Research Update:Paullinia cupana or Guarana.

  seminal trace...Guarana Extract,guarana seed extract,Guaranine.20%.Brazilian Cocoa extract,5:1.Concentrated Guarana Extract Maxman II.fat burning...

 


   Phytochemical info of Paullinia cupana or Guarana.

 Product Name:
 Synonym:
 Definition:Paullinia cupana or Guarana are majorly composed of
 Chemical information disclosed as following table:


   Research Update:Paullinia cupana or Guarana.

  Antioxidant capacity and in vitro prevention of dental plaque formation by extracts and condensed tannins of Paullinia cupana.:Molecules. 2007 Aug 20;12(8):1950-63.Yamaguti-Sasaki E, Ito LA, Canteli VC, Ushirobira TM, Ueda-Nakamura T, Dias Filho BP, Nakamura CV, de Mello JC.Programa de P¨®s-Gradua??o em Ci¨ºncias Farmac¨ºuticas, Universidade Estadual de Maring¨¢, Av. Colombo, 5790, BR-87020-900, Maring¨¢, PR, Brazil.

 Chemical evaluation of the semi-purified fraction from the seeds of guaran¨¢, Paullinia cupana H.B.K. var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke, yielded the following compounds: caffeine, catechin, epicatechin, ent-epicatechin, and procyanidins B1, B2, B3, B4, A2, and C1. Measurement of the antioxidant activity by reduction of the DPPH radical confirmed the anti-radical properties of the aqueous (AqE) and crude (EBPC) extracts and semi-purified (EPA and EPB) fractions. The EPA fraction showed radical-scavenging activity (RSA) and protected DPPH from discoloration at 5.23 +/- 0.08 (RSD% = 1.49) microg/mL, and for the phosphomolybdenum complex showed a higher Relative Antioxidant Capacity (RAC) at 0.75 +/- 0.01 (1.75). The EPA fraction had a total polyphenolics content of 65.80% +/- 0.62 (RSD% = 0.93). The plant drug showed 5.47% +/- 0.19 (RSD% = 3.51) and 6.19% +/- 0.08 (RSD% = 1.29) for total polyphenolics and methylxanthines, respectively. In vitro assessment of the antibacterial potential of the Paullinia cupana extracts against Streptococcus mutans showed that these could be used in the prevention of bacterial dental plaque.

  Guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis), an anciently consumed stimulant from the Amazon rain forest: the seeded-fruit transcriptome.:Plant Cell Rep. 2007 Oct 5;Angelo PC, Nunes-Silva CG, Br¨ªgido MM, Azevedo JS, Assun??o EN, Sousa AR, Patr¨ªcio FJ, Rego MM, Peixoto JC, Oliveira WP Jr, Freitas DV, Almeida ER, Viana AM, Souza AF, Andrade EV, Acosta PO, Batista JS, Walter ME, Leomil L, Anjos DA, Coimbra RC, Barbosa MH, Honda E, Pereira SS, Silva A, Pereira JO, Silva ML, Marins M, Holanda FJ, Abreu RM, Pando SC, Gon?alves JF, Carvalho ML, Leal-Mesquita ER, da Silveira MA, Batista WC, Atroch AL, Fran?a SC, Porto JI, Schneider MP, Astolfi-Filho S; Brazilian Amazon Consortium for Genomic Research (REALGENE).Embrapa Western Amazon, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

 Guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis) is a plant native to the central Amazon basin. Roasted seed extracts have been used as medicinal beverages since pre-Colombian times, due to their reputation as stimulants, aphrodisiacs, tonics, as well as protectors of the gastrointestinal tract. Guarana plants are commercially cultivated exclusively in Brazil to supply the national carbonated soft-drink industry and natural product stores around the world. In this report, we describe and discuss the annotation of 15,387 ESTs from guarana seeded-fruits, highlighting sequences from the flavonoid and purine alkaloid pathways, and those related to biotic stress avoidance. This is the largest set of sequences registered for the Sapindaceae family.

  The herbal drug Catuama reverts and prevents ventricular fibrillation in the isolated rabbit heart.:J Electrocardiol. 2007 Nov-Dec;40(6):534.e1-8. Epub 2007 Sep 24.Pontieri V, Neto AS, de Fran?a Camargo AF, Koike MK, Velasco IT.Emergency Medicine Research Laboratory, Medical School of University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, Brazil.

