Pharmacology Experiment - Actophotometer

Object To study the central nervous system depressant and stimulant using actophotometer.

Requirement- PC & Expharm software 

Theory 

Actophotometer has a central chamber with arrangement of light sources and photocells at the base of two opposite walls.The light of each source is focused on a photocell. Any Interruption in the path of light activates the photocells and this is counted as a measure of horizontal locomotor activity of the mice kept in the chamber.

The drug acting on central nervous system as stimulants or suppressants affect the locomotor activity in experimental animals. Such changes in the motor activity can be easily determined by using simple techniques in which the animal treated with drugs is kept in an open compartment having square marking on its floor . The lines of such squares crossed by the animal are counted by the observer. The number on lines crossed correlates with the locomotor activity. Alternatively, the locomotor activity can be determined using actophotmeter or more sensitively by using automated video tracking system in addition to the horizontal movement the vertical movement(rearing -standing standing on hindlegs and exploration of surroundings) is also considered as a parameter associated with locomotor activity.

Pharmacology Experiment - Actophotometer

Procedure 

• Animals are divided into two groups (6 animals in each).
• Administer one group with the drug to be tested and other with vehicle by oral route.
• Put one animal at a time in the Actophotometer
• Start the instrument
• Count the locomotor activity for 10 minutes.
• Repeat the procedure at the interval of 30 minutes.
• Record the observations.
• The mice in test group are injected Diazepam (1 Mg /kg Oral) and locomotor activity is measures twice as stated above.

Result