Effect of Chronic Consumption of Powdered Tobacco (Snuff) on Anxiety

Tobacco plant is abundant in the tropics, including Nigeria. Since it is so prevalent in our environment and people make great use of it but have little knowledge of its effect on pain, anxiety and fear, and social behavior. Therefore this research work on tobacco is worthwhile for the public to know whether powdered tobacco will be beneficial or harmful in the above listed neurobehavioral parameters namely; pain, anxiety, fear and social behavior. The parameters observed included the following: food and water intake, anxiety, fear, pain and social behavior. The elevated plus maze (EPM) and the light-dark transition box are tests of anxiety, fear and exploration in rats and mice. The principle was based on the conflict between exploring in a novel environment and avoidance of bright light. The tail flick and formalin tests are tests of pain and to an extent anxiety. It is based on the inflammatory property of formalin and the reaction of the animal to hot water while the nesting test is a test of social behavior in rodent e.g. mice testing to determine their ability to build nest.