A study on the effect of Aldosterone antagonist on Nociception and anxiety in Swiss albino mice

Abstract

An aldosterone antagonist, used for the treatment of hypertension, edema, hyper-aldosteronism and also act as the antiinflammatory functions. Spironolactone is a steroid, easily available and marketed as a trade name aldactone. This drug is used for blocking aldosterone dependent sodium transport in the distal tubule of the kidney in order to reduce oedema and to treat essential hypertension and primary hyperaldosteronism. In this study aldosterone antagonist Spironolactone was administrated to find the effect of thermally induced pain, visceral pain and behavioral response in Swiss albino mice. The effects of spironolactone aldosterone antagonist, were examined on thermally-induced pain using the hot-plate and hot water tail immersion test (53-54°C). The visceral nociception was observed by intra-peritoneal acetic acid injection and the behavioral responses in the mice were examined by using open field behavioral model test. In hot plate test and hot water tail immersion test spironolactone significantly(0.01) reduces the pain threshold in dose dependent manner and increases the somatic pain, was as in visceral pain induced by acetic acid writhing spironolactone significantly(0.003) increases the pain threshold and decreases the visceral pain. In behavioral study spironolactone decrease the ambulation, rearing and grooming and significantly (0.01) increases immobilization time and urination. Spironolactone increased somatic pain in hot plate test and hot water tail immersion test and decreases visceral pain in writhing test. The spironolactone also altered the behavioral response in mice, such as increased immobilization and decreased ambulation.