Abstract
The ethanolic extract (EE) of Acosmium subelegans (Mohlenbr) Yakovl (perobinha-do-campo) was tested to behavioral paradigms in mice to investigate its putative central depressant effect. Oral pretreatment with the EE significantly reduced in a dose-dependent way the locomotor activity and increased by 30-55% the barbiturate sleep duration relatively to control values. At the highest dose (1,0 g.kg-1) it decreased the extension time/flexion time ratio of the maximal electroshockinduced convulsions, enhanced the latency to the pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions and diminished by 26% the number of seizures, indicating an anticonvulsant action. No changes were observed in the motor coordination, the core temperature, climbing behavior, catalepsy and the plus-maze performance. The preliminary results indicate that the EE of A. subelegans induce a CNS depressant effect, more specifically an anticonvulsant effect that deserve a thorough investigation.
Evaluation of the central activity of the ethanolic extract of Acosmium subelegans (Mohlenbr) in mice
Ricardo A. VieiraI; Antonio J. LapaII; Thereza C. M. de LimaI, * * thereza@farmaco.ufsc.br
ILaboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, 88015-420, Florianópolis, SC
IINatural Products Section, Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, UNIFESP, 04044-020, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
ABSTRACT
The ethanolic extract (EE) of Acosmium subelegans (Mohlenbr) Yakovl (perobinha-do-campo) was tested to behavioral paradigms in mice to investigate its putative central depressant effect. Oral pretreatment with the EE significantly reduced in a dose-dependent way the locomotor activity and increased by 30-55% the barbiturate sleep duration relatively to control values. At the highest dose (1,0 g.kg-1) it decreased the extension time/flexion time ratio of the maximal electroshockinduced convulsions, enhanced the latency to the pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions and diminished by 26% the number of seizures, indicating an anticonvulsant action. No changes were observed in the motor coordination, the core temperature, climbing behavior, catalepsy and the plus-maze performance. The preliminary results indicate that the EE of A. subelegans induce a CNS depressant effect, more specifically an anticonvulsant effect that deserve a thorough investigation.
Full text available only in PDF format.
Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by grants from Central de Medicamentos (CEME - MS) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). R. A. Vieira was a recipient of a fellowship from CAPES (MSc); A J. Lapa and T.C.M. De Lima are recipients of research grants from CNPq.
- 1 Coimbra, R. Notas de Fitoterapia, 1958, p.245
- 2 Rocha, R. F., Lapa, A.J. & Braz, R. F., Cięncia e Cultura, 33:158 - 162, 1982
- 3 Rocha, R. F., Lapa, A.J. & Braz, R. F., Oréades, 8: 366 - 374, 1981/1982
- 4 Fornel, A.C.G. & Furukawa, C.M., Lecta-USF, 12: 63-70, 1994
- 5 Cardoso, E.M., Dutra, E.L., De Lima, T.C.M., Lapa, A.J. & Lima-Landman, M.T.R., RESUMOs XV SPMB, p.88, 1998
- 6 De Lima, T.C.M. Métodos farmacológicos para o estudo da atividade no sistema nervoso central. In: Métodos farmacológicos para validaçăo de plantas medicinais, Lapa, A. J., De Lima, T.C.M. (eds.), CYTED, Florianópolis, 1998
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
05 Oct 2009 -
Date of issue
2002
