Evaluation of Aqueous Extract and Fractions from theSeed of Magonia Pubescens in Sleep Models, Anxiety and Depression in Mice

Abstract

Many studies directly relate changes in sleep patterns to the quality of human health. Experimental studies suggest that changes in sleep may influence levels of cytokines that have massive studies related to their role in the inflammatory process. Sleep deprivation may alter the pattern of immune responses by inducing increased circulating levels of inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein. Magonia pubescens (M.P.) is a typical plant of the Brazilian cerrado, popularly known as tingui or timbó do cerrado. Popular reports attest to the action of their extracts as facilitating agents in fish farms, due to their narcotic action in fish. Several plant extracts have sedative action, such as sleep inducers or mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, as they have bioactive components capable of interacting with monoamines and their central nervous system receptors. This work evaluated the action of extracts of the seeds of M. pubescens in models of sleep, anxiety and depression in mice, the relationship of these effects with inflammatory cytokines. The seeds of M. pubescens were dried and submitted to the aqueous extraction process. The FPLC analysis of the extracts proved to be two protein populations.Thiopental-induced (40 mg/kg, ip) sleep test was performed on female Swiss mice pretreated with saline or extracts of MP at different doses (1 and 0.1 μg / kg) intraperitoneally. Sleep duration (s) after administration of thiopental was timed to a maximum of 3600 seconds. Sleep time was recorded as the period after the loss of righting reflex and recovery. Cell viability tests were performed by the evaluation of mitochondrial function, where the ability of viable cells to convert MTT to its metabolite, formazan, was observed. Doses of IL-6 and TNF were performed through kits by ELISA. Treatment with aqueous extract (EA) of MP seeds significantly increased the sleep time of thiopental treated animals at 1 μg / kg (salt = 219.0 ± 80.9 s; MP 1 μg / kg = 1217 ± 223 s) P <0.01, ANOVA. The dose of 0.1 μg / kg did not alter sleep time. The assessment of cell viability demonstrated that the doses tested are non-toxic to macrophages and do not alter the release of TNF-α. However, the dose of 1μg / kg promotes a 400% increase in the release of IL-6 in these macrophages. The data presented suggest that the aqueous extract of MP seeds has sedative potential and may be related to its action on the central nervous system and alteration in the release of cytokines.