Depression is associated with oxidative stress, monoaminergic dysregulation, and impaired neuroplasticity. This study evaluated the effects of banana (Musa species) peel extract (MSPE) in a dexamethasone-induced rat model of depression. Five groups of adult male Wistar rats (n = 7 per group) were used, with four groups receiving dexamethasone (1 mg/kg, i.p., 14 days) to induce depressive-like alterations, while one group served as a normal control. Treated groups received MSPE (300 mg/kg, p.o.), fluoxetine (10 mg/kg), or their combination alongside dexamethasone. Behavioral assessment demonstrated depressive-like alterations in dexamethasone-exposed animals, which were partially ameliorated in MSPE-treated groups. Dexamethasone exposure significantly reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (75 ± 10 U/mg protein) and reduced glutathione (GSH; 3.5 ± 0.4 nmol/mg protein), while elevating malondialdehyde (MDA; 4.0 ± 0.5 nmol/mg protein), and markedly depleted brain serotonin (125 ± 30 ng/g) and dopamine (100 ± 20 ng/g), alongside a reduction in the p-CREB/CREB ratio to 0.6 ± 0.1 versus 1.2 ± 0.1 in controls (p < 0.01). MSPE treatment restored SOD to 160 ± 12 U/mg protein and GSH to 6.8 ± 0.6 nmol/mg protein, reduced MDA to 1.8 ± 0.3 nmol/mg protein, partially recovered serotonin (350 ± 45 ng/g) and dopamine (180–195 ng/g) levels, and elevated the p-CREB/CREB ratio to 1.0 ± 0.1 (p < 0.01 vs. dexamethasone group). LC–QTOF–MS profiling identified several polyphenolic constituents in MSPE, notably ferulic acid (206 µg/g DW), catechin (177 µg/g DW), rutin (158 µg/g DW), and hesperidin (152 µg/g DW), which may contribute to these effects. Combined MSPE and fluoxetine treatment produced biochemical responses comparable to or slightly greater than either treatment alone. Overall, these findings suggest that Musa peel extract may influence oxidative, monoaminergic, and CREB signaling pathways relevant to stress-related neurobiological alterations.
HANNA et al. (Thu,) studied this question.