PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF SOME NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS AGAINST CHRONIC FATIGUE INDUCED ALTERATIONS

The present study was carried out using mice model of chronic fatigue syndrome ( CFS) in which mice were forced to swim everyday for 15 days for a 6 min session. There was a significant increase in despair behaviour ( immobility period) in saline treated mice on successive days. Treatment with herbal products Glychyrrhiza glabra (100 & 200 mg/kg, po ), Asparagus racemosus (100 & 200 mg/kg, po ), & Convulvulus pluricaulis (100 & 200 mg/kg, po ). Fluoxetine , a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor produced a significant effect only on first and third day of its treatment. Biochemical analysis revealed that chronic swim test significantly increased lipid peroxidation and decreased in the levels of super oxide dismutase ( SOD) in the brains of mice. Fluoxetine affected the biochemical variables not to the same extent as other treatments. The findings of the present study suggests that oxidative stress might play a significant role in the pathophysiology of CFS. Thus antioxidants as Glychyrrhiza glabra , Asparagus racemosus & Convulvulus pluricaulis could be useful in the treatment of CFS.