Zelalem Ayele
Gonder University, Ethiopia
Title: The effect of acute exposure to crude khat extract on schizophrenia in mice using multiple t- maze test
Biography
Biography: Zelalem Ayele
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder which is characterized by the inability to separate reality from non reality. Symptoms
may include delusions, hallucinations or disorganized thinking. Cognitive dysfunction is considered a core defi cit of
schizophrenia. Khat (Catha edulis F.) is an evergreen tree that belongs to celestraceae family. It is claimed to have schizophrenic
like eff ect. Th e aim of this study was to investigate the potential schizophrenic inducing eff ect of acute administration of crude
khat extract in mice. Crude khat extract obtained using a mixture of chloroform and diethyl ether (1:3) was administered orally
in doses of 100, 200, 300 mg/kg, the negative and positive control groups were administered with Tween 80 2% v/v in water and
ketamine 10 mg/kg respectively. Multiple T-maze test was used to evaluate the cognitive function and the latency to reach the
goal box was determined. Th e results collectively indicate acute administration of khat extract at the doses used did not have a
signifi cant cognitive eff ect in MTM test.