Evaluation of anti-anxiety activity of Garcinia indica using Vogel water lick conflict test in rats

Background: Anxiety is usually described as a psychological, physiological and behavioural state induced in animals and humans by a threat to well-being or survival, either actual or potential. In modern medicine, benzodiazepines are still commonly used anti-anxiety agents in spite of their unfavourable adverse effect profile. Traditional herbs like Garcinia indica (Kokum) known to have possible therapeutic relevance in treatment of anxiety as a potential anxiolytic herb. So, this study was conducted to evaluate anti-anxiety effect of Garcinia indica in both, low and high doses, using Vogel’s conflict test which is of broad significance to clinical anxiety. Methods: Wistar albino rats of either sex (150-250 g) were divided into four groups with eight rats in each group. Different groups were given distilled water (0.5 ml p.o.), Diazepam (1 mg/kg p.o.), Garcinia indica (1.75 gm/kg p.o.) and Garcinia indica (3.5 gm/kg p.o.) respectively. Effect of test drugs on anxiety was evaluated using Vogel’s water lick conflict test. Parameters such as number of water licks, total number of shocks tolerated were assessed. Results expressed in mean and standard deviation were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test followed by Tukey’s test. Results: Diazepam and high dose Garcinia indica (3.5 gm/kg) showed statistically significant increase in number of water licks and number of shocks tolerated but low dose Garcinia indica (1.75 gm/kg) did not show any significant increase in these parameters. Conclusions: This study shows that high dose Garcinia indica possess significant anti-anxiety effect comparable to that of diazepam.