Antidepression and testosterone enhancement potentials of Cucumeropsis mannii, Cucurbita moschata, and Sesamum indicum seed oil extracts

Background: The inability of depressed patients to acknowledge their health status and their resistance to conventional treatments have made depression a global health concern. However, dietary integration of nutraceuticals may be more effective than normal pharmaceutical administration in the treatment and management of depression.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the possible role of bioactive components of selected seed oils in the management of depression and the enhancement of testosterone synthesis and secretion in experimental animals.

Methods: Seed oils of Cucumeropsis mannii, Cucurbita moschata, and Sesamum indicum from the farms of the University of Port Harcourt were analyzed for their bioactive compounds using GC–MS. The oils were then administered at different concentrations to adult male Wistar rats and their antidepression parameters, cholesterol, and testosterone concentrations were determined.

Results: Except for noxiptiline in C. moschata seed oil, all seed oils contained saturated and unsaturated lipids, and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) was the most predominant with percentage concentrations of 71.865, 86.164, and 86.184 in C. mannii, C. moschata, and S. indicum seed oils, respectively. The lowest stress-induced hyperthermia of 0.08 ± 0.00°C was observed at week 3 in animals administered 15.0 ml/kg body weight (BW) of C. moschata seed oil, while the highest swimming, struggling/climbing and lowest immobility times of 5.31 ± 0.40, 8.30 ± 1.25, and 1.40 ± 0.05 min for 10.0, 15.0, and 15.0 ml/kg BW were observed at week 4 in animals administered C. moschata seed oil. Cholesterol and testosterone concentrations were highest at weeks 1 and 4 in animals administered 15.0 ml/kg BW of water and C. moschata seed oil, with values of 3.70 ± 0.20 ml/dL and 8.35 ± 1.26 nmol/L, respectively.

Conclusion: The reduction in depression markers and increase in testosterone levels by C. moschata seed oil are undoubtedly attributed to its noxiptiline content.