EFFECT OF CILOSTAZOL AGAINST THE COGNITIVE DEFICIT OBSERVED IN POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Abstract

The Large conductance calcium activated potassium channel activators has a pivotal role in reducing neuronal damage due to traumatic, ischemic events or due to neurodegenerative processes which is a realistic perspective. The present investigation was designed to carry out the effect of Cilostazol, a non-selective BK channel opener against cognitive impairments in mice exposed to the stressor underwater trauma (UWT). Mice were randomly allocated into five groups comprising of a control, stressed, two test groups with Cilostazol (20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg) and a standard group with fluoxetine (20 mg/kg). Prior to the exposure to the Under Water trauma paradigm, in which the mice were exposed to a constraint under water for 30 seconds, both the test groups and the standard group were treated with the respective drugs orally for nine days. Animals were then tested in the Morris water maze (MWM). After UWT exposure, the traumatized rats performed poorly in the spatial memory task in the Morris water maze which resulted in behavior aversive effects. However, the performance of Cilostazol (40 mg/kg) (p < 0.001) treated group was more pronounced than that of Cilostazol (20 mg/kg) treated group and displayed significant memory improvement when compared to the traumatized group. From the present study, the results shows the protective efficacy of Cilostazol against cognitive deficit of post traumatic stress disorder and paves a path for further exploration of the therapeutic role of BK channels in various other neurological disorders.