Open AccessEvaluation of phytochemical constituents by GC-MS and antidepressant activity of Peganum harmala L. seeds extract
Author(s) -
D. Sassoui,
Ratiba Seridi,
Kenza Azin,
Marianna Usaï
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
asian pacific journal of tropical disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.208
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 2222-1808
DOI - 10.1016/s2222-1808(15)60967-7
Subject(s) - peganum harmala , harmaline , harmine , phytochemical , chemistry , traditional medicine , behavioural despair test , chromatography , pharmacology , antidepressant , biology , medicine , biochemistry , hippocampus
Objective: To identify the phytochemical constituents of Peganum harmala L. (P. harmala)\udseeds extract by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and evaluate their\udantidepressant activity.\udMethods: The seeds extract was analyzed by GC-MS to identify their major chemical\udcompounds. The antidepressant activity of P. harmala was demonstrated using the forced\udswim test and the adrenocorticotropic hormone analysis. After oral administration of the seeds\udextract and diazepam in rats, the immobility time in the forced swim test was measured and the\uddefecation rate was estimated for all rats.\udResults: GC-MS analysis showed the presence of indole alkaloids (β-carboline), for exmaple\udharmaline (48.009%), harmine (38.440%), tetrahydroharmine (8.513%), tetrahydroharman\ud(0.061%) and 6-methoxytetrahydro-1-norharmanone (0.057%) were present in the extract. The\udresults showed that the P. harmala extract (100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) were able to reduce the\udimmobility time (80.20 ± 9.01, 46.80 ± 8.53; P < 0.001), the adrenocorticotropic hormone rate\ud(131.33 ± 12.72, 49.72 ± 13.03; P < 0.001) and the defecation rate (1.400 ± 1.342, 0.600 ± 0.548;\udP < 0.01), respectively.\udConclusions: This indicates that the seeds extract can correct the depression and reach the\udnormal state of the treated animals. The results demonstrated that seeds represented a source of\udindole alkaloids (harmaline, harmine and tetrahydroharmine)