Objective: Many pharmacological activities have been reported for Feijoa sellowiana. The aim of present study was to investigate antidepressant activities of its leaf and fruit extracts.
Materials and methods: Antidepressant activities of methanolic extracts were evaluated by modified forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension tests (TST) in male Swiss albino mice.
Results: Extracts showed signicant antidepressant activity in both models. They shortened remarkably the immobility period in both FST and TST and exhibited a dose dependent activity (p < 0.001). Leaf extract showed better activity than fruit extract. At 800 mg kg-1, it showed far better activity than imipramine in FST (p < 0.001). Both extracts showed significantly better activity than imipramine in increasing climbing time (p < 0.001). They showed significant activity in increasing in swimming time as compared to the control group (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Our studies indicate that Feijoa showed significant antidepressant activity. It produced dose dependent effect on both models. It seems this effect is mainly mediated by inhibition of reuptake of catecholamines. These results introduced these plants as easily accessible source of natural antidepressant.