title: Evaluation of behavioral and pharmacological effects of Hedyosmum brasiliense and isolated sesquiterpene lactones in rodents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hedyosmum brasiliense Miq. (Chloranthaceae) is an essential Brazilian species largely found in the Atlantic Forest. It is popularly known as "cidrão" and in folk medicine, this aromatic species is widely used as a calmative/tranquilizer and to treat sleep disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the neurochemical properties of ethanol extract (EEHb), fractions and compounds of fresh leaves of Hedyosmum brasiliense and the antidepressant effect of the isolated sesquiterpene lactones podoandin and 13-hydroxy-8,9-dehydroshizukanolide.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effects of EEHb were demonstrated by the open field, elevated-plus-maze, forced swimming, pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, PTZ-induced seizure, and inhibitory avoidance tests. EEHb did not show a protective effect against PTZ-induced convulsions. In the plus-maze test, EEHb (100mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited an anxiolytic effect through the effective enhancement of the frequency and time spent in the open arms of the maze. Conversely, the time spent and the number of entrances to the closed arms were decreased. All these effects were also completely reversed by pre-treatment with flumazenil (2.5mg/kg, i.p./a benzodiazepine receptor agonist), similar to the results observed with diazepam used as a positive standard. In this test, the anxiolytic effect of EEHb was also totally blocked by pre-treatment with reserpine (2.0mg/kg, i.p.), a drug known to induce depletion of biogenic amines. In the forced swimming test, the treatment of EEHb (100mg/kg, i.p. or 100mg/kg, p.o.) given in acute and chronic form (10, 50 and 100mg/kg), produced a decrease in immobility time, similar to that of imipramine (10mg/kg, i.p.), the positive control. The dichloromethane and hexane fractions (100mg/kg, p.o.) also produced a decrease in immobility time. In addition, the two isolated compounds tested in a single dose (10mg/kg, i.p.), the antidepressant effect was observed only with the compound podoandin, which also caused a decrease in immobility time. EEHb (10-100mg/kg) a dose-dependent manner also caused a decrease in barbiturate sleeping time in mice, and in high doses (100mg/kg), did not interfere in memory consolidation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that EEHb presents psychopharmacological activities, including anxiolytic, antidepressant, and hypnotic effects.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências da Saúde, CCS, Mestrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas/UNIVALI, Itajaí, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tolardo
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zetterman
authors.forename: Daniel Rilo
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Bitencourtt
authors.forename: Ticiana Camila
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: Fábio Lazzarotto
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Maique Weber
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Biavatti
authors.forename: Solomon Kweku Sagoe
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Amoah
authors.forename: Cristiani
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bürger
authors.forename: Márcia Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: de Souza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D007783:Lactones; D012717:Sesquiterpenes