Evaluation of Effect of Murraya koenigii on Restraint Stress Induced Perturbations

Aqueous (MKAQ), Hydroalcoholic (MKHA) and Methanolic extract (MKM) of leaves of Murraya koenigii (MK) at dose levels 50mg/kg 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg p.o. were investigated to gauge antistress activity in fresh wistar rats. Anti anxiety drug Diazepam (1mg/kg p.o.) and natural antistress Ashwagandha (AS) (100mg/kg p.o.) were used as standards. The animals were subjected to restraint stress (2 hrs/day) for 14 days to evaluate the anti-stress potential in chronic stress condition. Further they were tested to observe their effects on retrograde amnesia caused by chronic stress in elevated plus maze and Step down inhibitory avoidance tests. Nootropic drug Piracetam (200mg/kg p.o.) was used as a standard for cognition studies. Stimulation of hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis in stressful condition alters corticosterone, glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol, levels. There is also alteration in the norepinephrine 5HT and dopamine levels in the brain. Treatment with the extracts significantly ameliorated the stress-induced variations in these biochemical and bioamine levels. Treatment with MKM, MKAQ and MKHA extracts also prevented stress induced adrenomegaly . In cognition studies stress induced increase in latency period and decrease in step down latency in elevated plus maze models and Step down inhibitory avoidance test respectively was prevented. The results indicate that among three test extracts MKM was the most effective extract as compared to MKHA and MKAQ extracts of the plant thus possessing significant antistress potential against a variety of biochemical and physiological perturbations during stress.