echinophora platyloba essential oil: chemical composition and antidepressant-like effects in reserpinized mice

Background: oxidative stress has been implicated as a contributing factor in the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety, potentially mitigated through the application of antioxidant-rich medicinal herbs. among these, echinophora platyloba dc., an endemic plant, was identified as a promising candidate for investigation. this study aimed to characterize the phytochemical profile of the essential oil of e. platyloba and evaluate its efficacy in alleviating depressive-like behaviors and oxidative stress in mice.methods: the essential oil extracted from the aerial parts of e. platyloba was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (gc/ms) analysis to identify its chemical composition. a total of 60 adult male nmri mice were randomly assigned to six groups: a negative control group, a reserpine-treated group, a positive control group, and three treatment groups receiving reserpine combined with e. platyloba essential oil at doses of 50, 75, or 100 mg/kg. behavioral assessments, including the tail suspension test (tst) and forced swim test (fst), were conducted to evaluate depressive-like behaviors. additionally, biochemical assays were performed to quantify antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress markers.results: administration of the essential oil significantly reduced locomotor activity in the open field test and substantially decreased immobility times in both the fst and tst, suggesting robust antidepressant-like effects. at a dose of 50 mg/kg, the essential oil significantly enhanced antioxidant capacity in brain and serum samples while reducing malondialdehyde (mda) levels, a key indicator of oxidative stress, in these tissues. the gc/ms analysis revealed that myristicin, α-phellandrene, and neocnidilide were the predominant constituents of the essential oil.conclusion: the essential oil of e. platyloba demonstrated significant antidepressant-like activity and effectively attenuated oxidative stress associated with depressive states, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic agent for depression management.