Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Pistacia atlantica kurdica and Fluvoxamine on Anxiety-Like Behavior in Male Rat under Immobilization Stress

Today, use of herbal products for treatment of neurological disorders, including anxiety has become commonplace. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Pistacia atlantica kurdica and fluvoxamine on anxiety-like behavior in male rats under immobilization stress.
In this experimental study, 30 mature male wistar rats weighting 170±30g, were divided into 5 groups of 6 each. To induce immobilization stress in the treatment groups, the restrainer was used, and to assess the anxiety-like behavior, the plus-maze test was used, and administration of extract of pistachio (400mg/kg) and fluvoxamine (120mg/kg) was performed through gavage. At the end, the levels of malondialdehyde and catalase in the brain homogenate as well as corticosterone and glucose in serum samples, were measured.
According to evaluation indices for anxiety-like behavior in mice, the effects of pistachio extract had significant difference compared to stress group. This extract improved the anxiety-like behavior with increasing the time spent in the open arms of the maze in the groups treated with the extract and extract皻 compared to the stress group. Also, the extract increased the catalase and decreased malondialdehyde, glucose, and corticosterone levels in extract and extract皻 treatment groups compared to control group. Increased time spent in the open arms, increased catalase, and decreased malondialdehyde and corticosterone, were observed in the fluvoxamine treated group.
Based on the results of this study, the immobilization stress-induced anxiety-like behavior in animals, decreased by hydroalcoholic extract of pistachio and/or by fluvoxamine in the treatment groups