Anti-depressant activities of Theobroma cacao Extract on Reserpine-induced Depression in Female Wistar Rats.

ABSTRACT

Background: Depression is one of the most commontypes of neurological disorder, which is a markedpattern of disturbances in emotional behavior, memoryand hedonic processing. Aim and Objectives: Toinvestigate the role of ethanolic extract of Theobromacacao seed on the prefrontal cortex of female Wistarrats following reserpine-induced depression. Materialand Methods: Thirty-six (36) female Wistar rats wereused for this study. They were divided into six (A - F)groups (n = 6). Group A- control, Group B - 0.2 mg/kgreserpine, Group C - 10 mg/kg fluoxetine, Group D -500 mg/kg Theobroma cacao seed extract, Group E -0.2 mg/kg reserpine + 500mg/kg Theobroma cacaoseed extract, Group F - 0.2 mg/kg reserpine + 10mg/kgfluoxetine. Animals were euthanized via cervicaldislocation after the last day of administration and theprefrontal cortex and hippocampus were excised andfixed in 10% formalin solution for routine histologicalprocessing while the part used for biochemical assaywere homogenized in phosphate buffer beforecentrifugation. Results: Morphological alteration andreduced population of prefrontal cortex andhippocampus neurons, reduced protein synthesis, poorbehavioral patterns, reduced neurotransmission andinduction of oxidative stress in reserpine exposedanimal. Conclusion: Theobroma cacao seed extractwas able to mitigate these aberrations.