ABSTRACT
Background: Pain is a common stimulus that induces anxiety in both Animals and human beings. Aim and Objective: We have undertaken this study to evaluate the induction of anxiety in Wistar rats using hot plate method. Materials and Methods: 24 Wistar rats of either gender were used. Elevated plus maze (EPM) and light and dark arena (LDA) were used to evaluate the anxiety and hot plate analgesiometer was used to induce anxiety. After baseline reading from EPM and LDA, the Wistar rats were exposed to the hot plate and then evaluated for the induction of the anxiety behavior. Results: After exposing to the hot plate, the ratio of time spent in the open arms to the time spent on the closed arms was decreased from 0.027 to 0.010 and also the ratio of time spent on the light chamber to the time spent on the dark chamber was decreased from 0.093 to 0.012. Hot plate method has shown statistical significant induction of anxiety as evaluated by EPM and also LDA. Conclusion: Hot plate method is a good intervention to induce anxiety in Wistar rats. Instead of injecting drugs that causes anxiety to explore the anxiolytic effects of the drugs the hot plate analgesiometer method is a good alternative.
ABSTRACT
Background: Boswellia serrata (BS) has been described in the ancient Ayurvedic texts Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita. It possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-arthritic and antioxidant properties. It is found that BS helps in surging of GABA levels in mice brain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible anxiolytic activity of BS in Swiss albino mice by light and dark arena (LDA) and elevated plus maze (EPM) models. Methods: In this study, BS (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg; p.o) was evaluated for anxiolytic action and compared with standard drug (diazepam) and control (normal saline) in mice by LDA and EPM models. In LDA, number of entries and time spent in light and dark boxes were noted for individual mouse. Similarly, number of entries and time spent in open and closed arms were recorded for EPM model. Results: One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett’s post-hoc test was used to analyze the data. BS in a dose of 50 mg/kg has shown significant increase in time spent in light box (p<0.05) and decrease in time spent in dark box (p<0.05) when compared to control group in LDA model. Similarly, in EPM model 200 mg/kg of BS significantly increased time spent in open arm (p<0.001) and decrease in time spent in closed arm (p<0.001) when compared to control group. Conclusion: BS in dose of 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg has significant anxiolytic action in animal models.