ABSTRACT:
Alcohol abstinence syndrome is a big challenge to the society. Drugs used for the treatment have their own side effects. BacopamonnieriLinn. (Scrophulariaceae), popularly known as "Brahmi", has enormous medicinal properties Therefore, we evaluated the effect of Bacopamonnieri in alcohol abstinence syndrome, developed after long-term voluntary alcohol intake in rats. The hydro-alcoholic extract of Bacopa monnieri whole plant (HEBM) was first standardized and toxicological profile were also done. For evaluation of the effect of HEBM, healthy Wistar male rats were allowed to voluntary intake of 9% v/v ethanol for 15 days. The behavioural assessments were done using elevated plus maze, light-dark model, tail suspension test, forced swim test and actophotometer on 16, 17 & 18 day and peak ethanol withdrawal syndrome were determined. The vehicle, HEBM (100, 300 & 500 mg/kg, p.o.) and standard drug diazepam (2 mg/kg. po.) were administered on peak withdrawal symptoms. Biochemical parameters and gene expression analysis at hippocampus, amygdala were also determined. The results revealed that no observed adverse effect level was higher than dose 2000 mg/kg of HEBM, resulted after acute and subacute toxicity in rats. HEBM exhibited significant protective effect in alcohol abstinence anxiety and depression at the doses 300 & 500 mg/kg, but dose 100 mg/kg showed insignificant protection against alcohol abstinence syndrome like anxiety and depression. Thus, HEBM has protective role in the ethanol abstinence syndrome.