Article Title

Lycium barbarum L. (goji berry) fruits improve anxiety, depression-like behaviors, and learning performance: the moderating role of sex

Authors

FATMA PEHLİVAN KARAKAŞ
HAMİT COŞKUN
KADİR SAĞLAM
BİHTER GÖKÇE BOZAT

DOI

10.3906/biy-1507-114

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of the methanol extract obtained from Lycium barbarum fruits on anxiety, depression-like behaviors, and spatial memory in Wistar albino rats. A total of 28 rats were selected, randomly assigned to four experimental groups, and tested by means of the open field and elevated plus maze tests for anxiety-like behaviors, the forced swim test for depression-like behaviors, and the Morris water maze test for spatial memory. The findings demonstrated that in the open field, L. Barbarum-administered rats spent more time at the center and showed more mobility and velocity than controls. In the elevated plus maze, L. Barbarum-administered rats spent more time in the open arms, spent less time in the closed arms, and showed more mobility and velocity. In the Porsolt test, L. Barbarum-administered rats showed less immobility. In the Morris water maze, L. Barbarum-administered rats took more time to find the platform. However, females were better at finding the platform than males. The methanol extract of L. Barbarum fruits decreased anxiety and depression-like behaviors and interacted with sex on spatial memory.

Keywords

Lycium barbarum (goji berry), anxiety, depression, spatial memory, Wistar albino rat (Rattus rattus)

First Page

762

Last Page

771

Recommended Citation

KARAKAŞ, FATMA PEHLİVAN; COŞKUN, HAMİT; SAĞLAM, KADİR; and BOZAT, BİHTER GÖKÇE (2016) "Lycium barbarum L. (goji berry) fruits improve anxiety, depression-like behaviors, and learning performance: the moderating role of sex," Turkish Journal of Biology: Vol. 40: No. 4, Article 6. https://doi.org/10.3906/biy-1507-114
Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/biology/vol40/iss4/6