EFFECT OF ORAL ARTESUNATE ON ANXIETY AND FEAR IN MICE

Previous studies with intramuscular artemisinins (a group of anti-malarial derived from Artemisia annua) reveal dose dependent neurotoxicity with the brainstem being the major target. This study was aimed at assessing the effect of oral artesunate on the anxiety and fear. Two sets of experiments with 2 different doses and duration of administration of oral artesunate were conducted. In the first experiment, mice were treated with 1.6 mg/kgbwt of oral artesunate for five days. In the second experiment, mice were treated with 30 mg/kgbwt and 60 mg/kgbwt of oral artesunate for 17 days. The control in each experiment was administered with 10 ml/kgwt of distilled water. Behavioural tools used were open field maze, elevated plus maze and light/dark transition box. Parameters measured were stretch attend posture, frequency and duration of grooming, frequency of centre square duration/entries, open arm duration/entries and head dips, number of transition and time in light chamber. There was significant reduction in grooming duration and frequency, as well as stretch attend posture. Increased number and duration of these parameters is indicative of increased anxiety and vice versa. In conclusion, this study showed that higher doses of oral artesunate cause reduce anxiety and fear.