Neurobehavioural Effects of Pain Sensation in Mice following Chronic Consumption of Cooked Beans Diet (Vigna unguiculata)
*Aduema W.1,Iniodu, C.F., 2 Opara, J.K.2 and Ifedi, .C.1
1 Department of Human Physiology, Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria
2Department of Human Anatomy, Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria
wadioniaduema@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Pain may be defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Therefore this study was designed to investigate the effect of chronic consumption of cooked beans (Vigna unguiculata) on pain sensation using three groups of Swiss mice (control and test) weighing 18g-30g (n=10 each).The control received normal rodent chow, while the test group received 50g of cooked beans in 50g of rodent chow per day and serotonin precursor (5HTP) (0.2mg/50g w/w) diet. Water was given adlibitum while daily food and water intake, as well as body weight changes, were monitored during the 31-day study. The tail flick and formalin tests were used to assess pain sensation. The results showed that the latency of tail flick was significantly higher in the test group compared to control (p<0.05).Thus showing decrease pain sensation. However, in the formalin test, the frequency and duration of paw attention in both phases of the test was significantly lower (P< 0.05) compared to the control group. The duration and frequency of paw licks (P<0.05) was also significantly different in the cooked beans diet and serotonin precursor group compared to the control. Therefore, chronic consumption of cooked beans diet may decrease pain sensation.
Keywords: Cooked beans, Vigna unguiculata, pain sensation, tail flick and mice.
