Beneficial Effects of Sambucus nigra in Chronic Stress-Induced Neurobehavioral and Biochemical Perturbation in Rodents

Background: Stress is the causative factor for various diseases and disorders faced by the majority of the diseased population. The leaves of Sambucus nigra (S. nigra) are attributed to neuropharmacological properties as per literature. Considering the above, the S. nigra hydroalcoholic extract was tested for adaptogenic activity in animals. Objective: The study deals with the evaluation of S. nigra hydroalcoholic extract for adaptogenic activity using cold immobilization and footshock induced stress. Materials and Methods: The S. nigra hydroalcoholic extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) was administered to treatment groups 1 hour before footshock for 14 consecutive days and cold immobilization stress for 10 consecutive days, respectively. The current work was carrying out to investigate the adaptogenic activity of S. nigra against footshock stress induced perturbations in behaviour (sexual behaviour, depression, and cognitive dysfunction). Suppressed male sexual behaviour, percentage active avoidance response and duration of immobility in footshock stress were used as the stress indices. Additionally, liver function (SGOT, SGPT, and ALP), lipid profiles (TC, TG, HDL, LDL, and VLDL) and differential leukocytes counts (neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocyte, and monocyte) in cold immobilization stress were assessed in terms of stress indices. Diazepam (1 mg/kg) was served as the standard adaptogenic agent as per literature review for comparison. Results: All these chronic stress-induced perturbations were reversed, dose-dependently by S. nigra (2000 and 400 mg/kg) and diazepam (1 mg/kg). The dose group 400 mg/kg p.o. of S. nigra hydroalcoholic extract for adaptogenic activity in cold immobilization and footshock induced stress method showed significant variation (P< 0.1) when is compared with the stress control group. Conclusion: S. nigra hydroalcoholic extract showed significant adaptogenic activity was indicated by qualitatively results comparable to diazepam, against a range of biochemical and behavioural perturbations induced by chronic stress.