Comparative Study of Antidepressant Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Aloe Vera and Zingiber Officinale with Fluoxetine on Mice

T he antidepressant effects of Aloe vera and Zingiber officinale hydro alcoholic extract at different concentrations were compared with the fluoxetine-treated and the control groups of mice using forced-swimming, FST and TST tests. The mice were evaluated in six groups (control, taking aloe vera at the dosage levels of 150 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, Zingiber officinale the dosage levels of 175 mg/kg, 350 mg/kg and  finally fluoxetine at a dose of 10 mg/kg) by the FST and TST tests on 1st, 7th, and 14th days. The results of FST and TST test indicate the antidepressant effects of Aloe vera and Zingiber officinale even at low doses and it was found that the effect of fluoxetine at a dose of 10 mg/kg was approximatly equivalent to the effect of aloe vera at a dose of 150 mg/kg for the reduction in immobility time in mice in FST and TST test. According to the results obtained from FST and TST test, with regard to the experiments performed at different times, all the evidence pointed to the conclusion that the antidepressant effect of Aloe vera and Zingiber officinale was more than the control group and the antidepressant effect of  Zingiber officinale was more than the Aloe vera. Based on the results of the FST and TST tests, Aloe vera and Zingiber officinale extract at different doses, has favourable antidepressant effects on mice as compared to the fluoxetine-treated and the control groups and the better effects were seen by increasing the dose and duration of drug use.