RESUMO
Carvacrol, a monoterpene phenol present in the essential oil of oregano, possesses several biological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, anticonvulsive and antinociceptive. In vitro studies have shown that carvacrol inhibits serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine transporters and the enzymes monoamine oxidase-A and B. Different brain functions are controlled by monoamines, including cardiovascular control, thirst and sodium appetite. In the present study we investigated the effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of carvacrol on sodium appetite, and the participation of brain serotonergic and noradrenergic pathways on carvacrol effects. Neuronal activation in homeostasis-related brain areas induced by i.c.v. injection of carvacrol was also evaluated. Carvacrol dose-dependently inhibited hypertonic saline intake (1.5%) in sodium-depleted rats, and this antinatriorexigenic effect was reduced by brain serotonergic depletion and by alpha-adrenergic blockade. Furthermore, i.c.v. injections of carvacrol significantly increased the neuronal activation in brain areas involved in the control of salt appetite, such as MnPO, OVLT, PVN, SON, CeA and MeA. Taken together, our data show that carvacrol presents antinatriorexigenic activity through serotonin and noradrenaline pathways within brain circuits involved in the modulation of the body fluid homeostasis.
Assuntos
Apetite/efeitos dos fármacos , Cimenos/farmacologia , Norepinefrina/metabolismo , Serotonina/metabolismo , Cloreto de Sódio/farmacologia , Animais , Apetite/fisiologia , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Locomoção/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Neurônios/citologia , Neurônios/efeitos dos fármacos , Prosencéfalo/citologia , Prosencéfalo/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-fos/genética , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
O óleo essencial do orégano apresenta entre seus principais constituintes o carvacrol (70%). O extrato de orégano administrado intraperitonealmente em camundongos inibe a recaptação e a degradação de neurotransmissores monoaminérgicos (dopamina, serotonina e noradrenalina) de modo dose dependente, além de aumentar os níveis de serotonina em diversas áreas cerebrais, e esses efeitos foram atribuídos ao carvacrol. O carvacrol administrado por via oral em camundongos demonstrou significativo aumento em todos os parâmetros observados no teste de ansiedade na cruz elevada. O controle central da ingestão de água e do apetite por sódio é feito por uma complexa rede interativa de circuitos inibitórios e estimulatórios. Sabe-se que tanto a noradrenalina quanto a serotonina participam do controle do apetite por sódio e desconhecem-se os efeitos do carvacrol neste comportamento. O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar o efeito da administração intracerebroventricular de carvacrol no apetite por sódio, na sede, na ansiedade e na atividade locomotora em ratos, bem como detectar a presença de FOS em áreas cerebrais relacionadas com esses comportamentos através de FOS-IR...
The essential oil of oregano has among its main constituents carvacrol (70%). The oregano extract administered intraperitoneally in mice inhibits the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters degradation (dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine) in a dose-dependent manner, and increases serotonin levels in several brain areas. The carvacrol administered orally in mice showed a significant increase in all parameters observed in the anxiety test in elevated plus maze. The control of water intake and sodium appetite is done by a complex interactive network of stimulatory and inhibitory circuits. It is known that norepinephrine, as well as serotonin, is involved in the control of sodium appetite and it is unknown the effects of carvacrol in these behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of intracerebroventricular administration of carvacrol on sodium appetite, in the anxiety and locomotor activity in rats, as well as the FOS...
