Passiflora actinia Hooker extracts and fractions induce catalepsy in mice

Leaves from several Passiflora species are largely employed in the Brazilian folk medicine for its anxiolytic and sedative properties. In behavioral studies, to analyze the tranquillizer action of Passiflora actinia Hooker, it was noteworthy that animals treated with the hydroethanol (HE) and methanol (ME) extracts presented an abnormal postural immobility compared to control animals. That observation led to an investigation of the effects of HE and its fractions on evaluation of catalepsy in mice. The results showed that HE extract, methanol extract, the sequent aqueous crude fractions (AF), and fa, fb and fc chromatographic fractions obtained from Passiflora actinia induced catalepsy in mice. Apparently, the active principles responsible for catalepsy are present in all of the fractions of the extract.