 INTRODUCTION: Catuama, an herbal drug very popular in Brazil, was tested on the reversion and prevention of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in the isolated rabbit heart. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Catuama (a mixture of Trichilia catigua, Paullinia cupana, Ptychopetalum olacoides, and Zinziber officinalis) was perfused in the isolated perfused rabbit heart. Its effects on intraventricular conduction, heart rate, and monophasic action potential (MAP) duration were evaluated, and sustained VF was induced. The effects on reversion and reinduction of arrhythmia were observed, and new measures were taken in the hearts that reverted. RESULTS: Catuama and T catigua reverted VF in all hearts, prevented reinduction, and prolonged intraventricular conduction. Catuama prolonged MAP phase 2. On the other hand, P cupana reverted VF in 3 of 5 hearts, but depressed automatism, prolonged MAP phase 3, and did not prevent reinduction. DISCUSSION: Catuama reverted and prevented VF in this model. T catigua extract is probably the main agent responsible for the beneficial actions observed. Further studies are now in progress to clarify these actions.

  Effect of lyophilized extracts from guaran¨¢ seeds [Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke] on behavioral profiles in rats.:Phytother Res. 2007 Jun;21(6):531-5. Otobone FJ, Sanches AC, Nagae R, Martins JV, Sela VR, de Mello JC, Audi EA.Departamento de Farm¨¢cia e Farmacologia, Universidade Estadual de Maring¨¢, Av. Colombo, 5790-zona 7, CEP: 87020-900, Maring¨¢, PR, Brazil.

 The aim of the present study was to investigate the pharmacological properties of the crude lyophilized extract (EBPC) of Paullinia cupana seeds (guaran¨¢) and the semi-purified extracts (EPA and EPB) after acute or chronic administration by the oral route in rats. Anxiolytic-like, antidepressant-like and motor stimulant effects were evaluated using the plus maze (PMT), forced swimming (FST) and open field (OFT) tests, respectively. Acute or chronic administration of EBPC (3.0, 30.0 or 60.0 mg/kg) did not alter the percentage of entries or the time spent in the open arm in the PMT. In the FST, chronic treatment with 30.0 mg EBPC/kg and 4.0 mg EPA/kg extract decreased the immobility time similarly to the antidepressant reference drug, imipramine (20.0 mg/kg). Locomotor activity in the OFT was not increased by these extracts. Caffeine (10.0 mg/kg) significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST, but increased locomotor activity in the OFT, indicating psychostimulant activity. The EPB extract did not induce any effect after acute or chronic treatment in the different models used. The present results suggest that the crude EBPC extract and EPA extract produced an antidepressant-like effect after long-term administration.

  Karyotype with 210 chromosomes in guaran¨¢ (Paullinia cupana 'Sorbilis').:J Plant Res. 2007 May;120(3):399-404. Epub 2007 Mar 27.de Freitas DV, Carvalho CR, Filho FJ, Astolfi-Filho S.Instituto de Ci¨ºncias Biol¨®gicas, Laborat¨®rio de Tecnologia de DNA, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil. danivalfreitas@hotmail.com

 The genus Paullinia includes the economically important P. cupana, known as guaran¨¢ in Brazil and more recently in the world market. Native Americans of the Mau¨¦ and Andir¨¢ tribes cultivated P. cupana 'Sorbilis' in central Amazon, and the Bar¨¦s cultivated the 'Typica' variety in the upper Negro River (Brazil). Cytological studies in the Sapindaceae family have concentrated on the diversity in number (from 2n = 14 to 96) and size of the chromosomes. In Paullinia, seven species have been karyotyped and all show 2n = 24. Meristem maceration, cellular dissociation and air-drying techniques were used for cytogenetic preparations and DNA content was determined by flow cytometry. Chromosome characterization and DNA content of Paullinia cupana Kunth 'Sorbilis' (Mart.) Ducke (Sapindaceae) were studied. The high chromosome number (2n = 210) fall into two cytomorphological groups: (a) a metacentric and submetacentric group showing 25 sets of three pairs of chromosomes (2-76); (b) a group containing only acrocentric showing 12 sets of two pairs of chromosomes (82-105), a homologous submetacentric pair (1) and an acrocentric pair (81). Mean nuclear DNA content of guaran¨¢ was 2C = 22.8 pg. A karyogram was set up showing a high chromosome number complement.


  Effect of a commercial extract of Paullinia cupana (guarana) on the binding of 99mTc-DMSA on blood constituents: An in vivo study.:Appl Radiat Isot. 2007 May;65(5):528-33. Epub 2007 Feb 6.Freitas RS, Moreno SR, Lima-Filho GL, Fonseca AS, Bernardo-Filho M.Departamento de Biof¨ªsica e Biometria, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87 Fundos, 4 Andar, Rio de Janeiro 20551-030, Brazil.

