Abstract: The aims of this work were to determine the acute toxicity, the influence on general behavior, motor coordination, barbiturate-induce sleeping time in mice and the chemical constituents of hydro-alcoholic extract of the Cyclolepis genistoides D. Don. (Asteraceae) (CE-Cg). The presence of triterpenes, sesquiterpene lactones and saponins were detected by preliminary phytochemical testing of CE-Cg. No lethal sign was observed up to 3000.0 mg/kg (p.o.) or 1500.0 mg/kg b.w (i.p.) of CE-Cg administered to mice. Oral doses of 10.0; 100.0 and 1000.0 mg/kg b.w of the CE-Cg significantly prolong the sleeping time induced by barbiturate and ethyl ether when compared with the control group. Motor coordination performance in rota-rod and chimney test was not modified by oral treatment with CE-Cg (1.0, 10.0, 100.0 and 1000.0 mg/kg b.w) when compared to control group. Therefore, based on these findings, we concluded that the hydro-alcoholic extract of the Cyclolepis genistoides D. Don, is safe, well tolerated without disturbing motor coordination orally and shows significant hypnotic property in mice. Consequently, C. genistoides is potentially a good candidate to develop phytotherapeutic agent for a complementary treatment of insomnia and encourages us to pursue specific and complementary chemical and pharmacological evaluation at CNS level.
Key words: Cyclolepis genistoides D. Don.; Palo azul; LD50; General behavior; Sleep time
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