Antidepressant and anxiolytic activity of Safoof-i Sawda: A polyherbal Unani formulation in rats

Introduction: Safoof-i Sawda (SS) is a traditional Unani medicine which is used for the treatment of neurological disorders. The study has been performed to evaluate the antidepressant & anxiolytic activity of SS in animals. Method: Anti-depressant activity of SS was evaluated using FST and TST. NISFL test, OFE, and LD test were performed to study the anxiolytic activity. Imipramine (10 mg/kg, p.o.) & Diazepam (1 mg/kg, p.o.) were given as comparator. One way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test was used. Results: Immobility time is reduced in two lower dose group in both FST and TST model. Feeding latency was reduced in all SS treated groups (P<0.05; P<0.01). In LD test model, SS reduced latency to enter light compartment at 1000 & 1500 mg/kg. Statistical evaluation of frequency to transfers between dark to light chamber showed that diazepam, SS 1000 mg/kg & SS 1500 mg/kg caused a significantly higher transfer frequency. Time spent in light chamber was significantly increased in diazepam group (P<0.05), SS 1000 mg/kg (P<0.05) & SS 1500 mg/kg (P<0.01). Conclusions: SS showed significant anti-depressant activity at two lower tested doses in FST & TST. Anxiolytic effect of the SS was observed at all three tested doses in NISFL test model, while in LD test model, two higher doses of SS showed a significant anxiolytic effect. In OFE test model, despite the increase in parameters in SS group in comparison with vehicle control, none of the three tested dose of SS showed statistically significant effect.