Shanbhag et al.                                                                                                     nelumbo nucifera flower extract in mice 

Vol 1 | Issue 3 | Oct – Dec 2022                                                                                    Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 108 

  Original Article  

Screening of antidepressant activity of nelumbo nucifera flower extract in mice 

Preeti Shanbhag1, Ramdas Bhat2, Sweta Prabhu3, AR Shabaraya4 

From, 1PG Scholar, Department of Pharmacology, 2Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, 3PG Scholar, Department of 

Pharmaceutics, 4Principal and Professor, Srinivas College of Pharmacy, Valachil, Mangalore, India 

Corresponding to: Ramdas Bhat, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Srinivas College of Pharmacy, Valachil, 

Mangalore, India -574143. Tel.: +91 7795772463, Email ID: ramdas21@gmail.com 

ABSTRACT 

Objective: To evaluate the anti-depressant activity of "Nelumbo nucifera" in experimental mice. Methods: The acute toxicity studies 

were conducted on fresh "Nelumbo nucifera" flower extract. The extract (100–200 mg/kg) was able to induce the mice's immobility 

duration in the Forced swimming and Tail suspension tests in a dose-dependent manner; the effects are comparable to those of 

popular drugs, such as Imipramine (10 mg/kg).  Result: Both the lower dose (100mg/kg) and higher dose (200mg/kg) showed a dose-

dependent significant decrease in depression. In line with Imipramine, our study found that the ethanolic extract of "Nelumbo 

nucifera" significantly (p>0.005) decreased immobility in both the tail suspension test and the forced swimming model of depression. 

These findings showed that "Nelumbo nucifera" exhibited in vivo effects that were selectively anti-depressant. Conclusion: The 

results of this study, in summary, revealed that "Nelumbo nucifera" ethanolic extract may have anti-depressant properties that make 

them potentially useful for treating patients with depressive disorders. However, more research is required to comprehend the 

mechanism of action and to pinpoint the key ingredient that produces anti-depressant-like activity. 

Keywords: Anti-Depressant, Nelumbo nucifera, Imipramine, Tail Suspension Test, Force Swimming Test 

round 280 million individuals worldwide suffer from 

depression. Depression is distinct from common 

mood swings and fleeting emotional reactions to 

problems in daily life. Every year, around 700,000 people die 

by suicide a depressive episode lasts at least two weeks and is 

characterised by a depressed mood (sad, irritated, or empty 

feelings) or a loss of enjoyment or interest in activities for the 

majority of each day. Depending on the frequency and 

severity of symptoms, the influence on the person's 

functioning, and the length of the episode, a depressive 

episode can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Due to 

the negative side effects of synthetic pharmaceuticals, drugs of 

plant origin are becoming more and more popular. For the 

treatment of a variety of illnesses, Ayurveda uses plants, plant 

derivatives, and the active compounds found in plants. Despite 

the lack of scientific evidence supporting the antidepressant 

properties of "Nelumbo nucifera," this study was chosen to 

examine the antidepressant effect of "Nelumbo nucifera" in 

mice. The flower is chosen for the study as a result [1].  

The current study's objective was to assess the “Nelumbo 

nucifera” flower extract's anti-depressant effects. Millions of 

people worldwide suffer from depression, a serious mental 

health problem, and the standard medications used to treat it 

have several side effects. Therefore, there is a need for 

alternative therapies that are both safer and more potent. 

“Nelumbo nucifera”, which has the potential to be an anti-

depressant, has been widely utilised in traditional medicine for 

a variety of reasons in this regard [2]. Two commonly utilised 

animal models, Tail suspension test and the Forced swimming 

test, were used to assess extract's anti- depressant potential. 

The findings demonstrated that the extract significantly 

reduced depressive symptoms in both tests.Alkaloids, 

flavonoids, inositol, proteins, and saponins were all found in 

the “Nelumbo nucifera” flower extract, according to the 

results of the phytochemical screening. It is known that these 

phytoconstituents have a range of pharmacological properties, 

including antidepressant effects. These substances may be a 

factor in the extract's apparent antidepressant action [3, 4]. 

Although more research is required to pinpoint the precise 

mechanisms at play, the anti-depressant effects of “Nelumbo 

nucifera” flower extract may be caused by the presence of 

these phytoconstituents. However, “Nelumbo nucifera” may 

be used as an alternative treatment for depression, as shown 

by the study's findings. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

The nectar of the "Nelumbo nucifera" flower, which was 

verified by taxonomist Mrs Aparna Upadhyaya, will be 

obtained from a pond close to Mangalore. The Department of 

Pharmacology at Srinivas College of Pharmacy carried out the 

current investigation. 

