{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.020870337477797513, 'fraction_numerical': 0.008658969804618118, 'mean_word_length': 5.274373259052925, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Antidepressant-Like Effects of Dracocephalum moldavica L. in Mouse Models of Immobility Tests

INTRODUCTION Depression is a mental disorder which according with the World Health Organization is the second cause of disability worldwide, and it has been estimated that around 350 million people suffer from depression. Depression is characterized by a depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure in almost all daily activities. Depressed individuals have feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty in thinking, concentrating or making decisions. In the most severe cases situations recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation are common; according to the World Health Organization about 800 000 people commit suicide worldwide. There are also physical alterations including decreased energy, loss of appetite, changes in body weight, altered sleep patterns and psychomotor activity. At least seven to eight of the after mentioned symptoms have to be presented during a period of two or more weeks to have a positive diagnostic according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.1,2 The physiopathology of the disease is explained by the monoamine hypothesis which states that a deterioration of the serotonergic and noradrenergic systems causes a decrease in the production of monoamines altering the chemical brain communication.3 Recently, it has been shown that an increase of stress affecting cortisol release is associated with brain cell damage and reduction of the hippocampal specifically the CA1–CA3 region.4 During centuries many plants and more recently hallucinogens mushrooms with the psicoactive compound spilocybin, have been associated with an efficient and safe antidepressive effect. Among the several plants studies with an antidrepessive action, Dracocephalum moldavica L. is a plant that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. The plant is a herbaceous type with a height of 80 cm, native to Central Asia, but they can be reproduced throughout the eastern and central part of Europe. According with to popular knowledge, the plant has been used vastly to combat heart disease, blood pressure, angina, atherosclerosis, neuralgia, migraine, headache and toothache. Additionally, it has been reported that some extracts of the plant have sedative and analgesic effects.5,6 In Mexico Dracocephalum moldavica L. has been adapted in the central region of the country, growing during all year, even though the weather conditions are different from the ones in its found homeland. DmL has a characteristic smell of lemon giving the presence of the essential oils, geraniol and citral, which have been describied with a relax and tranquilizing effect. In traditional Mexican medicine, Dracocephalum moldavica L. is known as "toronjil azul or toronjil chino" and it has been used as a tranquilizing and sedative remedy. Moreover, a synergic effect, on the sedative and tranquilizing effect of toronjil azul is seen when administered together with Agastache mexicana ssp. xolocotziana also known as "toronjil blanco".7,8 In Mexico its main use is the combination of two plants known "toronjil morado", it has been reported that this infusion is known as "the three toronjiles" which is recommended for some nervous diseases.7,8 Some studies of Agastache species have been used in traditional medicine, recent studies reveal the frequent appearance of flavonoid glycosides and flavonoids compounds. Since it is well known that ABSTRACT The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the antidepressant activity of the ethanolic extracts of “toronjil azul”(Dracocephalum moldavica L.). Methodology: The forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) were performed on CD-1 mice to evaluate the antidepressant activity of the ethanolic extracts. The ethanolic extracts were administered orally at an 80 and 100 mg/kg. The animals were dosed 1, 6 and 24 h before initiating the FST assay and 40 minutes before for the TST assay. Imipramine and fluoxetine were dosed at 15 mg/kg, while the flavonoid quercetin was given an a lower concentration of 10 mg/kg as a positive controls. Results: The extracts of Dracocephalum moldavica L. and significantly decreased the immobility time in the FST and TST assays when compared with the negative control and reported similar values than those obtained with the positive controls. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate that extract of Dracocephalum moldavica L. have antidepressant effect similar to those obtained by.