 We studied the influence of a commercial extract of Paullinia cupana (guarana) on the binding of technetium-99m-dimercaptosuccinic acid ((99m)Tc-DMSA) on blood constituents. Plasma (P) and blood cells (BC) from Wistar rats (control and treated) were separated. P and BC were precipitated with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or ammonium sulphate (AS) and soluble (SF) and insoluble fractions (IF) isolated. The percentage of incorporated radioactivity (%ATI) in each fraction was determined. The treatment influenced the %ATI in IF-P and in IF-BC isolated by TCA precipitation.

  Acute renal failure caused by plant extract.:Orv Hetil. 2007 Mar 4;148(9):421-4. Hungarian.V¨¢g¨¢si K, Degrell P, K¨¦soi I, Kov¨¢cs T, Pint¨¦r I, Moln¨¢r B, Cseh J, Nagy J, Wittmann I.P¨¦csi Tudom¨¢nyegyetem, Altal¨¢nos Orvostudom¨¢nyi Kar II. Belgy¨®gy¨¢szati Klinika ¨¦s Nephrol¨®giai Centrum, P¨¦cs, Hungary.

 The authors review the case of a 30 years old female patient presenting with a 48 hours-standing anuria, who permanently used products of grist of a virtuous plant, Guarana and occasionally used a parenteral non-steroid painkiller. The clinical history and laboratory results showed acute renal and hepatic failure. The histological picture of the renal biopsy specimen verified an acute tubular necrosis. After temporary dialysis treatment, her renal function recovered progressively with compensatory polyuria. The authors would like to draw the attention to the risks of the use of over-the-counter marketed paramedicinal products, per se or in combination with pharmaceutically registered products, sold in pharmacies and nutrition supplement stores.

  Availability of weight-loss supplements: Results of an audit of retail outlets in a southeastern city.:J Am Diet Assoc. 2006 Dec;106(12):2045-51. Sharpe PA, Granner ML, Conway JM, Ainsworth BE, Dobre M.Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly St, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. pasharpe@sc.edu

 The sale of nonprescription weight-loss products accounts for millions of dollars spent by Americans trying to lose weight, yet there is little evidence for effectiveness and there are multiple safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to determine what products, and ingredients within products, were available at retail outlets in a metropolitan area. A purposive sampling strategy identified 73 retail outlets. An audit form was used to collect information from product labels. The audit identified 402 products containing 4,053 separate ingredients. The mean number of ingredients per product was 9.9+/-8.96 (range = 1 to 96). A database search was conducted regarding evidence for effectiveness, safety precautions, and side effects for the 10 ingredients that appeared most often across products. Modest evidence of effectiveness exists for green tea (Camellia sinensis), chromium picolinate, and ma huang (Ephedra major). For the remaining seven (ginger root [Zingiber officinale], guarana [Paullinia cupana], hydroxycitric acid [Garcinia cambogia], white willow [Salix alba], Siberian ginseng [Eleutherococcus senticosus], cayenne [Capsicum annuum], and bitter orange/zhi shi [Citrus aurantium]), inadequate or negative evidence exists. Although precautions and contraindications were found for all 10 ingredients, the strongest concerns in the literature appear for ma huang, bitter orange, and guarana. Our audit revealed numerous weight-loss products available to consumers, yet there is little evidence to support the effectiveness of the top 10 ingredients identified and many potential adverse reactions; therefore, food and nutrition professionals should discuss dietary supplement use with their clients.

  Fluid bed drying of guarana (Paullinia cupana HBK) extract: effect of process factors on caffeine content.:AAPS PharmSciTech. 2006 Jun 16;7(2):E54.Pagliarussi RS, Bastos JK, Freitas LA.Faculdade de Ci¨ºncias Farmac¨ºuticas de Ribeir?o Preto, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Via do Caf¨¦ s/n, Ribeir?o Preto 14040-903, S?o Paulo, Brazil.

 The aim of this study was to study the convective drying of the hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from powdered guarana seeds in a spouted bed dryer. The influence of process variables, such as the convective airflow rate, extract feed rate, and air inlet temperature, on the quality of the dry extract was determined using the caffeine and moisture content for the process evaluation. The caffeine content in the alcoholic and dried extracts was determined by capillary gas chromatography. The experiments were performed following a 3(3) factorial design and the data analyzed by response surface. The analysis of dry extract showed that the air and extract feed rates did not significantly affect (25% level) the caffeine content, but that drying temperature is a major factor to consider when the extract is submitted to fluid bed drying. Caffeine losses were significant (1% level) for drying temperatures above 120 degrees C, while moisture content was lower than 3% for temperatures above 120 degrees C. The data showed that there is an optimum temperature for the drying of guarana extracts in spouted beds, and under the conditions used in this study it was 120 degrees C.

