The Protective Effect of Quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) Leaf Extract on Locomotor Activity and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in a Ketamine Model of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic debilitating psychiatric disorder affecting 1% of the population worldwide. As for key role of free radicals in the development of this disease and that Quince leaf is a natural source of antioxidant substances, this study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Quince leaf extract on locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviors by an intraperitoneal injection of ketamine in male mice in a ketamine model of schizophrenia.
In the experimental research, male adult mice were divided into six groups including: control, Sham (received water orally and saline intraperitoneally), psychosis group (received 10 mg/kg/day ketamine i.p. for 10 days) and treated psychosis groups (received 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg/day). Treated groups received hydroalcoholic Quince leaf extract orally for 3 weeks before injection of ketamine. Extract gavages continue for 5 days after the last ketamine injection. Locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavioral changes were measured in the open-field test.
The results showed that chronic administration of ketamine increases horizontal locomotor activity and anxiety like behaviors (p≤0.001) and pretreatment of Quince leaf extract effectively decreases horizontal locomotor activity (p The results of this research showed that chronic administration of Quince leaf extract improves locomotor disorder and induced anxiety-like behaviors by having antioxidant properties in a ketamine model of schizophrenia.