Planta Med 1997; 63(2): 133-135
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957629
Papers
Pharmacology and Molecular Biology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

The Leaf Essential Oil of Psidium guyanensis Offers Protection Against Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Seizures

F. A. Santos1 , V. S. N. Rao1 , E. R. Silveira
  • 1Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Rua Cel Nunes de Melo, 1127, Porangabussu, Cx Postal 3157, 60430-270 Fortaleza-CE, Brasil
  • 2Departamento de Química Orgância e Inorgância, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Cx Postal 12200, 60021 Fortaleza-CE, Brasil
Further Information

Publication History

1996

1996

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

Abstract

The essential oil obtained from the leaves of Psidium guyanensis Pers. (Myrtaceae) was studied against lethal seizures induced by intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazole (80 mg/kg), picroptoxin (6 mg/kg), and strychnine (2 mg/kg) in mice. At oral doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, the essential oil attenuated the severity of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures and offered a dose-related protection but it was found to be ineffective against convulsions induced by picrotoxin and strychnine. The blockade of its protective effect on pentylenetetrazole lethal seizures by caffeine (10 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) suggests a probable participation of endogenous adenosine in its mechanism. Furthermore, a peripheral mechanism also appears to be involved as the essential oil (5-20 µg/ml) was able to block selectively the acetylcholine (1.65 × 10-6M) induced contractions but not those evoked by high potassium (80 mM) or caffeine (2 × 10-3 M) on isolated toad rectus abdominis muscle.

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