ABSTRACT
Garcinia kola contains many nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates in different quantities as well as phytochemicals like alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, cyanogeinic glycosides, saponins among many others that give its characteristics nutritional and pharmaceutical properties. Behavioral tests are systematic procedures designed to observe, measure, and analyze the behavior of humans or animals in response to specific stimuli, conditions or interventions. This project was designed to study the possible behavioral effects of Garcinia kola in Wistar rats. The study focuses on behavioral parameters such as stereotyped movement, grooming, drinking, scratching, sniffing, rearing, climbing, locomotor activity, aggression. Ninety (90) adult Wistar rats weighing 150g to 180g were obtained and separated into the control group and eight (8) groups consisting 10 rats each. The rats were acclimatized for two weeks before commencement of administration. The extract was administered intraperitoneally. Group 1 (control group) – received 0.4ml of normal saline as a single dose without any treatment throughout the experiment. Group 2 – received 2mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of Garcinia kola as a single dose. Group 3 – received 4mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of Garcinia kola as a single dose. Similarly, groups 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 received 8mg/kg, 16mg/kg, 32mg/kg, 64mg/kg, 128mg/kg and 256mg/kg respectively. In each experimental group, care was taken to observe two (2) animals of same sex, comparable size, weight and age were kept in a cage and monitored at the same time for five (5) times. Tally counting method was used to register behavioral activities for a period of one (1) hour. Data was analysed using graphpad statistical software version 9.5 and comparisons between groups were performed using student T TEST and data were presented mean ± standard error of mean (SEM). Statistically significant levels were at (P<0.05, **P<0.005, ***P<0.001). Results of the analysis was presented in tables and charts were applicable. In conclusion, it can be stated that aqueous extract of Garcinia kola may have some definable influence on the central mechanism of behavior in sniffing, climbing, rearing, feeding, drinking, locomotor activity, stereotype movement and grooming. Further researches are to be carried out on the active compounds present in Garcinia kola responsible for the physiological effects on the central nervous system.
