Antidepressant properties:
The antidepressant effects of total triterpenes from
CA on the immobility time in forced swimming mice
and concentration of amino acid in mice brain tissue
was observed. In the study, imipramine and total
triterpenes from CA reduced the immobility time
and ameliorated the imbalance of amino acid levels
confi rming the antidepressant activity of CA[29]. The
same authors investigated the possible antidepressant
effect of total triterpentes of CA by measuring the
corticosterone levels in mice brain[30]. The contents of
monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in
rats cortex, hippocampus and thalamus were evaluated
wherein significant reduction of the corticosterone
level and increase of the contents of 5-HT, NE,
DA and their metabolites 5-HIAA, MHPG in rat
brain were observed which further strengthened the
postulated involvement of total triterpenes of CA in
ameliorating the function of HPA axis and increasing
the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters for its
antidepressant effects.