Luffa operculata administration in late pregnancy in Wistar rats impairs behavior and can lead to the development of anxiety

The dried fruits of Luffa operculata (buchinha-do-norte) are popularly used to minimize symptoms of sinusitis, but turns out to be abortifacient. Previous studies have shown microscopic and macroscopic alteration in the testis of adult male rats [1]. The objectives of the present study were to verify the behavioral changes in female rats that received 1mg/kg of the aqueous extract of the dried fruits from buchinha-do-norte (BNE), that was administered via gavage during gestation for five consecutive days, between the gestational days GD17 to GD 21. The behavioral parameters were evaluated at the 50th day after delivery (PND50) in open field (OF) and light-dark box (LDB) apparatuses. Females were divided into control and experimental groups (CG, EG). All the locomotion, exploratory and anxiety parameters observed in the OF did not show significant differences between EG and CG (p>0.05). EG showed an anxiety-like behavior in relation to CG, due to the EG remained more time in the dark side than that in the light side of the box (p<0.05). EG showed increase in the number of attempts to enter the light side (p <0.05) and an increase in locomotion in the dark side (p <0.05). Rats from the EG explored more in the dark side and less in the light side of the box (p<0.05). They also remained longer in the dark side of the box and performed less grooming compared to the CG (p <0.05). Data found in the present study suggests a possible anxiogenic effect found after administration of BNE.

• References

• 1 Alves CS, Frias HV, Kirsten TB, Cordeiro F, Bernardi MM, Suffredini IB. Luffa operculata fruit aqueous extract induces motor impairments, anxiety-like behavior, and testis damage in rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2018; 222: 52-60