Antidepressant, antiamnesic activity, and toxicity profile of the ethanolic extract of Gerbera jamesonii Adlam flowers

The study evaluated the antidepressant, antiamnesic, and toxicity profile of the ethanolic extract of Gerbera jamesonii Adlam (EEGJ) flowers.The antidepressant activity of EEGJ (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) was assessed in rats using the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST).Antiamnesic effects were evaluated using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test and novel object detection test (NODT).Acute toxicity studies were conducted following OECD-420 guidelines.EEGJ exhibited dose-dependent antidepressant activity, significantly reducing immobility duration (p<0.001) compared to reserpine-treated animals in both TST and FST.EEGJ also showed significant antiamnesic effects in scopolamine-induced amnesia models.Treated animals showed improved transfer latencies in the EPM (p<0.001 vs. scopolamine) and higher discrimination indices in NODT (p<0.001 vs. scopolamine), indicative of enhanced learning and memory.Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of active constituents such as flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, and phenols, which are likely responsible for the observed pharmacological effects.The ethanolic extract of G. jamesonii flowers demonstrated significant antidepressant and antiamnesic activities with a favourable safety profile.These findings suggest EEGJ's potential as a therapeutic agent for managing depression and memory-related disorders.