Evaluation of antidepressant effect of ethanolic extract of Rosa damascena using forced swimming test

Rosa damascena mill L [R. damascena] is a medicinal plant mostly known in the world for its perfume. It also has beneficial effects on stress, tension and depression. In this experiment antidepressant effect of ethanolic extract of R. damascena by forced swimming test [FST] was evaluated. Animals received ethanolic extract [15, 60 and 90 mg/kg, i.p], imipramine [15mg/kg, i.p; positive control], or saline [negative control]. Thirty min post- injection, immobility and swimming times were measured and compared in the different studied groups. Intraperitoneal injection of lower concentration of extract [15 mg/kg] did not change swimming and immobility times compared to the control group. The higher concentrations of extract [60 and 90 mg/kg] significantly increased immobility time and decreased swimming time. Therefore ethanolic extract at tested doses had no antidepressant effect in this study. Although ethanolic extract did not have antidepressant effect, we cannot rule out this effect altogether. In our opinion, antidepressant effect is masked by CNS depression effect of ethanolic extract of R. damascena

Antidepressant-like effect of aqueous extract from Rosa damascena in mice

Rosa damascena mill L [R. damascena] is an ornamental plant that has several therapeutic [such as sedative and hypnotic] effects. It also heals depression, grief, nervous stress and tension. In the present study we evaluated antidepressant-like effect of R. damascena using forced swimming test [FST]. Three doses of aqueous extract [15, 60 and 90 mg/kg] was injected intraperitoneally. After 30 min of injection, immobility and swimming times were measured and compared with control [negative control] and imipramine [positive control]. The results showed that low dose [15mg/kg] of extract significantly increased swimming time and decreased immobility time. However, the two high doses of extract [60 and 90mg/kg] had no significant effect on these parameters. These results proposed antidepressant-like effect of low concentration of aqueous extract of R. damascena

Hypnotic effect of Rosa damascena in mice

Rosa damascena [Rosaceae] has been found to act on central nervous system including the brain. Several studies confirm that Rosa damascena inhibits the reactivity of the hypothalamus and pituitary systems in rat and can suppress the reactivity of central nervous system. In traditional medicine the hypnotic effect of rose is also suggested. In the present study hypnotic effect of ethanolic, aqueous and chloroformic extracts of Rosa damascena was investigated in mice. Hypnotic method was based on potentiation of pentobarbital induced sleeping time by extracts. Three doses of extracts [100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg] were injected intraperitoneally in comparison with diazepam [3 mg/kg] as the positive control and saline as the negative control. Thirty min. after injection of extracts, pentobarbital [30 mg/kg] was injected and any increase in the sleeping time due to the extracts was recorded. Results showed that the ethanolic and aqueous extracts in doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg significantly increased the pentobarbital induced sleeping time [P<0.001, compared to the negative control], which was comparable to diazepam. The chloroformic extract showed no hypnotic effect