Thursday , 28 March 2024

Evaluation of Antidepressant Activity of Mimosa Pudica in Experimental Mice

Gampa Vijaya Kumar*1, Dr. Y. Sridhar2, A. Mounika3
1Professor and Head, Dept. of Pharmacy, KGR Institute of Technology and Management, Rampally, Kesara, Rangareddy, Telangana, India.

2Professor, KGR Institute of Technology and Management, Kesara, Rangareddy, Telangana, India.
3KGR Institute of Technology and Management, Rampally, Kesara, Rangareddy, Telangana, India.

A B S T R A C T
Depression is the most common of the affective disorders (disorders of mood rather than disturbances of thought or cognition); it may range from a very mild condition, bordering on normality, to severe (psychotic) depression accompanied by hallucinations and delusions. There are two types and they are Unipolar and Bipolar The pharmacological evidence does not enable a clear distinction to be drawn between the noradrenaline and 5-HT theories of depression. Clinically, it seems that inhibitors of noradrenaline reuptake and of 5-HT reuptake are equally effective as antidepressants though individual patients may respond better to one or the other. Drugs that inhibit 5-HT uptake (termed SSRI) include fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, citalopram and sertraline. Fluoxetine is currently the most prescribed antidepressant. As well as showing selectivity with respect to 5-HT over noradrenaline uptake, they are less likely than TCA to cause anticholinergic side-effects and are less dangerous in overdose. In contrast to MAOI (see below), they do not cause ‘cheese reactions’. They are as effective as TCA and MAOI in treating depression of moderate degree but probably less effective than TCA in treating severe depression. Mimosa pudica L. (Mimosaceae) also referred to as touch me not, live and die, shame plant and humble plant is a prostrate or semi-erect subshrub of tropical America and Australia, also found in India heavily armed with recurved thorns and having sensitive soft grey green leaflets that fold and droop at night or when touched and cooled. These unique bending movements have earned it a status of ‘curiosity plant’. It appears to be a promising herbal candidate to undergo further exploration as evident from its pharmacological profile. It majorly possesses antibacterial, antivenom, antifertility, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, and various other pharmacological activities. The herb has been used traditionally for ages, in the treatment of urogenital disorders, piles, dysentery, sinus, and also applied on wounds. This work is an attempt to explore and compile the different pharmacognostic aspects of the action plant M. pudica reported till date.
Keywords: Mimosa pudica, depression, noradrenaline, paroxetine, citalopram and sertraline

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