The Effect of Hydromethanolic Extracts of Mangifera Indica Stem Bark and Leaf on Pain in Electroconvulsive Therapy-Induced Seizures in Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established neuropsychiatric intervention, yet its effects on nociceptive processing remain incompletely defined. This study evaluated the longitudinal impact of ECT-induced seizures on mechanical pain thresholds in an experimental animal model over four weeks. Animals were distributed into seven groups subjected to varying treatment conditions, and nociceptive sensitivity was assessed weekly using an analgesymeter. The recorded value represented the mechanical force (g) required to elicit a withdrawal response, with higher thresholds indicating analgesia and lower thresholds reflecting hyperalgesia. In Week 1, Groups 2–4 demonstrated higher pain thresholds (10.41±2.01 g, 11.15±2.27 g, and 11.97±2.66 g, respectively) compared with Groups 1 and 7 (7.05±0.78 g and 6.87±1.24 g), suggesting an early analgesic modulation following seizure induction. By Week 2, divergent responses emerged: Groups 2 and 4 maintained elevated thresholds (12.46±2.71 g and 12.66±2.07 g), whereas Group 3 showed a marked reduction (5.54±0.97 g), indicating transient hyperalgesia. In Week 3, several groups, including Groups 1 and 5, exhibited further decreases in thresholds (5.51±0.81 g and 5.84±1.51 g), consistent with increased nociceptive sensitivity. By Week 4, most groups demonstrated recovery or enhanced analgesic responses, notably Group 3 (12.56±2.05 g) and Group 6 (11.81±2.30 g), reflecting adaptive neurophysiological changes over time. Group 7 maintained relatively stable and lower thresholds throughout the study period, indicating minimal modulation. Overall, ECT-induced seizures produced dynamic, time-dependent alterations in mechanical nociception characterized by alternating phases of analgesia and hyperalgesia. These findings suggest complex central modulation of pain pathways following seizure activity, likely involving neuroplastic and neurochemical adaptations, and underscore the importance of longitudinal assessment when evaluating the broader neurophysiological effects of ECT.