NEUROPROTECTIVE PROPERTIES OF BAMBUSA VULGARIS ON DEPRESSION VIA NORADRENALINE UP-REGULATION AND SCAVENGING OF OXIDATIVE RADICALS

ABSTRACT Background: Bambusa vulgaris plant is used in folk medicine in the management of some ailments, one of these is the use of the leaves in the treatment of malaria fever for which a number of patients have reported its beneficial effects. Preliminary ethno-botanical findings revealed the use of the plant in neurological disorders including depression. Aims and Objective: To evaluate the effects of Bambusa vulgaris leaf extract on behavioral despair in mice using standard models of depression, specifically the forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST); and its likely mechanisms of activity. Methods: Methods: Mice were administered distilled water (10 ml/kg), Bambusa vulgaris at doses of 100, 200, and 400, mg/kg, or Fluoxetine at 20 mg/kg. One hour after treatment, the mice were subjected to behavioral assessments using the forced swim and tail suspension tests, with relevant parameters observed for five minutes. Following these tests, mice were euthanized using ethyl ether; the brains harvested and were subsequently analyzed for noradrenaline functions and oxidative stress markers activities, including malondialdehyde (MDA), Glutathione (GSH), Catalase, and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD). Results: In acute toxicity studies, oral administration of up to 2 g/kg b.wt /day/ p.o. of Bambusa vulgaris did not elicit any sign of toxicity or mortality within 24 hours to 14 days. Bambusa vulgaris (100 and 200 mg/kg) was found to reduce the duration of immobility in Tail suspension test when compared with negative control. The effect of the extract at 200 mg/kg was found to be comparable to the standard drug. Bambusa vulgaris at 100-400 mg/kg significantly increased the noradrenaline concentration in the brain compared to the distilled water treated group. B. vulgaris significantly decreased the MDA level and increased the Glutathione (GSH), Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Conclusion: The findings in this study shows that Bambusa vulgaris extract possesses antidepressant-like activity, thus highlighting the potential of the plant extract as a promising natural therapeutic agent for the treatment of depression, possibly through up-regulation of noradrenaline transmission and inhibition of oxidative biomarkers. Keywords: Bambusa vulgaris; Antidepressant-like activity; Fluoxetine; Noradrenaline transmission; Central nervous system disorders.