Comparative Characteristics of Antidepressant, Anti-Hypoxic Action and Effect on the Physical Endurance of Scutellaria baicalensis Drugs

INTRODUCTION: Creation of new effective drugs based on plant material is relevant and a priority direction of modern pharmacy. Herbal origin preparations have recently become very popular due to the variety of therapeutic effects, provided by both individual substances and complex compounds found in plant material.
METHODS: Study of antidepressant properties of SBDE, SBRP, "Scutex" and "Scutella" drugs and reference drug conducted by mice tail suspension test (despair behavior).Antihypoxic effect was evaluated on the model of normobaric hypoxic hypoxia with hypercapnia. The impact of the studied substances on the physical endurance of mice was studied by a test of swimming with the load.
RESULTS: The obtained results indicate that SBDE at a dose of 50 mg/kg increases latent time of freezed mice. Action of SBDE exceeded the effect of reference drug "Bilobil". So SBDE possesses antidepressant action.All drugs of SB- SBDE, SBRP, "Scutex" tablets, "Scutella" capsules as well as "Bilobil" did not affect the physical endurance of mice in the test of swimming to exhaustion. So SBRP at a dose of 260 mg/kg has the most significant antihypoxic effect in terms of normobaric hypoxic hypoxia with hypercapnia and exceeds the effect of comparison drug, and at a dose of 173 mg/kg SBRP acts at the level of reference drug.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: SBDE at a dose 50 mg/kg shows antidepressant activity. SBRP at doses 173 mg/kg and 260 mg/kg does not show antidepressant action, as well as tablets "Scutex" and capsules "Scutella." SBDE, SBRP, tablets "Scutex" and capsules "Scutella" do not affect the physical endurance of mice. SBDE at a dose 50 mg/kg and SBRP at a dose of 173 mg/kg and 260 mg/kg exhibit antihypoxic activity exceeding the activity of the reference drug "Bilobil." "Scutex" tablets show no antihypoxic action and "Scutella" capsules cause probable antihypoxic action.