Showing papers by "Manal Mohamed Elhassan Taha published in 2017"
TL;DR: The essential oil of the bark of Cinnamomum altissimum Kosterm obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by capillary GC and GC-MS, and the content of total phenolics in the extracts was determined spectrometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) as discussed by the authors.
44 citations
TL;DR: The current results suggest that the extract of Khat leaves has acute antidepressant properties and may have sedative effects.
Abstract: Background: Catha edulis Forsk. (Khat) is traditionally used for treating various disorders. Nevertheless there are no reports of any scientific assessment of its psychopharmacological properties. Objective: Therefore, the current study was designed to evaluate the antidepressant-like activity of Khat ethanolic extract using established animal models of depression and stress. Materials and Methods: Ninety healthy male albino mice were used in this study. Forced swim, tail suspension and head poking tests were utilized to evaluate the antidepressant-like activity of the ethanolic extract of Khat (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, i.p.) and escitalopram (standard drug) which were administered 30 min prior to the tests. Phytochemical analysis of the standardized extract was conducted using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Results: A significant decrease in the head-dipping behavior was noticed after administration of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of Khat extract. Moreover, the extract significantly decreased the immobility time in tail suspension and forced swim tests. The presence of cathinone and cathine were detected in the extract using LC-MS. Conclusion: The current results suggest that the extract of Khat leaves has acute antidepressant properties and may have sedative effects. Abbreviations used: LC-MS: Liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy; NIST: National institute of standard technology; SSRI: Serotonin reuptake inhibitors; FST: Forced swim test; TST: Tail suspension test.
17 citations