http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v11i6.11
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the effect of oral
consumption of magnesium on the memory and pain
sensation of diabetic rats.
Methods: A total of 48 rats were divided into
four groups - untreated control, untreated diabetic,
magnesium-treated control and magnesium-treated
diabetic. Plasma magnesium and glucose concentrations
were measured after induction of diabetes with
streptozotocin (STZ; 60 mg/kg). Four weeks after the
administration of oral magnesium (10 g/L, MgSO4),
the animals were subjected to passive avoidance test
whereby latency time (LT) was assessed. This was
followed by formalin test which entailed the
determination of licking and flinching scores
Results: Increased level of glucose and
decreased concentration of magnesium in untreated
diabetic group compared to untreated control group (p <
0.001) were observed. There was also a significant
reduction in mean LT of untreated diabetic group (p <
0.001) as indicated by the increased number of animals
that entered the dark compartment. Plasma glucose and
magnesium levels in magnesium treated diabetic rats
returned to normal 4 weeks after oral magnesium
consumption. There was no significant change in mean
total pain score despite elevated licking in diabetic
animals after oral magnesium consumption. Significant
elevation of flinching scores of untreated diabetic rats
was observed in the last 20 min of the 2nd chronic
phase, compared with the untreated control group.
Conclusion: It seems that magnesium treatment either
restores rat memory performance that is impaired by
diabetes or that it affects the aversive responses
evoked by electrical shock.
Keywords: Diabetes, Magnesium, Glucose,
Passive avoidance memory, Formalin test.