Evaluation of Antidepressant Effect of Ethanolic and Aqueous Extracts of Silybum marianum L. Seed in Mice

Depression is one of the most psychiatric disorders that there are many treatments for it. Milk thistle is a plant which has many pharmacologic effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer. It is reported that silymarin (main component of milk thistle) increase the concentration of some neurotransmitter in brain. Evaluation of the antidepressant effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of milk thistle. We investigated the antidepressant effect of aqueous (0.72, 1.26, 1.80 g/kg) and ethanolic (0.24, 0.42, 0.6 g/kg) extracts using modified forced swimming test in mice. The ethanolic extract did not have any effect on the duration of immobility of mice. However, the aqueous extract significantly reduced the duration of immobility versus the control group. Aqueous extract of milk thistle showed antidepressant effect in animal model.