Evaluation of Anti-Aggressive Activity of Kyllinga brevifolia in Rodent Model of Aggression

Abstract

Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb, Cyperaceae, rhizomes are used in the Paraguayan folk medicine as sedative and tonic for nervous system. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-aggressive activity of hydro-ethanolic (rhizomes) extract (CEKb), hexane (KbF-hex), chloroform (KbF-chlo), ethyl acetate (KbF-ethyl-ac) and aqueous (KbF-aq) fractions of K. brevifolia on the aggressive behavior assessed in the isolation-induced aggression model in male mice. The effect on aggressive behavior was observed during a ten minute resident-intruder confrontation. Oral doses of CEKb (10 and 100 mg/kg; p< 0.05), KbF-hex (0.1, p<0.01; 1, p<0.001 and 10 mg/kg, p< 0.01)) and KbF-ethyl-ac (0.1, p<0.01; 1, p< 0.05 and 10 mg/kg, p< 0.05) from K. brevifolia reduced fighting time of isolation-induced aggressive behavior, respectively, in male mice. In conclusion, our results make evident that CEKb, Hex Kb and KbF-ethyl-ac obtained from K. brevifolia possesses anti aggressive-like property in mice. These finding give further support to the traditional use of Kyllinga brevifolia as sedative and tonic in Paraguayan folk medicine. Taken together, these findings suggest that Kyllinga brevifolia exhibits a general anti-offensive aggressive activity and may be relevant in the treatment of reactive aggression in humans.