THE PATTERN OF THIOPENTAL SODIUM-INDUCED SLEEP IN WISTAR RATS IN ACUTE INTRAPERITONEALLY ADMINISTERED DOSES OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF COLA NITIDA

ABSTRACT

This project was designed to study the pattern of thiopental sodium-induced sleep in wistar rats in doses of aqueous extract of Cola nitida. The aim of this study is to ascertain the actual, possible or potential effects of Cola nitida on the sleep of wistar rats. The different doses investigated are 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 and 640mg/kg. Forty-five (45) wistar rats of both sexes and of comparable size and weight were used for this study. The animals were grouped into nine, consisting of five (5) animals each. GROUP 1 (control group) of five (5) animals received 40mg/kg of thiopental sodium only, to obtain the sleep data by close observation and recording of the Onset and Duration of the induced sleep using a stopwatch. GROUP 2-9 (treatments groups) of five (5) animals each, were pre-treated with 5- 640mg/kg doses of Cola nitida extract followed by the administration of 40mg/kg of thiopental sodium to obtain the sleep data by close observation, recording the onset and duration of the induced sleep using a stopwatch. It was seen that at lower doses between 5 and 80mg/kg, the onset and duration of the sleep were not significantly affected. However as the dose of the aqueous extract of Cola nitida was increased between 160 and 640mg/kg, it was only the duration of the induced sleep that was significantly decreased (*P<0.05, **P<0.01) while the onset showed no changes as there was no significant alteration in the onset time of the induced sleep. In conclusion, it can be stated that aqueous extract of Cola nitida may have some definable antagonizing influence on the central mechanism of sleep in wistar rats.