The present work was undertaken with an objective to establish the anti-depressant action of ethanolic leaf extract of Araucaria columnaris. The yield of the ethanolic extract was found to be 36.9% and the extract was black in color. The preliminary phytochemical analysis suggests the presence of cardiac glycosides, phenolics, terpenoids, sterols, and flavonoids in the leaves. The antidepressant action of the extract (EEAC) was tested using two animal models at two dose levels (200 and 400 mg/kg) using forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) models. The immobility time in the TST for EEAC (400 mg/kg) was found to be 18.33 ± 1.994 sec and was significantly comparable (p<0.0001) to that of fluoxetine at a dose on 10mg/kg (9.67 ± 0.667 sec). The swimming frequency in the FST increased significantly at both the dose levels of EEAC and it surpassed fluoxetine (43.00 ± 1.211) at 400 mg/kg dose of EEAC (44.00 ± 1.317).

Araucaria columnaris, extract, forced swim test, tail suspension test, antidepressant, fluoxetine

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