic stress receiving normal saline and grape seed oil (120 and 240 mg/kg). Grape seed oil (60 mg/kg) significantly improved the motor balance in mice under chronic stress. It had no significant effect on serum corticosterone level. Grape seed oil can improve depression symptoms in mice. Video Clip of Methodology: 0 min 14 sec Full Screen Alternate

Depression is a life-threatening, debilitating, and common disease affecting different segments of community. Chemical and synthetic drugs available to treat this disease cause many adverse effects and may lead to complete recovery in only 50% of patients. At the same time, medicinal plants have been reported to exert optimal pharmacological effects in treating depression in different models. In this review, the relevant articles indexed in the reliable databases PubMed, PubMed central, Scopus and Web of Science were review-ed. The review indicated that most medicinal plants exerted antidepressant effects through synaptic regulation of serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine, regulating activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, reinfor-cing anti-oxidant defense system, and decreasing inflammatory mediators. The medicinal plants and their active compounds can relieve depression through different pathways and hence are considered a new source to produce antidepressants.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Borago officinalis on morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice. Morphine-dependent group received morphine for nine days and then received naloxone via intraperitoneal injection. Control group received saline for nine days. Post-treated group received B. officinalis extract intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg) on the day 10 before naloxone injection. Co-treated group received B. officinalis extract intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg) and morphine for nine days and then received naloxone. Extract-treated group received extract for nine days and then received naloxone. Naloxone injection significantly increased the frequency of jumping, blinking, ptosis, defecation, paw trembling, and two-legged standing in comparison to the control group. Co-treatment and post-treatment with B. officinalis extract significantly decreased the withdrawal symptoms. In conclusion, hydroalcoholic extract of B. officinalis significantly attenuated the symptoms of morphine withdrawal syndrome. Video Clip of Methodology: 8 min 11 sec Full Screen Alternative