Antidepressant-Like Activity of Rhazya Stricta in Forced Swimming and Tail Suspension Tests in Mice

Objective: Natural agents may be useful substitutes for prescription antidepressants. Rhazya stricta possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential antidepressant effects of Rhazya stricta. Methods: Rhazya stricta was extracted in methanol using maceration. Using the forced swimming test (FST) on C57BL/6 mice and the tail suspension test (TST) on BALB/c mice, antidepressant activity was assessed. The animals were divided into the following groups: methanolic extract of Rhazya stricta (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg; n = 6 per group), standard-treatment groups (citalopram and desipramine; n= 6 per group), and control (saline with 2% DMSO; n=6). Intraperitoneal injections (10 ml/kg of mice) were used. Analysis of variance was used to examine the data, and LSD post hoc tests were then performed. Data are expressed as the mean±standard error of the mean (SEM). Results: Citalopram (10 mg/kg) and desipramine (20 mg/kg), two antidepressant-positive controls, significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST (from 129.5±4.9 to 73.7±2.5and 82.8±5.1 s, respectively) and TST (from 82.5±2.9 to 45.3±1.9 and 46±1.8 s, respectively) compared with the control group (p<0.001). Methanolic extract of Rhazya stricta significantly decreased immobility time in both behavioral models with progressively greater effects at higher doses within the range tested, reaching the largest effect at 40 mg/kg (p<0.001). Conclusion: The methanolic extract of Rhazya stricta demonstrated antidepressant-like activity in the FST and TST in mice, particularly at 40 mg/kg. Further studies are required to identify the active constituents and establish the underlying mechanisms, safety, and pharmacological relevance.