Cardiotonic and sedative effects of Cecropia pachystachya Mart. (ambay) on isolated rat hearts and conscious mice

Cecropia pachystachya Mart. is popularly called “ambay” and extensively used in herbal medicine of South America for cough and asthma. In Argentina it grows in neotropical rainforest (Ntr C.p.) and in a temperate region (Tp C.p.). In a previous work we showed their hypotensive properties with different potency and toxicity, and now we studied the Tp C.p. effects in isolated heart from rats and central effects of both plants on the open-field test for mice. Tp C.p. produced a positive inotropic effect on isolated rat hearts, which was not affected by 1 μM propranolol, suggesting that it is not due to a β-adrenergic effect. In contrast, it was prevented by pretreatment with high [K]o media, which stimulates the Na,K-ATPase pump, suggesting an inhibition of the pump by “ambay”, as digital do. In the open-field test, both Ntr C.p. and Tp C.p. similarly decreased the spontaneous locomotion and exploratory behavior of mice at doses between 180 and 600 mg/kg. Ntr C.p. potentiated the effect of 3 mg/kg diazepam to one similar to 10 mg/kg diazepam, but was not antagonized by 0.5 mg/kg flumazenil. Amphetamine at 5 mg/kg prevented the sedative effect of Ntr C.p. Chromatographic analysis showed that both plants have a qualitatively similar fingerprint but quantitatively differed in at least three components. Although the purpose was not to identify them, both plants have at least 10 compounds. Two of them were in higher amount in Tp C.p. than in Ntr C.p., and then, they could be responsible for the cardiovascular toxicity of Tp C.p. In conclusion, the results suggest that ambay has cardiotonic and sedative properties. The sedative effect could be useful in cough treatment. The extract resulted additive to benzodiazepines but it did not bind to the same site on GABA-A receptor, and it was interfered by the dopamine release produced with amphetamine.