The effect of hydrolyzed Spirulina by malted barley on forced swimming test in ICR mice.

Spirulina is a true puree of a filamentous, spiral-shaped blue alga and exerts the useful properties as a source of many biochemicals. This study investigated the antidepressant-like effect of hydrolyzed Spirulina by malted barley on the forced swimming test in mice. After the forced swimming test, we examined the levels of several blood biochemical parameters in mice. The effect of the hydrolyzed Spirulina by malted barley-treated group for 2 weeks on the immobility time was significantly reduced in comparison with the control group (p < .05). Plasma level of blood urea nitrogen and lactate dehydrogenase was significantly decreased in the hydrolyzed Spirulina by malted barley-treated group compared with the control group (p < .05). It had no effect on the variation of creatine kinase, glucose, total protein, and albumin levels. Therefore, these results suggest that hydrolyzed Spirulina by malted barley might be a candidate among antidepressant agents.