Antiaggresive activity of standardised extract of Indian Hypericum perforatum L

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to evaluate in vivo anti-aggressive potential of standardised extract of Indian Hypericum perforatum (IHp) by using defensive and offensive behavioural models in rodents. Standardised extract of IHp was evaluated for its potential effects against defensive or offensive aggressive behaviour of rodents. IHp extract was orally administered at two dose levels (100 and 200 mg/ kg of body weight) once daily for three consecutive days, lorazepam (2.5 mg/kg, p.o.), was used as standard anti-aggressive agent. Control group animals were given equal volume of vehicle (0.3 % carboxy methyl cellulose). Anti-aggressive activity was evaluated using following validated models of aggression viz. foot shock-induced aggression, isolation-induced aggression, resident-intruder aggression, water competition test and apomorphine induced aggression in rodents. IHp extract has demonstrated dose dependant anti-aggressive activity in the aforementioned validated models of aggression. IHp at both dose levels (100 and 200 mg/kg) have shown promising anti-aggressive activity qualitatively comparable to that of lorazepam.