Antidepressant, antianxiolytic and antiepileptic effects of Mojeaga herbal remedy®in albino miceRaymond

Abstract

The Mojeaga herbal remedy is made up of several herbs, including Alchornea laxiflora, Pennisetum purpureum, and Sorghum bicolour. It is primarily used to treat anaemia, boost immune system function, and provide antioxidant effects. The aim of this work is to investigate the antidepressant, anti-epileptic, and anxiolytic effects of the Mojeaga herbal remedy®. The forced swim test and the tail suspension test in mice were employed to examine the antidepressant effect. Pentylenetetrazol and strychnine-induced seizure models were used to assess the anti-epileptic activity, while the elevated plus maze was used to evaluate anxiolytic activity. Mojeaga extract at 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, and fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) significantly reduced immobility time when compared to the control (P < 0.05) in the forced swim and the tail suspension tests. In the elevated plus maze, diazepam (10 mg/kg) significantly increased the time spent in the open arm, the number of open arm entries, and the percentage of open arm entries when compared to control (P < 0.01). At doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg, the herbal remedy^® did not significantly protect against strychnine- or pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures. Diazepam (10 mg/kg) provided 25% protection against strychnine-induced convulsions and 50% protection against seizures caused by pentylenetetrazol. The study suggests that the herbal remedy Mojeaga has antidepressant-like properties, but it lacks anxiolytic and antiepileptic properties.