Abstract

PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF Passiflora incarnata ON VINCRISTINE INDUCED NEUROPATHY IN RATS

*Vijayalakshmi Chinniah, Venkata Rathina Kumar Thiagarajan, M. Selvakumar

Abstract

The present study was designed to explore the anti-nociceptive effectsof hydroethanolic extract of Passiflora incarnata in vincristine inducedpainful neuropathy in rats. The intraperitoneal administration ofvincristine 50 g/kg; for 10 consecutive days has been employed forthe induction of neuropathy. Hydroethanolic extract of Passifloraincarnata (HEEPI)(100mg/kg, 200mg/kg; p.o) and pregabalin(standard; 10mg/kg; p.o) has to be administered for 14 consecutivedays two hour before vincristine injection. Behavioural tests such aspaw heat hyperalgesic test, cold chemical allodynic test and tail heathyperalgesic test were assessed starting from day 0 and subsequentlyon day 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21st day. Further, the biochemicalchanges i.e., thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), reducedglutathione (GSH)and total calcium levels has to be estimated in sciatic nerve tissue, on 21stday after sacrificing the animal and histopathological changes has to be observed in sciaticnerve tissue. Administration of vincristine resulted in significant changes in behavioural andbiochemical parameters. Pretreatment of HEEPI ameliorated vincristine induced behavioral,biochemical and histopathological changes in a dose dependent manner, which is similar tothat of pregabalin pretreated group. The results suggests that, the neuroprotective effect ofPassiflora incarnata may be due to its potential of anti-oxidative, calcium channelmodulating and neuroprotective action

Keywords: Vincristine, Biochemical changes, Passiflora incarnata, Calcium channel modulating effect, Oxidative stress.