ฤทธิ์ลดความวิตกกังวล ลดภาวะซึมเศร้า และเสริมความจำของสารสกัดใบขลู่ด้วยน้ำ ในหนูเมาส์เพศผู้

Thanawat Kaewkamson; Kornsuda Thipart; Wirote Rodson; Koneouma Senvorasinh; Jintana Sattayasai

Authors

Thanawat Kaewkamson Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University
Kornsuda Thipart Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University
Wirote Rodson Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University
Koneouma Senvorasinh Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University
Jintana Sattayasai Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

Keywords:

Anxiety, Depression, Memory, Pluchea indica leaf extract

Abstract

Anxiety, depression, and memory impairment are among the most common neurological and psychological disorders affecting mental health worldwide. Although several pharmacological treatments are currently available to manage these conditions, the use of medicinal plants as alternative or complementary therapies has gained considerable attention. Various herbs have been scientifically reported to exert beneficial effects through the modulation of neurotransmitter levels in the brain and/or by exhibiting antioxidant properties that protect neurons from oxidative damage and degeneration. Since Pluchea indica leaves are traditionally consumed as a health-promoting tea and are rich in flavonoids known for their antioxidant and neuroprotective activities, the aqueous extract of Pluchea indica leaves (PIE) was investigated in this study for both its phytochemical composition and its biological activities related to brain function. Specifically, the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of PIE were determined, and its effects on anxiety, depression, and memory were evaluated in male mice using elevated plus maze (EPM), forced-swim test (FST) and Morris water maze test (MWT), respectively. The results showed that PIE contained a total phenolic content of 159.05 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per gram of the extract and a total flavonoid content of 48.49 mg quercetin equivalents (QE) per gram of the extract. Antioxidant analysis, assessed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, showed an IC₅₀ value of 34.50 µg/mL compared with 15.31 µg/mL for ascorbic acid. Oral administration of PIE, at doses of 50 or 100 mg/kg body weight/day, significantly reduced anxiety-like behavior, alleviated depressive-like symptoms, and enhanced memory performance. These findings suggest that Pluchea indica tea, commonly consumed as an herbal infusion, may have some benefits on brain health.

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