The effects of Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br. extract fraction in the chick anxiety-depression model

Jessica M Carpenter; Mary K Jourdan; Emily M Fountain; Zulfiqar Ali; Naohito Abe; Ikhlas A Khan; Kenneth J Sufka

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.08.019

The effects of Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br. extract fraction in the chick anxiety-depression model

J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Dec 4:193:329-332. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.08.019. Epub 2016 Aug 20.

Authors

Jessica M Carpenter¹, Mary K Jourdan², Emily M Fountain², Zulfiqar Ali¹, Naohito Abe¹, Ikhlas A Khan¹, Kenneth J Sufka³

Affiliations

¹ National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
² Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
³ National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA. Electronic address: pysufka@olemiss.edu.

PMID: 27553978
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.08.019

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br. has been reported to elevate mood, reduce anxiety and stress and alleviate pain.

Aim of study: This study sought to examine the effects of an S. tortuosum alkaloid enriched fraction in the chick anxiety-depression model, a model that shows high predictive validity as a pharmacological screening assay.

Material and methods: Socially-raised male Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks (4-6 days old) were given IP vehicle, imipramine (10mg/kg), or S. tortuosum fraction (10, 20, 30mg/kg in Exp. 1 or 50, 75, 100mg/kg in Exp. 2) 15min prior to a 60min isolation test period in which distress vocalizations (DVoc) were continuously recorded.

Results: Vehicle chicks displayed high DVoc rates in the anxiety phase (first 3min). DVoc rates declined about 50% (i.e., behavioral despair) in the depression phase (30-60min). S. tortuosum fraction at 75 and 100mg/kg decreased DVoc rates during the anxiety phase indicative of an anxiolytic effect. Imipramine, but not S. tortuosum groups, increased DVoc rates in the depression phase indicative of an antidepressant effect.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that an alkaloid enriched S. tortuosum fraction may benefit some forms of stress-related disorders.

Keywords: Anxiety; Chick; Depression; Kanna; Kougoed; Sceletium tortuosum.

MeSH terms

Animals
Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use*
Anxiety / drug therapy*
Chickens
Depression / drug therapy*
Disease Models, Animal*
Imipramine / therapeutic use
Male
Mesembryanthemum / chemistry*
Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*

Substances

Antidepressive Agents
Plant Extracts
Imipramine