Repeated administration of an aqueous spray-dried extract of the leaves of Passiflora alata Curtis (Passifloraceae) inhibits body weight gain without altering mice behavior

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevancePassiflora alata is a Southern American species that constitutes many traditional remedies as well as phytomedicines used for sedative and anxiolytic purposes in Brazil. However studies on repeated treatment effects are scarce. Aim of the studyTo evaluate behavioral, physiological and biochemical effects of the repeated treatment with an aqueous spray-dried extract of Passiflora alata leaves containing 2.5% (w/v) of flavonoids (PA) in mice. Material and methodsMale adult CF1 mice were treated (p.o.) for 14 days with PA (2.5; 25 or 250mg/kg). The feeding behavior was evaluated at the beginning (1h after the first administration) and at the end of the treatment (15th day). The body weight gain and food consumption were monitored along the days. On day 15 mice were evaluated on plus maze, spontaneous locomotor activity, catalepsy and barbiturate sleeping time tests. Serum glucose, lipids, ALT and AST enzymes were determined. Liver, kidney, perirenal fat, epididymal and peritoneal fat were analyzed. ResultsThe repeated treatment with the highest dose tested (250mg/kg) did not alter the mice behavior on open field, elevated plus maze, catalepsy and barbiturate sleeping time tests. Repeated administration of PA 250 decreased mice feeding behavior and weight gain. PA 25 and PA 250 reduced mice relative liver weight and caused mild hepatic hydropic degeneration as well as a decrease in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum level. ConclusionsThese results indicate that Passiflora alata does not present central cumulative effects and point to the needs of further studies searching for its hepatotoxicity as well as potential anorexigenic.