Psychopharmacological properties of the saponin fraction of Ficus platyphylla stem bark

Abstract

The psychopharmacological effects of a saponin-rich fraction (SFG) obtained from crude methanolic extract of Ficus platyphylla stem bark were studied on spontaneous motor activity (SMA), pentobarbitalinduced sleep, motor coordination, amphetamine-induced hyperactivity and stereotyped behaviour, catalepsy, forced swim and tail suspension tests in rodents. SFG reduced SMA dose dependently, suggesting that it may contain psychoactive principles with sedative effects. The fraction shortened the onset and prolonged the duration of pentobarbital-induced sleep, which confirmed its sedative properties. The fraction diminished immobility time in forced swim and tail suspension tests, which is indicative of antidepressant properties. It attenuated amphetamine-induced hyperactivity and stereotyped behaviour, induced catalepsy and exacerbated haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rodents, but had no effect on motor coordination in the treadmill experiment at the doses tested. These effects were similar to those of classical neuroleptics and antidepressants. Our study provides scientific evidence of psychopharmacological effects of the saponin fraction of Ficus platyphylla stem bark and therefore supports further development of its psychoactive components as antipsychotics and antidepressants.

Keywords: Ficus platyphylla, depression, psychosis, sedation, spontaneous motor activity, stereotyped
behaviour.

Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. Vol. 2 (3) 2008: pp. 239-248