Open AccessEvaluation of Ashwagandha in alcohol withdrawal syndrome
Author(s) -
Brent Ruby,
MK Benson,
E. Veera Kumar,
Sudha Murthy,
JE Wilking
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
asian pacific journal of tropical disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.208
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 2222-1808
DOI - 10.1016/s2222-1808(12)60279-5
Subject(s) - diazepam , kindling , convulsion , ethanol , convulsant , alcohol , behavioural despair test , chemistry , elevated plus maze , anxiolytic , open field , pharmacology , anesthesia , physical dependence , medicine , antidepressant , epilepsy , morphine , hippocampus , anxiety , receptor , psychiatry , biochemistry
Objective: To evaluate the effect of Ashwagandha (ASW) in attenuation of alcohol withdrawal\udin ethanol withdrawal mice model. Methods: Alcohol dependence was induced in mice by\udthe oral, once-daily administration of 10% v/v ethanol (2 g/kg) for one week. Once the animals\udwere withdrawn from alcohol, the efficacy of ASW (200mg/kg and 500mg/kg) in comparison with\uddiazepam (1 mg/kg) in the attenuation of withdrawal was studied using, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)\udkindling test for seizure threshold, forced swim test (FST) for depression and locomotor activity\ud(LCA) in open field test (OFT). 6 hours after the last ethanol administration, seizure threshold was\udmeasured in all the groups by administering the convulsant drug, PTZ with a subconvulsive dose\udof 30 mg/kg i.p). In FST, mice were forced to swim and the total duration of immobility (seconds)\udwas measured during the last 4 min of a single 6-min test session. In OFT, number of crossings\udof the lines marked on the floor was recorded for a period of 5 min. Results: Compared to ethanol\udgroup, ASW (500 mg/Kg) has suppressed the PTZ kindling seizures in ethanol withdrawal animals\ud[0% convulsion], FST has shown decreased immobility time and OFT has exhibited increase in the\udnumber of line crossing activity by mice which may be the consequence of anxiolytic activity of\udASW similar to that of diazepam. Conclusions: The present study provides satisfactory evidence\udto use ASW as a safe and reliable alternative to diazepam in alcohol withdrawal conditions