A 

mailto:ramdas21@gmail.com


Shanbhag et al.                                                                                                     nelumbo nucifera flower extract in mice 

Vol 1 | Issue 3 | Oct – Dec 2022                                                                                    Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 109 

Animal: From the Indian Institute of Sciences, adult Swiss 

albino rats (weighing 22–25g) of either sex were obtained. 

They will be kept in a standard environment with the 

following parameters: temperature 22°C, relative humidity 

50%, and a 12-hour light/dark cycle. All investigations were 

approved by the institutional animal ethics committee. 

Plant extract: After being chopped, the fresh lotus flowers 

were dried for 72 hours at 50°C in a hot air oven. For seven 

days, dried flowers were macerated in 95% ethanol. The 

extract was turned into a powder by being evaporated in a 

rotary evaporator and dried in a freeze-dryer. It was then kept 

at -20°C until it was needed. 

Preliminary phytochemical screening: The ethanolic extract 

of "Nelumbo nucifera" was screened for the presence of 

various phytoconstituents like Alkaloids, Flavonoids, inositol, 

proteins and saponins. 

Acute toxicity: "Nelumbo nucifera" flower ethanolic extract 

was tested for acute toxicity by the 2002 revision of OECD 

guideline No. 423. Animals were monitored for fourteen days 

for any changes in behaviour, and 24 hours a day showed no 

toxicity in mice when administered in doses up to 2000 mg/kg 

orally, 100 and 200 mg/kg doses of the extract were utilised in 

subsequent investigations. 

Experimental design 

Tail suspension test: A total of 24 mice were divided into 4 

groups of six. 

GROUP 1: CONTROL (SALINE) 

GROUP 2: STANDARD (IMPIRAMINE 10mg/kg) 

GROUP 3: NNFE (LOW DOSE – 100mg/kg) 

GROUP 4: NNFE (HIGH DOSE – 200mg/kg) 

As a control group received a saline solution, Group 2 

received Imipramine and Groups 3& 4 received a low and 

high dose of “Nelumbo nucifera” ethanolic extract, 

respectively. The medications were administered orally one 

hour before the trial. Each mouse was held 150 cm off the 

ground, about 1 cm from the tail tip, using adhesive tape. The 

testing will take place in a silent, well-lit environment. Six 

minutes in total were logged during the immobility time. The 

animal initially moved wildly in an attempt to escape, but 

when they were unable to do so, they became immobile. 

Following that, the mice received medication for 21 days. 

Following that, the immobility time was monitored for a total 

of 6 minutes. 

Forced swim test: A total of 24 mice were divided into 4 

groups of six. 

GROUP 1: CONTROL (SALINE) 

GROUP 2: STANDARD (IMPIRAMINE 10mg/kg) 

GROUP 3: NNFE (LOW DOSE – 100mg/kg) 

GROUP 4: NNFE (HIGH DOSE – 200mg/kg) 

As a control group received a saline solution, Group 2 

received Imipramine and Groups 3& 4 received a low and 

high dose of “Nelumbo nucifera” ethanolic extract, 

respectively. The medications were administered orally one 

hour before the trial. The animal was inserted into the model 

to begin the test. Individual mice were made to swim for 15 

minutes in an 11-centimetre-diameter glass beaker that was 

kept at a constant temperature of 27°C and filled with fresh 

water to a height of 6 centimetres. Here the "Per test" session 

was over. 24 hours later, each mouse was required to swim for 

6 minutes in the same habitat once more as part of a "Test 

session." The test session was conducted both before and after 

the medication therapy. A mouse is considered static if it 

floats stationary or moves just enough to keep its head above 

the water's surface. On average, the final four minutes of the 

six-minute exam were spent motionless. 

Tail suspension test 

Table 1: Effect of “Nelumbo nucifera” flower extract in tail suspension test 

DOSE DURATION OF MOBILITY IN TST (IN SECONDS) 

DAY 1 DAY 7 DAY 14 DAY 21 

CONTROL (Saline) 211.3±0.7350 218.4±0.855 209.9±0.4900 204.8±1.370 

STANDARD (Imipramine) 123±1.555*** 129.8±0.2200*** 140.3±0.8500*** 125.4±1.060*** 

TEST 1 (Nelumbo nucifera 100mg/kg) 141.1±1.055** 128.3±0.8200** 136.8±0.2050** 136.5±0.700** 

TEST 2 (Nelumbo nucifera 200mg/kg) 130.4±0.9250*** 132.3±1.145*** 128.5±1.080*** 136.5±0.9700*** 

Forced swimming test 

Table 2: Effect of NELUMBO NUCIFERA flower extract in Forced swim test on mice 

DOSE DURATION OF MOBILITY IN FST (IN SECONDS) 

DAY 1 DAY 7 DAY 14 DAY 21 

CONTROL (Saline) 224.3±0.400 218.7±0.4000 227.1±0.0500 220.3±0.2500 

STANDARD (Imipramine) 126.3±1.000*** 120.0±0.3500**** 130.3±0.4000*** 132.0±0.7500*** 

