Byrsonima subterranea: Plant that help you to remember things?

The use of plants by the human population for several purposes has occurred since antiquity. The wealth of plant species in Brazil is considerable given that it is a mega-diverse country with other countries that gather 50% of the world's plant and animalspecies. Among the diversity of effects described, it is of our interest those that have effects of cognitive enhancer. This study evaluated the effect of the Byrsonima subterranea plant extract (Malpighiaceae), a species found in the Brazilian cerrado and used as a cognitive enhancer, according to the ethnopharmacological indication raised by CEBRID with the Krahô Indians (Goiatins TO) in 2002. Through the approaches of cold extraction by maceration and hot extraction by Soxhlet, crude extracts were prepared from the leaves in ethyl alcohol and water. By means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques, it was possible to know the chemical profile of the extracts analyzed. However, no significant differences were observed in the profile of the different extracts, that is, the polarity of the solvents used interfered in the yield of the major components, but not in their chemical variety. From the aqueous extract (Soxhlet) of B. subterranea mass spectrometry was performed where it was possible to indicate that the major chemical constituents are of the class of flavonols being the subclass of the quercetin group. With the aqueous extract, the preclinical pharmacology tests were performed in Plus Maze Advoice Task (PM-DAT), 4 groups, n = 8 / group) and Inhibitory Dodge (4 groups, n = 10 / group). Adult male Wistar rats from CEDEME were used, which were maintained under conditions of controlled luminosity, humidity and temperature. In addition to the control group (vehicle, Tween 80-12%) the aqueous extract was administered in three different doses, i.e., 250; 500 and 1000 mg / kg of animal. In the LCEM, the animals were submitted to two sessions: training, which allowed analysis of memory acquisition and short-term and long-term retention in the test, 24 hours after training or acquisition. For the analysis of anxiety were considered the percentage and total time in the open arms (BA) in the training session; (BFAV) and non-aversive (BF), as well as the number of BFAV inputs and length of stay, and motor function, number of BF inputs in both sessions . No statistical differences were found in the parameters of motor, anxiety and long term memory (P <0.05). However, doses 250 and 500 mg / kg, when compared to the control group, showed an effect on short-term memory (P <0.05). In the Inhibitory Dodge test, the animals were submitted to a training session (0 h) and tested after 24 hours to verify the effect of the extract in long-term memory. After 48 and 72 hours the extinction of the memory was observed. In this model it was found that the 1000 mg / kg dose increased long-term memory consolidation as well as increased the memory extinction rate.