Abstract

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder among nationalities of the world, which has a substantial social and economic effect. Scientific therapeutic drugs have proved abortive due to adverse effects. Aim: The study investigated the repression of the complement system by aqueous extract of alligator pepper on schizophrenia. Methods: Male mice were induced with schizophrenia using ketamine and dexamethasone; the mice were treated with aqueous extract of alligator pepper (200mg/ml and 400mg/ml) respectively for ten days. After which their brain was removed, and analysed for dopamine. Blood samples was collected from the animal and plasma was used to determine the level of complement component (3 and 4), and C-reactive protein spectrophotometrically. Phytochemical content of the aqueous extract was also done spectrophotometrically, and characterization was confirmed using FTIR. Result: The alligator plant extract constituent includes flavonoids, tannins, saponin, steroids, phlabotannis, terpenoids, and cardiac glycoside. With a tannins having a concentration of 1292.6 µg/ml and 726.8µg/ml, phenol had a concentration of 221.7 µg/ml and 94.2 µg/ml and flavonoids had a concentration of 105.3 µg/ml and 100.0 µg/ml at 200mg/ml and 400mg/ml plant concentration respectively. The alligator pepper reversed the effect of ketamine and dexamethasone induced schizophrenia by decreasing the level of C-reactive protein , complement component (3 and 4) and dopamine significantly (<0.0001) in a dose dependent manner, in all the groups compared to the control. Conclusion: The high phenolic and flavonoids content in alligator pepper may be responsible for the antipsychotic property of alligator pepper. Thus, probable natural therapy for schizophrenia.

Keywords: Schizophrenia, Complement system, Dexamethasone, and Ketamine