Antidepressant activity of Spathodea campanulata in mice and predictive affinity of spatheosides towards type A monoamine oxidase

Abstract

The antidepressant activity of Spathodea campanulata flowers was evaluated in mice and in silico. When tested at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, the methanol extract of S. campanulata (MESC) showed dose-dependent antidepressant activity in the force swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), lithium chloride-induced twitches test and the open field test. In FST and TST, animals treated with MESC demonstrated a significant decrease in the immobility period compared to the control group. The lithium chloride-induced head twitches were significantly reduced following administration of MESC. The latter, at the dose of 400 mg/kg, also significantly reduced locomotor activity. Following administration of MESC, changes in the levels of serum corticosterone, and of norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured in different brain regions using HPLC. The presence of spatheoside A (m/z 541) and spatheoside B (m/z 559) in MESC was detected using HPLC/ESI-MS.These two iridoids demonstrated a high predictive binding affinity for the active site of the type A monoamine oxidase (MAO-A) enzyme with scores of 99.40 and 93.54, respectively. These data suggest that S. campanulata flowers warrants further investigation as a source of novel templates for antidepressive drugs.

Bridging the Chemical Profiles and Biological Effects of Spathodea campanulata Extracts: A New Contribution on the Road from Natural Treasure to Pharmacy Shelves

“…In addition, its leaves have been reported to act as an anti-inflammatory agent and kidney protectant [ 2 ]. In another ethnobotanical report, the plant’s use in the treatment of some diseases, including fever, malaria, diabetes, and pigmentation problems, was stated [ 3 , 4 ]. Due to its ethnobotanical uses, the plant has been the subject of many phytochemical and pharmacological studies.…”

“…Due to its ethnobotanical uses, the plant has been the subject of many phytochemical and pharmacological studies. The presence of several bioactive compounds has been reported, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and iridoids [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. With regard to its pharmacological properties, a wide range of biological properties, from antioxidant to antiviral, has been declared [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

“…The presence of several bioactive compounds has been reported, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and iridoids [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. With regard to its pharmacological properties, a wide range of biological properties, from antioxidant to antiviral, has been declared [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Interestingly, the aqueous leaf extract of S. campanulata was found to exert potent larvicidal and pupicidal properties and induce morphological deformities in Aedes aegypti , a vector of dangerous pathogenic viruses, including chikungunya, dengue, Mayaro, yellow fever, and Zika viruses [ 16 ].…”

“…Methanolic extract from S. campanulata leaves was also shown to have rapid, long-lasting, and significant sedative and anxiolytic activities in mice [ 19 ]. In another study, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts from S. campanulata flowers (200 and 400 mg/kg) showed an antidepressant potential in two behavioural despair tests in mice, and their primary active iridoid ingredients—spatheoside A and spatheoside B—were found to inhibit the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) enzyme in a molecular docking analysis [ 3 ]. S. campanulata ethyl acetate extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) was also found to provide chemopreventive activity by improving the morphological characteristics of sperm as well as antioxidant status in lead acetate-induced testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats [ 20 ].…”

Anxiolytic, antidepressant and antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of Canarium resiniferum leaves

“…These doses were selected based on the acute oral toxicity results and were similar to those reported in previous studies examining the anxiolytic and antidepressant of plant extracts. 22 , 27 …”