Antidepressant-like effects of the leaf extract of Mallotus oppositifolius (Geiseler) Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) in the chronic unpredictable mild stress model: A role of the gut-brain axis.

The gut microbiota has been posited as a target for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Herein, we investigated the effect of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Mallotus oppositifolius (MOE) on the gut microbiota of mice and how this contributes to its known antidepressant-like effect. A 6-week chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) procedure was employed in 7 groups of mice to induce depression.