PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF IN VITRO ANTI-OXIDANT AND IN VIVO ANTI-DEPRESSANT ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC BARK EXTRACTS OF ANNONA MURICATA ON MICE

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-depressant potentials of the Ethanolic bark extract of Annona muricata. Ethanolic bark extracts of Annona muricata was subjected to preliminary and quantitative phytochemical screening. In vitro Anti-oxidant activity of Annona muricata was performed using phosphomolybdenum assay with Ascorbic acid as the standard. As the extract exhibited potent anti-oxidant activity, it was investigated further for its anti-depressant activity using Forced swim test(FST), Tail suspension test(TST), Digital photoactometer test (DPT) and Open field test(OFT). Imipramine & Fluoxetine [10mg/kg] were used as reference drugs for the anti-depressant experiments. Ethanolic Bark extract of Annona muricata exhibited significant anti-oxidant activity with significant increase of absorbance in a concentration dependent manner while in anti-depressant activity there was considerable decrease in the immobility time . Altogether, these results suggest that the Ethanolic bark extract of Annona muricata could be used as a potential anti-oxidant and anti-depressant agent.