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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2017; 10(03): 96-100
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20170018
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effect of a medicinal plant (Passiflora incarnata L) on sleep

Fructuoso Ayala Guerrero
1   Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Laboratorio de Neurociencias - México - d.f. - Mexico
,
Graciela Mexicano Medina
1   Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Laboratorio de Neurociencias - México - d.f. - Mexico
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ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Extracts of the plant Passiflora incarnata L. (Passifloraceae) were administered intraperitoneally in order to test its effects on sleep.

METHOD: Experiments were carried out on chronically implanted male adult wistar rats to obtain cerebral (EEG), ocular (EOG) and muscular (EMG) activities throughout their states of vigilance. Polygraphic recordings were taken during 9 continuous hours before and after the extract administration (500 mg/kg).

RESULTS: Passiflora incarnata induced a significant increment in the total sleep time (p<0.05). This increment was due to an increase in the time spent by animals in slow wave sleep (SWS). Concomitantly, a significant decrement in wakefulness (W) was observed (p<0.05). In contrast, time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep showed a decreasing tendency, since both its frequency and mean duration were reduced.

CONCLUSIONS: The extracts obtained from Passiflora incarnata can be considered as appropriated sleep inducers.

Keywords:

Passifloraceae - Sleep Aids, Pharmaceutical - Insomnia - Sleep - Sleep, REM


Publication History

Received: 16 March 2017

Accepted: 25 July 2017

Article published online:
11 October 2023

© 2023. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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