EVALUATION OF ADAPTOGENIC ACTIVITY OF PRUNELLA VULGARIS Research Article

This study was conducted to evaluate antistress potential of ethanolic extract of leaves of Prunella vulgaris in rats and mice. The present study was to investigate the influence of forced swimming endurance stress on swimming endurance time, organ weights and biochemical parameters in rats and anoxic tolerance test in mice. These activities are tested at oral doses of extract at 50 and 100 mg/kg. Pretreatment with extract significantly ameliorated the stress induced variations in these biochemical parameters serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, BUN and cortisol levels and organ weights in these stress models. The extract treated animals also showed increased swimming endurance time and anoxic tolerance duration in mice. This ability of Prunella vulgaris to prolong the swimming time and ameliorate the stress induced changes in both stress models, therefore suggests adaptogenic property.