Effects of Plantain (Musa Paradisiaca) Diet on Flexion Reflex and Righting Reflex in Female Wistar Rats

Musa paradisiaca (Plantain) fruit has been shown to be useful for nutritional, medicinal and industrial purposes. It contains serotonin (5-HT) and adrenaline. Serotonin plays a fundamental role in integration of behaviour and many physiological functions including regulation of mood, anxiety, arousal, aggression, impulse control, and change in contraction rate of muscles. Adrenaline also play a role in redistributing blood to the muscles, increasing blood pressure and expanding the air passages of the lungs. Twenty healthy female wistar rats (n=20) were divided into four groups and were administered water (control group), 10mg/kg (group 2), 20mg/kg (group 3) and 30mg/kg (group 4) plantain stock respectively. After ten days of administration, the neurobehavioral tests were carried out on the 11th and 12th day. The levels of neurotransmitter serotonin and adrenaline were evaluated, the data was analysed using one-way ANOVA (analysis for variance). Results are presented in mean ± SEM (standard error of mean) and values of p<0.05. For serotonin, results showed no statistical significant difference across the groups. Adrenaline showed no statistical significant difference across the groups as well. Both flexion reflex and righting reflex had no statistically significant difference for the first and second day. The rats fed with higher dose 30mg/kg of plantain diets had higher levels of serotonin and adrenaline and quick reflex action when compared to the other groups although no statistically significant difference was recorded.