Effects of Phyllantus amarus administration on the open field locomotor activities in adult Wistar rats

Abstract

Effects of administration of Phyllantus amarus commonly used for the treatment of jaundice, diarrhea, dysentery, urogenital disease and wound on the locomotor activities of adult wistar rats was carefully studied. The rats of both sexes (n = 24), with average weight of 200g were randomly assigned into two treatments (A and B) and control (C) groups of 8 rats each. The rats in the treatment groups (A and B) received 400mg and 800mg of aqueous extract of phyllantus amarus per kg per body weight respectively through the orogastric tube administration daily for thirty days. The control group received equal volume of distilled water daily for thirty days through the same route. The rats were fed with growers marsh obtained from Edo Feeds and Flourmill Limited, Ewu, Edo State, Nigeria and given water liberally. Rats were taken from their home cages and placed randomly unto one of the four corners of the open field facing the center and allowed to explore the apparatus for five minutes as the various behavioural scored were measured.

     The findings indicate that there was a steady significant difference (P < 0.05) in the frequencies of line crossing, walling and defeacation between the treatments and the control groups in this experiment.