Anxiolytic-like, stimulant and neuroprotective effects of Ilex paraguariensis extracts in mice.

Neuroscience

Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, 88049-970 Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Electronic address:

Published: April 2015

Yerba-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) is the most used beverage in Latin America with approximately 426 thousand of tons consumed per year. Considering the broad use of this plant, we aimed to investigate the anxiety-like and stimulant activity of both the hydroethanolic (HE) and aqueous (AE) extracts from leaves of I. paraguariensis. Swiss mice were treated with I. paraguariensis HE or AE chronically or acutely, respectively, followed by evaluation in the elevated plus-maze (EPM; anxiety-like paradigm), open field (OF; locomotor activity) or the step-down avoidance task (memory assessment). Following behavioral protocols the brains were collected for evaluation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity ex vivo. Chronic treatment with HE induced an anxiolytic-like effect and increased motor activity besides augmented AChE activity. Additionally, acute treatment with AE prevented the scopolamine-induced memory deficit in the step-down avoidance task. Overall, our results indicate the importance of the I. paraguariensis-induced CNS effects, since it is a widely used nutraceutical. We have reported anxiolytic, stimulant and neuroprotective effects for this plant species. These effects are potentially modulated by the cholinergic system as well as by caffeine.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.02.004DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

stimulant neuroprotective
8
neuroprotective effects
8
ilex paraguariensis
8
step-down avoidance
8
avoidance task
8
ache activity
8
activity
5
anxiolytic-like stimulant
4
effects
4
effects ilex
4

Similar Publications

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is the most common cause of death and long-term disabilities in term neonates. Caffeine exerts anti-inflammatory effects and has been used in neonatal intensive care units in recent decades. In our neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury, we demonstrated that a single daily dose of caffeine (40 mg/kg) for 3 days post-HI reduced brain tissue loss and microgliosis compared to the vehicle group.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

At the present stage, great progress has been achieved in understanding the mechanisms of the development of cerebral ischemia. This became possible due to the achievements of theoretical disciplines, in connection with which the general biological approach was formed in the study of pathogenesis of acute and chronic cerebrovascular disorders (CVD). The discovery of pathways of free radical oxidation in cerebral ischemia made it possible to substantiate and develop therapeutic strategies using drugs with antioxidant and neuroprotective activity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Interactions of VMAT2 with CDCrel-1 and Parkin in Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity.

Int J Mol Sci

December 2024

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI 48201, USA.

In recent years, methamphetamine (METH) misuse in the US has been rapidly increasing, and there is no FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for METH use disorder (MUD). In addition to being dependent on the drug, people with MUD develop a variety of neurological problems related to the toxicity of this drug. A variety of molecular mechanisms underlying METH neurotoxicity has been identified, including the dysfunction of the neuroprotective protein parkin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims: Chronic hypobaric hypoxia frequently results in memory deficits, with severe cases showing marked alterations in dopamine levels and its metabolites. This research explores caffeine's modulation of the adenosine AA receptor (AAR) and its regulatory effects on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), aiming to restore dopamine homeostasis and mitigate memory impairments associated with hypoxia. The goal is to identify novel preventive strategies against cognitive decline induced by hypoxia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aging affects virtually all organs of the body, but perhaps it has the most profound effects on the brain and its neurotransmitter systems, which influence a wide range of crucial functions, such as attention, focus, mood, neuroendocrine and autonomic functions, and sleep cycles. All of these essential functions, as well as fundamental cognitive processes such as memory, recall, and processing speed, utilize neuronal circuits that depend on neurotransmitter signaling between neurons. Glutamate (Glu), the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, is involved in most neuronal excitatory functions, including release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!