ABSTRACT
Aims: South Brazilian Hypericum species are a source of dimeric structures, constituted of filicinic acid and phloroglucinol moieties, which present antidepressant-like effects mediated by monoaminergic neurotransmission in rodents. Here, we show that hyperbrasilol B, a phloroglucinol derivative from Hypericum caprifoliatum, presents antidepressant-like activity in mice forced swimming test (FST). The aim of this study was to determinate if Na+ channels are important to the antidepressant-like effect of hyperbrasilol B and also verify the effect of this compound on Na+, K+ ATPase activity in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of mice. Methodology: We assessed the effects of veratrine, a Na+ channel opener on antidepressant-like effect of hyperbrasilol B by using mice FST. Veratrine (0.06 mg/kg) and hyperbrasilol B (10 mg/kg) were given i.p. 60 and p.o. 30 min, respectively, before the test. In another batch of experiments different groups of mice were treated with hyperbrasilol B 10 mg/kg, p.o. (Single administration or once a day during 3 days). Two hours after the acute or after the last of the three treatments, the brain structures were removed for measuring Na+, K+ ATPase activity. Results: Veratrine was able to prevent the anti-immobility effect of hyperbrasilol B on the FST, suggesting that its antidepressant-like effect might be due to Na+ influx modifying properties. Animals treated for 3 consecutive days with hyperbrasilol B presented a significant increase in the hippocampus Na+, K+ ATPase activity. The acute treatment was ineffective. Conclusion: Alterations in the Na+ gradient may be implicated in the antidepressant-like effect of hyperbrasilol B.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this work was to study the influence of essential oil fractionation on acaricidal activity against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. The citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus J.) and pepper tree (Schinus molle L.) essential oils were fractionated by vacuum distillation yielding fractions that were analyzed by the GC/MS. Laboratory tests were carried out to determine the effect of the total essential oil and fractions on larvae of the cattle tick R. (B.) microplus. The fractions 04 and 05 of the C. winterianus essential oil were the most active showing LC50 values of 1.20 and 1.34 μL/mL, respectively. The LC50 of the total oil was 3.30 μL/mL while the effect of the fractions 01, 02 and 03 was less pronounced, with LC50 values of 4.37, 4.24 and 3.49 μL/mL, respectively. The fraction 03 of the S. molle essential oil was the most active showing LC50 value of 8.80 μL/mL while the fractions 01 and 02 did not show toxic effects on the larvae.