Preventive Effects of Ginger Extract and Nigella sativa Oil on Anxiety and Depression Behavior in Wistar Rats Exposed to Mercuric Chloride

Background: Mercuric chloride (HgCl 2 ) is toxic to humans and animals, and usually causes systemic and nerve damage. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the neuro-protective effects of two medicinal plants rich in antioxidants against mercuric chloride poisoning in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: This is an experimental study conducted on twenty-five adult rats randomly divided into five groups of five rats each, the untreated control group and the four groups are treated daily with Ginger extract (500 mg/kg/day) and Nigella sativa oil (2ml/kg/day) for four weeks. The administration of mercuric chloride (4mg/kg/day) will be from the second week of experimentation to three weeks. Results: The results obtained showed by behavioral tests that the administration of inorganic mercury (HgCl 2 ) significantly increases the state of anxiety and depression of rats compared to control rats, while the groups pre-treated with antioxidants can reduce the damage of these behavioral disorders.