Effects of diets containing unripe plantain diet on brain serotonin in mice

Abstract

Musa paradisiaca (Plantain) fruit has been shown to be useful for nutritional, medicinal and industrial purposes. It contains serotonin (5-HT) and its immediate precursor, 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Serotonin plays a fundamental role in integration of behaviour and many physiological functions including regulation of mood, anxiety, arousal, aggression, impulse control, and thinking abilities. In this study, the effect of plantain-containing mouse diet on brain serotonin mice was investigated in mice. Thirty adult Swiss mice were divided into three groups of ten each and fed normal rodent chow containing 0%, 50% and 100% unripe plantain. After thirty days, the brain levels of 5-HT and 5-HTP were measured using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique. Results show that 5-HT level was significantly increased in the plantain-diet fed mice. Conversely, 5-HTP level was reduced in the 100% plantain fed mice when compared with the control.

Keywords: Musa paradisiaca, Unripe plantain, serotonin, 5-Hydroxytryptophan