THE EFFECT OF ETHANOL BEAN EXTRACT OF THEOBROMA COCOA ON NEUROBEHAVIOUR IN SWISS WHITE MICE.

Abstract

World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 450 million people worldwide suffer from a mental or behavioral disorder (WHO, 2001).Majority of such patients in the developing countries still rely on traditional healing practices and medicinal plants for treatment of these conditions (Magaji et al., 2009).The inclusion of herbal medicines of prove safety and efficacy in the health care programs of developing countries is encouraged by the WHO because of the great potential they possess in combating various diseases (Amos et al., 2001).

The world health organization (WHO) supported programs designed to use medicinal plants more effectively in traditional health care systems especially in developing countries (WHO, 2000) where they are readily available, easily affordable, and already integrated into the people’s cultures. One of such valuable medicinal plants used in traditional treatment of ailments is theobroma cocoa.

Theobroma cocoa is a small evergreen plant found in the family of malvaceae, native to the deep tropical regions of central and South America (Ratsch, 1998).At present it is also grown as a crop in Africa and Southeast Asia (Ratsch, 1998).Cocoa is considered to be a rich source of anti-oxidants such as procyanidins and favanoids, which may impart antiaging properties (Gressner et al., 2012). Cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin which have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health (Schroeter et al., 2006 and Taubert et al., 2007).

Cocoa is a stimulant and contains the compounds theobromine and caffeine. The beans contain between 0.1% and 0.7% caffeine, where as dry coffee beans are about 1.2% caffeine (Amano,

Abstract

(2013). Researches shown that, foods rich in cocoa appear to reduced blood pressure (Taubert et al., 2007). Researchers also found that, the consumption of favanol-rich cocoa help to lower the rates of heart disease and cancer (Messerli., 2006; Bayard et al., 2007 and Ingham et al., 2007). Cocoa consumption has short-term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels (Corti et al., 2009). Cocoa has anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, neuromuscular, anti ulcerative and anti-microbial properties (Akah and Nwabie 1993; Thierry et al., 2001; Adetunji and Aladesanmi, 2006; Ekwenye and Okorie, 2010; Uchechi and Chigozie, 2010).

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 THEOBROMA COCOA

CHAPTER 3

MATERIALS AND METHODS

REFERENCES