Mohammad Amin Hatami Nemati - Young Researchers and Elite Club, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Zahra Abbasy - Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Mahsa Hadipour Jahromi - Associate professor, Department of Pharmacology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Poorya Davoodi - Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
Kimia Vatani - Young Researchers and Elite Club, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Background: The relationship between the treatment of depression and plant-derived substances (e.g., flavonoids, coumarin, and Scopoletin) has been demonstrated through interference with the monoamine system. The present study was planned to evaluate the anti-depressant effects and active ingredients of Asperula odorata L. plant through behavioral tests in mice. Material and methods: In this experimental study, ۳۵ male Syrian mice weighing ۳۰-۴۰ g were examined in five groups (n=۷) as follow: received oral distilled water gavage (control), ۱۰ mg/kg of fluoxetine solution gavage (reference standard), ۱۰, ۵, and ۲.۵ mg/kg of A. odorata L. extract gavage (treatment groups). After one week, all behavioral tests, including tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze test (EPMT), and fractionation tests were performed each morning for ۴-۶ h within five days. Results: The hydroalcoholic extract of A. odorata contained phenolic and flavonoid substances (Shinoda test confirmed flavonoid family). Administration of extract (۱۰ and ۵ mg/kg doses) versus fluoxetine (۱۰ mg/kg dose) reduced the immobility of animals in both FST and TST (P<۰.۰۵). At the OFT, the administered extract increased the number of central square entries of animals with higher mobility (P<۰.۰۵). At a ۱۰ mg/kg dose, the active flavonoid ingredients increased the mice's incline to entre and spent more time within no wall parts of EPMT (P<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Our study suggests that the hydroalcoholic extract of A. odorata L. could have significant anti-depressant activity.

Anti-Depressant; Flavonoid; Asperula Odorata L.; Monoamine Oxidase; Mice