Neuropharmacology Potential of the Hydroalcoholic Extract from the Leaves of Piper cernuum: Anxiolytic, Hypnotic, and Antidepressant-Like Effects.

Aim: The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of mental illnesses is a reality that accompanies the history of civilizations, and the Piper genus exhibits many species with pharmacologically proven central effects. Then, this study evaluated the neuropharmacological effects of the hydroalcoholic extract from Piper cernuum (HEPC) leaves to validate its uses in folk medicine. Materials and Methods: Primarily Swiss mice (female, 25-30 g) were pretreated with HEPC (50-150 mg/kg, p.o.), vehicle, or the positive control, and submitted to open-field test (OFT), inhibitory avoidance test (IAT), tail suspension test (TST), and forced swim test (FST). Also, mice were exposed to pentylenetetrazol- and strychnine-induced seizure assay, pentobarbital-induced hypnosis test, and elevated plus-maze (EPM). The GABA levels and MAO-A activity were measured in the animal's brain after 15 days of HEPC administration (150 mg/kg, p.o.). Results: Mice pretreated with HEPC (100 and 150 mg/kg) and exposed to pentobarbital presented decreased sleep latency and increased sleep duration (HEPC 150 mg/kg). In EPM, the HEPC (150 mg/kg) increased the frequency of entry and the time of exploration of mice in the open arms. The antidepressant-like properties of HEPC were demonstrated by the decrease in the mice's immobility time when tested in FST and TST. The extract did not show anticonvulsant activity, in addition to not improving the memory parameters of animals (IAT) or interfering with their locomotor activity (OFT). Besides, HEPC administration decreased the MAO-A activity and increased the GABA levels in the animal's brain. Conclusion: HEPC induces sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic-, and antidepressant-like effects. These neuropharmacological effects of HEPC could be, at least in part, related to the modulation of the GABAergic system and/or MAO-A activity.

Safety assessment of Piper cernuum Vell. (Piperaceae) leaves extract: Acute, sub-acute toxicity and genotoxicity studies.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Piper cernuum Vell (Piperaceae) is a native species from Atlantic rain forest, popularly known as pariparoba. Its leaves have been commonly used by rural and urban communities from State of São Paulo, Brazil, to treat pain (orally and topically), and hepatic and renal complications. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study we evaluated the acute and sub-acute toxicity, genotoxicity and mutagenicity of hydroalcoholic extract obtained from P. cernuum leaf using in vivo and in vitro methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the acute toxicity study, mice were orally treated with P. cernuum extract (2000 mg/kg, p.o.). General behavior and mortality were observed for up to 14 days. In the sub-acute toxicity study, P. cernuum extract was given orally as a single administration to the rats at doses of 50 or 250 mg/kg/day, for 28 days. General behavior, body weight, biochemical and hematological parameters, organ coefficients and pathological morphology were analyzed. The P. cernuum mutagenicity was evaluated using mammalian cell micronucleus assay. Additionally, in vitro toxicity profile of the extract was assessed through cytotoxicity, hemolytic activity, and genotoxicity assay. RESULTS: Data from comet assay demonstrates that high concentrations of P. cernuum extract induce genotoxicity. However, no evidence of hemolytic, cytotoxic or mutagenicity activity was found. In addition, the acute and sub-acute toxicity studies did not show significant changes in body weight, general behavior, hematology and biochemical parameters, organ weight and liver and kidney histopathological analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Together, the results herein obtained indicate that P. cernuum leaves extract did not present significant toxicity when administered to male or female rats. Additionally, no significant alteration in hematological, biochemical and morphological parameters were observed. Data obtained in vitro shows that extract did not present cytotoxicity and mutagenicity. However, the extract induces in vitro genotoxicity, but in high concentration. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the safety of long-term exposure to P. cernuum leaves extract added to in vivo genotoxicity.

Prevalência de fatores de risco e proteção para doenças crônicas em uma população feminina assistida pela estratégia saúde da família no Sudoeste do Paraná / Prevalence of risk factors and protection against chronic diseases in a female population attended in the family health care strategy in the southwest of the state of Parana

O conhecimento sobre os fatores de risco e de proteção auxiliam na prevenção de doenças crônicas nas mulheres. A Estratégia Saúde da Família embasa a promoção de ações que reforçam esse conhecimento. Objetivou-se neste estudo descrever a prevalência dos principais fatores de risco e de proteção para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis em uma população adulta feminina em Francisco Beltrão, Paraná. Aplicou-se um questionário a uma amostra de 415 mulheres de 20 a 59 anos, que abordou sobre os fatores de risco (tabagismo, obesidade, consumo de bebidas e alimentos gordurosos,diagnóstico médico) e de proteção (alimentação saudável, atividade física, realização de mamografia e de citologia oncótica) para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Quanto a fatores de risco as mulheres apresentam prevalência significativa para o consumo de leite com teor integral de gordura (81,60%),de refrigerante ou suco artificial (33,98%) e de bebida alcoólica de forma abusiva (23,73%). Quanto a fatores de proteção, há prevalência inferior significativa para realização de citologia oncótica (78,31%),consumo de feijão (39,76%) e realização de mamografia (34,22%) e superior significativa para atividade física no tempo livre e/ou deslocamento (31,57%). Nota-se a presença de importantes fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis.

The knowledge of risk factors and protective factors helps in the prevention of chronic diseases in women. The Family Healthcare Strategy (Estratégia Saْde da Famيlia) is based on the promotion of actions reinforcing this knowledge. This study was aimed to describe the prevalence of the major risk factors and protective factors for non-communicable chronic diseases in an adult female population, in the city of Francisco Beltrمo, state of Paranل. A questionnaire was applied to a sample of 415 women aged between 20 and 59 yearls old, approaching the risk factors (smoking habits, obesity, fatty food and beverages consumption, medical diagnosis) and the protective factors (healthy eating, physical activity, performance of mammography and cytology) for non-communicable chronic diseases. Regarding the risk factors, women have a significant prevalence for ingestion of whole milk (81.60%), soda or industrialized juices (33.98%), and for the abusive consumption of alcohol (23.73%). Considering the protective factors, there was a significant lower prevalence for oncotic cytology (78.31%), beans consumption (39.76%), performance of mammography (34.22%), and significant higher prevalence for physical activity in leisure time and/or travel time (31.57%). The presence of significant risk factors for the development of non-communicable chronic diseases was observed.