Pharmacological and genotoxic evaluation of Calea clematidea and Calea uniflora

Abstract

Calea clematidea and Calea uniflora are native shrubs found in the southern Brazil. In previous study, C. zacatechichi extracts showed psychopharmacologic properties. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of these two plants on CNS and genotoxic effects in rats. Methanolic extracts of C. clematidea and C. uniflora showed apparent efficacy in decreasing the number of entries in closed arms, but no species tested affected the number of entries or time spent in the open arms in the elevated plusmaze test. C. clematideae and C. uniflora did not change the number of crossings and rearings performed in the open field task. Both extracts did not induce DNA damage in brain tissue from treated animals, assessed by comet assay. The results suggest C. clematidea and C. uniflora do not induce anxiolytic and genotoxic effects, nor do they alter locomotor activity in rats.