Gallic Acid from Terminalia Bellirica Fruit Exerts Antidepressant-like Activity

Terminalia bellirica(Gaertn.) Roxb., Combretaceae, fruits are used in Indian system of medicine for multiple therapeutic applications. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of gallic acid extract from T. bellirica fruits on chronic mild stress-induced depression-like activity in mice model. The results showed that administration of T. bellirica ameliorated chronic mild stress-induced depression-like behavior by increased sucrose preference and decreased immobility time. Further, T. bellirica treatment has significantly regulated hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by decreasing serum corticosterone and acetylcholinesterase. In addition, T. bellirica treatment has significantly modulated monoaminergic system by elevating neurotransmitters and inhibiting monoamino oxidases. Terminalia bellirica treatment has effectively antagonized the chronic mild stress-induced oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death as evidenced by mRNA or protein expression studies. Thus, the study concluded that T. bellirica produces an antidepressant-like activity by regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, monoaminergic systems, and apoptotic cell death.