Antidepressant effects of Apocynum venetum leaves in a forced swimming test

An extract of the leaves of Apocynum venetum L. (Apocynaceae) markedly shor tened the immobility time of male rats in a forced swimming test (FST) in a dose range of 30-125 mg/kg, indicating a possible antidepressant activity. This effect was comparable to that of the tricyclic antidepressant imipram ine (20mg/kg), Neither imipramine (20 mg/kg) nor the Apocynum extract in va rious doses (30, 60, 125 mg/kg) produced any overt behavioural change or mo tor dysfunction in the open field test. This result confirms the assumption that the antidepressant effect of an Apocynum extract in the FST is specif ic. Further, it can be speculated that this effect might be related to hype roside and isoquercitrin which are major flavonoids in the extract.