Chemical composition and anxiolytic-like effects of the Bauhinia platypetala

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia

Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Brazil¹  Cavalcante, Ana Amélia de Carvalho Melo¹  Santos, Francisco José Borges dos¹  Citó, Antônia Maria das Graças Lopes¹  Instituto Federal do Piauí¹  Marques, Thiago Henrique Costa¹  Faculdade Novafapi, Brazil¹  Lima, Sidney Gonçalo de¹  Universidade Federal do Piauí, Brazil¹  Freitas, Rivelilson Mendes de¹  Cerqueira, Gilberto S.¹ 

关键词: anxiety;    depression;    Bauhinia platypetala;    ethanolic extract;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0102-695X2012005000018

来源: Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia

【 摘 要 】

The pantropical genus Bauhinia, Fabaceae, known popularly as cow's foot, is widely used in folk medicine as antidiabetic. Behavioral effects of the ethanolic extract and ethereal, aqueous and ethyl acetate fractions from B. platypetala Benth. ex Hemsl. leaves were studied in male Swiss mice. The ethanolic extract and fractions were administered intraperitoneally and its effects on spontaneous motor activity (total motility, locomotion, rearing and grooming behavior) were monitored. Anxiolytic-like properties were studied in the elevated plus-maze test and the possible antidepressant-like actions were evaluated in the forced swimming test. The results revealed that only the highest dose of the ethereal fraction (50 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a significant decrease in total motility, locomotion and rearing. Sole dose injected (50 mg/kg) of ethanolic extract and ethereal fractions increased the exploration of the elevated plus-maze open arms in a similar way to that of diazepam (2 mg/kg, i.p.). In the forced swimming test, the ethanolic extract and their fractions (12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg) was not as effective as paroxetine (10 or 20 mg/kg, i.p.) and imipramine (25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p.) in reducing immobility. These results suggest that some of the components of the ethanolic extract and of the ethereal fraction from B. platypetala, such as p-cymene, phytol, D-lactic acid, hexadecanoic acid, among others, may have anxiolytic-like properties, which deserve further investigation. Furthermore, the results obtained indicate that ethanolic extract from B. platypetala and their fractions do not present antidepressive properties. However, these properties cannot be related to the chemical constituents identified in this specie.

【 授权许可】

Unknown