EFFECT OF ALCOHOL AND KOLANUT INTERACTION ON BRAIN SODIUM PUMP ACTIVITY IN WISTAR ALBINO RATS.

Effect of alcohol - kolanut interaction on Sodium Pump activity in wistar albino rats was studied. Thirty wistar albino rats were divided into six groups of five (5) rats per group and used for the study. The control group (1) received via oral route a placebo (4ml of distilled water). Groups 2 to 6 were treated for a period of 21 days, with (10% v/v) of alcohol (group 2), 50mg/kg body weight of kolanut (group 3), 50mg/kg body weight of caffeine (group 4), 4ml of 10% v/v of alcohol and 50mg/kg body weight kolanut (group 5), 4ml of 10% v/v of alcohol and 50mg/kg body weight of caffeine in 4.0ml of the vehicle via gastric intubation respectively. A day after the final exposure, the brain of each rat was harvested and processed to examine several biochemical parameters, i.e., total ATpase, ouabain-insensitive ATpase, ouabain sensitive ATpase (Na⁺ - K⁺- ATpase), non-enzymatic breakdown of ATP and inorganic phosphate (Pi) released. The results showed that the essential enzyme of the brain responsible for neuronal function, Na⁺ - K⁺- ATpase, was inhibited by alcohol-kolanut co-administration relative to control, resulting in a decrease in Na⁺ - K⁺- ATpase activity, ATP production, ion transport and action potential, leading to loss of neuronal activities.