Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves ofColocasia esculentaon marble-burying behavior in mice: Implications for obsessive–compulsive disorder

Abstract

Context: Over the past decades, the inhibition of spontaneous burying of glass marbles by mice has been used as an index of anxiolytic drug action in the so-called marble-burying test. Although Colocasia esculenta Linn. (Araceae), commonly known as elephant ear (English), possesses several medicinal properties, little is known for its use in neurological activity. Objective: The current research evaluated the anti-obsessive-compulsive disorder (anticompulsive) activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta (HECE) for the first time using the marble-burying behavior test in mice. Materials and methods: In the present study, the effect of HECE (25 and 50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.) was examined using the marble-burying behavior test, which is an animal model of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), using Swiss albino mice. Results and discussion: The acute toxicity studies showed that the LD 50 value of the HECE in mice was 1000 mg/kg by i.p. route. The effect of HECE (25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) was characterized by significant reduction in the number of buried marbles as compared with the control group (p50.001). The effect of HECE was comparable with that of fluoxetine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) -a reference standard drug used in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (p50.001). Fluoxetine and HECE do not produce any overt motor dysfunction. Conclusions:The results of the study for the first time show that the plant possesses anticompulsive activity, confirming the traditional claims. Future research should focus on the identification and the anti-compulsive activity of the constituents from this plant. KeywordsFluoxetine, marble-burying behavior, preliminary phytochemical screening History

A critical inquiry into marble-burying as a preclinical screening paradigm of relevance for anxiety and obsessive–compulsive disorder: Mapping the way forward

“…SSRI treatment, acting via increased synaptic 5-HT concentrations (Goddard et al, 2008), is the first line choice for the treatment of both anxiety (Bandelow et al, 2012;Bandelow et al, 2008) and OCD (Abramowitz et al, 2009;Fineberg, 2004), and has been well studied with the MBT (Table 1). These agents include fluoxetine (Kalariya, Prajapati, Parmar, & Sheth, 2015;Prajapati, Kalaria, Karkare, Parmar, & Sheth, 2011;Uday et al, 2007), fluvoxamine (Harasawa et al, 2006;Matsushima et al, 2009), citalopram (Krass et al, 2010;Li et al, 2006), and paroxetine (Casarotto et al, 2010;Saadat et al, 2006). Furthermore, like the 5-HT releaser fenfluramine (Njung'e & Handley, 1991a),…”

Increased Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Signaling Underlies Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder-like Behavioral and Striatal Circuit Abnormalities in Mice

“…Indeed, mGluR5 antagonists are efficacious in reducing anxiety-like and repetitive behaviors in mouse models (14–16). However, the diversity of signaling pathways targeted by drugs with demonstrated efficacy [e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (3,8), N -methyl-D-aspartate–type glutamate receptor antagonists (17), mGluR4 positive allosteric modulators (18), benzodiazepines and gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor agonists (19), as well as a number of treatments with unspecified or atypical mechanisms of action (20–22)] highlights the complexity of inferring molecular mechanism from treatment response, especially when the mechanism of the behavioral mouse model itself is unknown (14,15). In this study, we sought to establish whether increased mGluR5 signaling plays a causal role in driving OCD-relevant phenotypes.…”

Potential of Colocasia leaves in human nutrition: Review on nutritional and phytochemical properties

“…Kalariya, Prajapati, Parmar, and Sheth () reported anticompulsive activity demonstrated by the hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia (HECE). This study was carried on a group of adult male albino Swiss mice.…”

“…Of these nine clinical pathogens, the leaves extract showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacteria. Kalariya, Prajapati, Parmar, and Sheth (2015) reported anticompulsive activity demonstrated by the hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia (HECE). This study was carried on a group of adult male albino Swiss mice.…”