Effect of Different Doses of Ascorbic Acid on Depression in Mice

Ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble antioxidant vitamin and has several therapeutic applications in a wide range of diseases. It is considered as a neuromodulator as it is highly concentrated in the brain and, as such, has a possible therapeutic relevance for the treatment of depression. This study was conducted to investigate the anti-depressant effect of ascorbic acid in forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) and the correlation between the dose and its antidepressant action. 24 male mice were selected and divided into 4 groups. Group I received normal saline. Group II received venlafaxine (0.048mg/g); Group III and Group IV received 0.065mg/g and 0.13 mg/g of ascorbic acid. All animals received drug treatment intraperitonially (i.p.), thirty minutes before the test. The results showed that ascorbic acid at a dose of 0.13mg/g, decreased immobility period and increased swimming as well as climbing, significantly, (p<0.01) in both TST and FST as compared to normal saline treated group. The effect of ascorbic acid, at the dosage of 0.13mg/g, was comparable to that of venlafaxine while at the dose of 0.065mg/g, the effect was lesser than that of the standard group. We concluded that higher dosages of ascorbic acid are effective to produce an antidepressant effect.