The effects of traditional tonics on fatigue in mice differ from those of the antidepressant imipramine: A pharmacological and behavioral study

dThe present studies were undertaken to investigate the differences between the antidepressant drug, imipramine, and liquid nutritive and tonic drugs (NTDs) that consist of Ginseng radix, Epimedii herba, Holen and an addition al eight to twelve crude drugs. After preloading forced swimming, the NTD ( applied orally, 0.1 ml/10 g) significantly increased the duration time of s wimming and decreased the duration time of immobility, while the administra tion of imipramine (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) under the same conditions and after the same treatment did not produce these positive effects. After pre treatment with 100 mg/kg tetrabenazine, the NTDs also elicited both the inc reased locomotor activity and the decreased duration time of immobility. Th e behavioral effect was similar to treatment with imipramine. The NTDs show ed a long lasting effect on swimming behavior in the forced swimming test f or 15 min, indicating a prolonged efficacy, not like the short effect of im ipramine. The present results indicate that the effect of NTDs on fatigued subjects is different from that of imipramine, probably due to involvement of another factor in addition to the antidepressant effect.