Evaluation of Antidepressant Effect of Hydroalcoholic Leaf Extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. in Albino Mice

Research Article

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder are strongly linked to monoaminergic insufficiency, sympathoadrenal hyperreactivity, and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dysregulation. Synthetic drugs present variable clinical remission rates and debilitating adverse effects, driving the investigation of bioactive botanical alternatives. The present research work evaluates the phytochemical constitution and antidepressant-like pharmacological profile of the hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. (HECH) in Swiss albino mice. Qualitative phytochemical characterization was conducted alongside behavioural screening utilizing acute behavioural despair assays, specifically the forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST), in parallel independent cohorts assessed across defined temporal intervals. Quantitative neurochemical evaluations encompassing circulating serum serotonin, adrenaline, prolactin, and corticosterone, along with whole-brain tissue levels of dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline, were performed via high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, phytosterols, reducing sugars, and coumarins. Administration of HECH (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, orally) elicited marked, dose-dependent reductions in immobility duration across both the FST and TST, displaying peak behavioural efficacy at 90 minutes post-treatment that closely paralleled the reference selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). Biochemically, HECH augmented serum serotonin while significantly attenuating stress-evoked elevations in serum adrenaline, prolactin, and corticosterone. In whole-brain homogenates, HECH restored dopamine and noradrenaline concentrations while blunting excessive stress-induced central adrenergic surge. These outcomes demonstrate that the hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum exerts robust antidepressant-like activity through dual restoration of central monoaminergic transmission and mitigation of maladaptive neuroendocrine and sympathoadrenal stress reactivity.