Locomotor Behaviour and Anxiety in the Open Field and Light/Dark Box in CD1 Mice Treated with Aspirin, Cataflam and Ethanolic Extract of Cannabis sativa

Aims: To study the effects of cataflam, aspirin and the ethanolic extract of Cannabis sativa on nociception in CD1 albino mice of both sexes.
Method: Twenty (20) albino mice were divided into four (4) groups of five (5) each. The control group (group 1) received normal saline orally. Meanwhile groups 2-4 received p.o. cataflam (1.5 mg/kg), aspirin (13.5mg/kg) and Cannabis sativa (10 mg/kg) respectively. All four (4) groups were given access to normal mice chow and water ad libitum. The Open field apparatus and the light/dark box were used to measure locomotor/exploratory behaviour and anxiety.
Result: There was a significant (p=0.05) reduction in the frequencies of rearing, walling and line crossing in the Open field test and a reduction in frequency of transition, rearing and line crossing in the light/dark box. There was no significant difference in the chamber durations in the light/dark box test.
Conclusion: Cataflam, Aspirin and the ethanolic extract of Cannabis sativa all have anxiogenic effect and reduced locomotor behaviour. The ethanolic extract of Cannabis sativa seems to have the greatest anxiogenic effect, followed closely by Cataflam and Aspirin.