Investigating the Anti-Depressant and Anxiolytic Effects of the Rosa canina L. Fruit in Syrian Rats Treated with Bisphenol A

The pathophysiology of depression is very complex. Rosa canina L fruit contains various antioxidant compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects of the aqueous- alcoholic extract of the Rosa canina L fruit in the behavioral tests including forced swimming, tail suspension, maze, and sucrose preference tests, as well as biochemical tests such as antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde levels. Rosa canina L with high amounts of vitamin C, has anti-depressant and anxiety effects.

In this experimental study, 60 Syrian male mice were divided into 5 groups of 12, including the control group, the bisphenol A group, and three groups treated with oral bisphenol A at a dose of 125 mg/kg per day and the aqueous- alcoholic extract of the Rosa canina L fruit at doses of 100, 200, 400 mg/kg/day was administered from day 50 to 120 after birth. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software and the One Way ANOVA test. The level of significance was set at p<0.05.

The findings showed that bisphenol A significantly increased the duration of immobility in the forced swimming and tail suspension test. The extract at the level of 400 mg/kg decreased the duration of immobility in both tests. Bisphenol A significantly reduced the antioxidant capacity of serum and brain. The extract at the level of 400 mg/kg significantly increased the antioxidant capacity of both the brain and serum.

The findings of this research showed that the fruit of the Rosa canina L has antioxidant effects, and with a significant decrease in antioxidant capacity and immobility in Syrian mice treated with the extract, therefore it has anti-depressant and anxiety effects.