title: Pharmacodynamic interaction of the sedative effects of Ternstroemia pringlei (Rose) Standl. with six central nervous system depressant drugs in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The decoction of dried fruits of Ternstroemia pringlei (Rose) Standl. (Theaceae), commonly known as "Flor de Tila", is used in the Mexican traditional medicine to diminish insomnia and fear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the sedative effects of the dried fruits of Ternstroemia pringlei and investigate a possible synergistic pharmacodynamic interaction between the sedative effect of aqueous extract of this plant and six central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sedative effect was performed using the exploratory cylinder test in ICR mice. The extracts and drugs were intraperitoneally administered 30 min before testing in different doses, with exception of ethanol and buspirone which were administered 5 and 20 min before testing, respectively. An isobolographic analysis was used to characterize the interaction between Ternstroemia pringlei extract and six CNS depressant drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intraperitoneal administration of the hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and aqueous extracts of Ternstroemia pringlei showed a dose-dependent sedative effect. Ternstroemia pringlei aqueous extract combined with buspirone, diazepam, diphenhydramine, haloperidol or pentobarbital exerted a super-additive (synergistic) sedative interaction. Whereas the combination Ternstroemia pringlei extract plus ethanol resulted in a sub-additive (attenuate) sedative interaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings are in agreement with the traditional use of Ternstroemia pringlei in the treatment of insomnia, however it is a plant that interacts in a complex form with CNS depressant drugs. It may represent an advertence on the use of this plant concomitantly with other neuroactive drugs.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Química, Departamento de Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, México, D.F., México.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Balderas
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Reza
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ugalde
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: Miriam Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Navarrete
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005638:Fruit; D041743:Herb-Drug Interactions; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008800:Mexico; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D028242:Theaceae / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents