Forced Swimming Test (FST)

FST is most frequently used to evaluate rats’ behavior based on desperation in uncomfortable environments [50]. A transparent plexiglass cylinder 35 cm in height and 23 cm in diameter was filled with water (25 ± 2 °C) to the point where each animal could float without hitting the bottom of the cylinder. Each animal was put through a 5 min test after being released into the testing environment. While an animal moved with at least two limbs, when swimming, it was believed to be in motion. However, when the animal was upright and making just the slightest movements to maintain its head above water, it was considered to be immobile. Reduced mobility in animals is a symptom of depressive-like behavior and the antidepressant effect of CLAE was predicted with the help of ANY-maze software version 6.1 [6].