TEST 1 (Nelumbo nucifera 100mg/kg) 171.7±1.800** 159.8±0.0500** 164.4±0.8500** 152.1±0.900** 

TEST 2 (Nelumbo nucifera 200mg/kg) 141.7±0.8400*** 144.9±0.3350*** 142.9±0.3300*** 144.0±0.4900*** 



Shanbhag et al.                                                                                                     nelumbo nucifera flower extract in mice 

Vol 1 | Issue 3 | Oct – Dec 2022                                                                                    Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 110 

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Graph 1: Effect of “Nelumbo nucifera” flower extract in 

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Graph 2: Effect of NELUMBO NUCIFERA flower extract 

in Forced swim test on mice 

RESULTS 

On preliminary phytochemical analysis of NNFE showed the 

presence of phytoconstituents like Alkaloids, Carbohydrates, 

Flavonoids, Glycosides, Saponins, Steroids, Tannins, Protein, 

Inositol. Acute toxicity of NNFE showed no behavioural 

changes nor mortality at a dose of 2000mg/kg. By examining 

the variations in the period of inactivity in the two models, the 

anti-depressant effects of the ethanolic extract of “Nelumbo 

nucifera” (100mg/kg and 200mg/kg) and standard 

medications Imipramine were investigated. 

DISCUSSION  

Animal models like the forced swimming test (FST) and the 

tail suspension test (TST) are frequently used to examine the 

effectiveness of possible antidepressant medications. A tiny 

rodent (such as a mouse or rat) is used in the FST, and the 

duration of time the animal remains motionless is tracked. The 

duration of immobility is used to gauge depressive-like 

behaviour. The animals are given antidepressant medication 

before the test, and the difference in immobility time is used to 

determine the effectiveness of the medication. Similar to this, 

the TST involves suspending a small rat by its tail and timing 

how long it remains still. The immobility time, like the FST, is 

used as an indicator of depressive-like behaviour, and the 

change in immobility time following the administration of 

antidepressant medications is used to assess the efficacy of 

those medications.  

The FST and TST have both been extensively utilised in 

preclinical investigations and have been proven to be accurate 

measures of a drug's antidepressant effectiveness. These 

models have significant drawbacks as well, though. For 

instance, some have claimed that the immobility duration in 

the FST and TST might not truly reflect animal behaviour that 

resembles depression because the immobility could be caused 

by other things, such as exhaustion or hopelessness. 

The FST and TST are nevertheless often employed in 

preclinical research despite these critiques because of their 

simplicity of use and the close relationship between the 

outcomes of these tests and the clinical effectiveness of 

medications in humans. The FST and TST are still useful 

methods for researching the effectiveness of possible 

antidepressant medication as a result. The Forced swimming 

test and the Tail suspension test were used in the study to 

evaluate the “Nelumbo nucifera” flower extract's anti-

depressant potential. “Nelumbo nucifera” may be used as an 

alternative treatment for depression because the results 

demonstrated considerable anti-depressant effects.Alkaloids, 

flavonoids, inositol, proteins, and saponins were found in the 

extract, indicating the possibility that these phytoconstituents 

contributed to the anti-depressant effect that was reported.  

The study did, however, have certain drawbacks, including 

a small sample size, a lack of human trials, and a limited 

understanding of the mechanism of action. It will take more 

investigation with larger sample sizes and human studies to 

validate these findings and pinpoint the precise mechanisms at 

play [5-10]. Hence the present study showed “Nelumbo 

nucifera” might be useful in depression, as it increases 

dopamine levels in the brain increase decrease monoamine 

oxidase. Our results confirm the traditional use of plants as 

antidepressants. 

CONCLUSION 

In summary, this study's findings suggest that “Nelumbo 

nucifera" flower extract may have promise as an 

antidepressant. Because of the considerable anti-depressant 

action seen in both animal models, there is reason to believe it 

could be used as an alternative to traditional depression 

treatments. More investigation is needed to identify the 

precise mechanisms at play and assess their safety and 

effectiveness in human studies. However, these findings add 

to the expanding body of research that shows traditional 

medicine is effective in treating mental health illnesses like 

depression. 



Shanbhag et al.                                                                                                     nelumbo nucifera flower extract in mice 

Vol 1 | Issue 3 | Oct – Dec 2022                                                                                    Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 111 

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How to cite this article: Shanbhag P, Bhat R, Prabhu S, 

AR Shabaraya. Screening of antidepressant activity of 

nelumbo nucifera flower extract in mice. Indian J Pharm 

Drug Studies. 2022; 1(3) 108-111. 

Funding: None                Conflict of Interest: None Stated