Abstract

PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ANTIDEPRESSANT-LIKE EFFECT OF VITAMIN E AND ITS COMBINATION WITH AMITRIPTYLINE: AN ACUTE STUDY

Rajas R. Jadhav*, Vitthal J. Chaware and Vivekkumar K. Redasani

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Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study to evaluate anti-depressant like effect of Vitamin E and its combination with amitriptyline against reserpineinduced depression in rats. Materials and Methods: Reserpine was injected to induce depression in all rats except normal control group. All animals were divided randomly into six groups (6 rats each); Group-I received Vehicle; Group-II received Reserpine; Group-III received Amitriptyline; Group-IV received Vitamin E; Group-V and VI received combination of Amitriptyline and vitamin E. Forced swim test and Actophotometer were used to assess anti-depressant activity. Result: In locomotor activity testing, locomotor activity count was found to be increased, when animals were treated with a combination of amitriptyline and vitamin E i.e amitriptyline (5mg/kg) with vitamin E (50mg/kg) and amitriptyline (10mg/kg) with vitamin E (50mg/kg). In forced swim test, latency to immobility time and duration of immobility time was found to be increased and decreased respectively, when animals were treated with a combination of Amitriptyline (5mg/kg) with vitamin E (50mg/kg) as well as amitriptyline (10mg/kg) with vitamin E (50mg/kg). Conclusion: Vitamin E showed potentiation and synergistic anti-depressant effect with amitriptyline.

Keywords: Depression, Antidepressant activity, Forced swim test, Reserpine, Vitamin E, Locomotor Activity.