SOUSA, Damião Pergentino de.; NÓBREGA, Franklin Ferreira de Farias.; LIMA, Maria Raquel Vitorino de.; ALMEIDA, Reinaldo Nóbrega de.
Résumé:
(R)-(+)-Pulegone is a monoterpene found in essential oils from plants of the Labiatae
family. This compound is a major constituent of Agastache formosanum oil. In this study,
the effect of (R)-(+)-pulegone on the central nervous system was evaluated. (R)-(+)-Pulegone caused a signifi cant decrease in ambulation and an increase in pentobarbital-induced
sleeping time in mice, indicating a central depressant effect. (+)-Pulegone also significantly
increased the latency of convulsions as assessed by the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) method.
The antinociceptive properties of this monoterpene were studied in chemical and thermal
models of nociception. Chemical nociception induced in the first and second phase of the
subplantar formalin test was significantly inhibited by (R)-(+)-pulegone and was not blocked
by naloxone. Thermal nociception was also signifi cantly inhibited while (R)-(+)-pulegone
increased the reaction latency of the mice in the hot plate test. These results suggest that
(R)-(+)-pulegone is a psychoactive compound and has the profile of an analgesic drug.