Anticonvulsant and antidepressant effect of the ethanolic extract of Annona reticulata leaves in rat

Abstract

Epilepsy and depression are Central Nervous System (CNS) conditions that cause suffering and morbidity among the Mexican population1,2. Although there are drugs for its therapy, sometimes they are ineffective and promote adverse effects that lead to the abandonment of treatment by the patient.3,4 Species of the annonaceae family are used in traditional Mexican medicine for their anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, however, the therapeutic properties of the species of Annona reticulata (A. reticulata)5,6 are not known. The objective of this study consisted in making a discernment of the possible anticonvulsant and antidepressant effects in experimental models in rats. Method: the dried leaves of A. reticulata prepared as an ethanolic extract were used to evaluate its effects as an anticonvulsant in the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure test and as an antidepressant in the forced swim test. In Wistar rats, sodium valproate and imipramine were used as reference drugs, respectively. Results: A. reticulata increased latency and decreased the severity of seizures and reduced depressive behavior. Conclusion: this study provides preclinical evidence of the anticonvulsant and antidepressant properties of A. reticulata leaves, reinforcing its potential in the search for therapeutic alternatives for CNS disorders.