Pharmacological activity of Guarana ( Paullinia cupana Mart.) in laboratory animals

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 1997-02, Vol.55 (3), p.223-229
• Main Authors: Espinola, E.B., Dias, R.F., Mattei, R., Carlini, E.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Avoidance Learning - drug effects; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Caffeine - pharmacology; General pharmacology; Guarana; Learning; Longevity - drug effects; Male; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory - drug effects; Mice; Panax; Paullinia cupana; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Physical capacity; Physical Exertion - drug effects; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plants, Medicinal; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Scopolamine - antagonists & inhibitors
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(96)01506-1

Mice that ingested a suspension of guarana ( Paullinia cupana, Sapindaceae) in a dose of 0.3 mg/ml showed a significant increase in physical capacity when subjected to a stressful situation such as forced swimming after 100 and 200 days of treatment. Such an effect, however, was not obtained with a concentration of 3.0 mg/ml, nor with the ingestion of a suspension of ginseng 5.0 mg/ml, nor of a solution of caffeine 0.1 mg/ml. Guarana, both after a single (3.0 and 30 mg/kg) or chronic administrations (0.3 mg/ml), was able to partially reverse the amnesic effect of scopolamine as measured through a passive avoidance test in mice and rats, indicating a positive effect on memory acquisition. However, no effect was observed when an active avoidance task was used in rats, even after 20 days of guarana administration. There was also a tendency of rats treated with 0.3 mg/ml of guarana to better maintain the memory of a Lashley III maze path. The animals had the same average lifespan, indicating a low toxicity of guarana, even after 23 months of treatment.