Garcinia camobogia extract alters anxiety, sociability, and dopamine turnover in male Swiss albino mice

Obesity is a global concern, closely allied with somatic and psychosomatic disorders. Herbal drugs are available in modern medicine to treat obesity. Garcinia camobogia being used by so many people trying to lose weight produces various systemic side effects. The study was conducted to assess its effect on anxiety, sociability, and dopamine turnover in male mice. Twenty-one male Swiss albino mice of either were divided into three groups with seven mice in each group. Control group was given distilled water (0.5 ml p.o.) and the other two groups received Garcinia cambogia extract at two different doses, a low and a higher dose (100 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg. p.o.) Each animal received a single oral dose daily, which was administered using an oral gavage for fourteen consecutive days. Effect of test drugs on anxiety was evaluated using open field test. Sociability and social novelty were evaluated using three chambers test. Results (mean +/- SD) were analyzed using one-way ANOVA test followed by Tukey's test. Garcinia cambogia extract significantly increased the time spent in the corners in the open field test, significantly reduced sociability and social novelty in the three-chamber test, significantly reduced dopamine turnover in the brain with a significant decrease in dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) and increased D-2 receptor expression in ventral tegmental area. Garcinia cambogia extract have significant anxiogenic effect along with reduced sociability and social novelty in male mice. Moreover, these effects could be related to the altered dopamine turnover and D-2 receptor expression in mice brain.