STUDY OF THE ANTIDEPRESSANT AND ANTINOCICEPTIVE ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF RHIZOMES OF ZINGIBER OFFICINALE IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

Objective: Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), a well-known spice plant, has been used traditionally in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments. The main objective of the work is to evaluate the antidepressant and antinociceptive activity of ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale in Swiss albino mice. Methods: The present study was design to evaluate the antidepressant property of Zingiber officinale as well as its interaction with conventional antidepressant drug using forced swim test and to evaluate possible mechanism involved in its action. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated by acetic acid induced writhing and its interaction with conventional analgesic drug was also noted. The rhizomes of ginger were authenticated and extraction of dried rhizomes was done by using soxhlet apparatus to obtain its ethanolic extract. Results: The alcoholic extract of Zingiber officinale (300mg/kg p.o and 150mg/kg p.o) for antidepressant activity significantly reduced the immobility time in mice (P<0.05) as compared to the vehicle control. The extract of Zingiber officinale (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly suppressed the acetic acid-induced writhing response in a dose-dependent manner in mice (P<0.05) as compared to the vehicle control. Conclusion: The plant extract of Zingiber officinale showed significant antidepressant activity in forced swim test model and significant antinociceptive effect in acetic acid induced writhing.