Abstract

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ADVERSE EFFECTS POSED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF ETHANOLIC ROOT BARK AND LEAF EXTRACTS OF RAUWOLFIA VOMITORIA (APOCYNACEAE) ON NEUROBEHAVIOUR OF ADULT WISTAR RATS

Akaninyene M. Okon, Eluwa, M.A1, Gabriel D. Edem*, Clementina F. Iniodu and Ekemini I. Johnson

ABSTRACT

Background: Rauwolfia vomitoria is widely used in traditional medicine for diverse purposes. People believe that the plant has no adverse impact on humans since it is a natural product. Objective: The purpose of this study was to comparatively analyze the extent of adverse impact posed by either the administration of ethanolic root bark and leaf extracts of Rauwofia vomitoria on neurobehavioural parameters of adult Wistar rats. Methods: 30 adult rats were used for this investigation and were randormly divided into six groups (n=5). Several neurobehavioural parameters were assessed and determined using open field maze method. Results: From this investigation it is observed that the root-bark and leaf extracts impair locomotory and exploratory behavior in a dose-dependent manner, the root-bark extract was found to cause more impairment than the leaf extract. It was also observed that the root-bark extract caused more reduction in anxiety than the leaf extract. This adverse impact may be due to the presence of a known sedative agent, reserpine, in the root-bark than the leaf and care /precaution must be taken during the consumption of these plant extracts.

Keywords: Rauwolfia vomitoria, Neurobehaviour, adverse impact, reserpine.