ANALYTICAL COMPARISON OF PAIN BEHAVIOUR MODELS STUDY USING STANDARD AND REFERENCE DRUG REGIMENS

Erigbali P. P.,* Joffa P. P. K., Kiridi E. G., Pughikumo D. T., Ekeocha J. and Bisong J.

ABSTRACT

The challenges associated with medications for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease is enormous, so that the curiosity and search for alternative ameliorative therapy is continuing to garner attention and interest in research climes. Thus, in this study the objective was to investigate the neurobehavioural effects of a combination therapy (of ginseng + vitamin E), and possible remedy it may proffer in other to reverse stress, then restore and /or improve cognitive function in an experimental Swiss mice model. Mice were induced with stress by two models (biological and chemical) under which conditions they were allowed treatment with combination of ginseng + vitamin E, as well as treatment with vitamin E alone to compare with a control group that was not treated. At the end of the study duration of the experiment design, all the groups of mice were taken for Neurobehaviour tests, using Morris water maze and T-maze test which are standard protocol for investigating learning and memory behaviour in rodents. Relevant parameters that depict learning, memory / cognitive function were measured. The results showed that in the non-stressed mice treated with vit E + ginseng, the retention quadrant duration (to depict memory) increased significantly (P<0.01) than control. In the same vein, the stressed mice had mean retention quadrant duration which was increased significantly (p<0.01) for both mice groups that were treated (i.e. vit E + ginseng and vitamin E) and the mean annulus reversal crossings were increased significantly (p<0.001) in vit E + ginseng and vitamin E compared to control. Meanwhile, in comparing the efficacy between the treatment with vitamin E alone (single therapy) and vitamin E + ginseng (combination therapy), the observation was increased in single therapy than the combination therapy for biologically stressed mice, while it was increased in combined therapy than single therapy for chemically stressed mice, although not significant statistically. In conclusion, it is conceivable that a combination of ginseng and vitamin E (combination therapy) in scientifically determined proportions and dosage could be more beneficial in impacting a reversal in the process of memory impairment in experimental mice model.

Keywords: Ginseng, Vitamin E, biological Stress, chemical stress, Learning, memory.