The antidepressive activity of tablets containing the dry peony root extract, L-tryptophan, and glycine in the model of reserpine-induced depression in rats

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24959/nphj.26.212

Keywords:

reserpine; dry extract of peony roots; L-tryptophan; glycine; antidepressive effect.

Abstract

Aim. To study the antidepressive properties of new combined tablets containing the dry peony root extract, L-tryptophan, and glycine in the model of reserpine-induced depression in rats.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted on 40 white outbred male rats weighing 200–250 g. A depression-like state was induced by the intraperitoneal administration of reserpine (4 mg/kg). The test drug was administered transbuccally in the dose of 35 mg/kg for four days. Imipramine (15 mg/kg) was used as a reference drug. The antidepressive activity was assessed by measuring rectal temperature, blepharoptosis, behavior in the open field test, and performance in the Porsolt forced swimming test. The statistical processing was performed using the Student’s t-test with significance set at p ≤ 0.05.

Results. The reserpine administration caused the development of typical depression-like manifestations, including hypothermia, pronounced blepharoptosis, reduced locomotor and exploratory activity, and increased immobility duration in the forced swimming test. The test drug significantly attenuated hypothermia and reduced the severity of blepharoptosis. In the open field test, a partial restoration of the locomotor and exploratory activity was observed compared to the pathology control group. In the Porsolt test, the latency to immobility significantly increased by 14 %, while the total and mean immobility duration decreased by 34 % and 44 %, respectively (p < 0.05). The results observed may be due to the combined action of the drug components: L-tryptophan as a serotonin precursor, glycine as a modulator of the glutamatergic neurotransmission and a neuroprotective agent, as well as biologically active compounds of the peony extract with the potential sedative and neuromodulatory activity.

Conclusions. The new combined tablets containing the dry peony root extract, L-tryptophan, and glycine demonstrate the antidepressive-like activity in rats in the reserpine-induced depression model. The drug significantly attenuates the major behavioral and somato-vegetative manifestations of the depressive state although its effect is less pronounced than that of imipramine. These findings substantiate the feasibility of further preclinical studies.

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Published

2026-03-31

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Vol. 111 No. 1 (2026): News of Pharmacy

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