  Paullinia pinnata extracts rich in polyphenols promote vascular relaxation via endothelium-dependent mechanisms.:J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2006 Apr;47(4):599-608.Zamble A, Carpentier M, Kandoussi A, Sahpaz S, Petrault O, Ouk T, Hennuyer N, Fruchart JC, Staels B, Bordet R, Duriez P, Bailleul F, Martin-Nizard F.Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Facult¨¦ de Pharmacie, Universit¨¦ de Lille 2, Lille, France.

 Paullinia pinnata L. (Sapindaceae) is an African tropical plant whose roots and leaves are used in traditional medicine for many purposes, especially for erectile dysfunction, but its action mechanism is unknown. P. pinnata root and leaf methanolic extracts are rich in phenolic compounds. This study shows that both extracts are highly antioxidative and induce a slight transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-alpha. They also increased and decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase and endothelin-1 mRNA levels in bovine aortic endothelial cells, respectively. In this study P. pinnata methanolic extracts in cumulative doses elicited in a dose-dependent manner the relaxation of phenylephrine precontracted isolated rat aortic rings. N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester significantly attenuated the capacity of both extracts to induce arterial relaxation, indicating that this arterial relaxation was mediated by endothelial nitric oxide release. It could be suggested that the arterial relaxation induced by both extracts could be mainly linked to their capacities to inhibit nitric oxide oxidation through their antioxidant properties.


  In vitro transdermal delivery of caffeine, theobromine, theophylline and catechin from extract of Guarana, Paullinia Cupana.:Int J Pharm. 2006 Jul 6;317(1):26-31. Epub 2006 Apr 4.Heard CM, Johnson S, Moss G, Thomas CP.Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, CF10 3XF, UK. heard@cf.ac.uk

 Extracts of guarana (Paullinia cupana) feature as putatively stimulating ingredients in a number of foods, drinks and dietary/herbal supplements. The objective of this work was to investigate in vitro the transdermal delivery of the major pharmacologically active compounds contained in guarana extract. Saturated solutions of guarana were prepared in polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400), propylene glycol (PG) and H(2)O at 32 degrees C. Guarana extract was also formulated in Duro-tak 2287 transdermal adhesive in a range of concentrations and the diffusional release was determined in addition to adhesive properties. Transdermal delivery across full thickness pig ear skin was investigated in vitro using Franz-type diffusion cells, with reverse-phase HPLC being used for the quantification of the permeation of theobromine (TB), theophylline (TP), (+)-catechin (C) and caffeine (CF). Based upon a combination of release and adhesive property data a patch containing 5.55 mg guarana extract cm(-2) was deemed optimal. The general trend for the delivery of the 4 analytes was: water >5.55 mg cm(-2) patch approximately PG>PEG400. For CF the greatest steady state flux was obtained from the water vehicle: 19 microg cm(-2)h(-1), with approximately 420 microg cm(-2) permeating after 24h. This was some 6x times more than from the drug-in-adhesive patch and 10x greater than PG, a well-known penetration enhancer, and 50x that of the 'regular' excipient PEG400. A water vehicle also provided the greatest delivery of TB (0.45 microg cm(-2) h(-1)), TP (0.022 microg cm(-2) h(-1)), and C (0.10 microg cm(-2) h(-1)). An inverse relationship was noted between lipophilicity and k(p) in each vehicle. The simultaneous transdermal delivery of the major actives of guarana was established, with permeation rates being highly concentration and vehicle dependent.

  Herbal remedies for anxiety - a systematic review of controlled clinical trials.:Phytomedicine. 2006 Feb;13(3):205-8. Epub 2005 Aug 15. Review. Ernst E.Complementary Medicine Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter Plymouth, UK. edzard.ernst@pms.ac.uk

 Anxiety is a prominent indication for herbal medicine. This systematic review was therefore aimed at summarising the evidence for or against the anxiolytic efficacy of such treatments. Six databases were searched for all randomised clinical trials testing herbal monopreparations in the alleviation of anxiety. Seven such studies and one systematic review were located. Eight different herbals were studied. The herbal medicines, which, according to these data are associated with anxiolytic activity in humans, are Piper methysticum and Bacopa monniera. Only for kava were independent replications available. It was concluded that there is a lack of rigorous studies in this area and that only kava has been shown beyond reasonable doubt to have anxiolytic effects in humans.

  Metabolic and physiological effects of ingesting extracts of bitter orange, green tea and guarana at rest and during treadmill walking in overweight males.:Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 May;30(5):764-73.Sale C, Harris RC, Delves S, Corbett J.School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Chichester, College Lane, West Sussex, UK. c.sale@ucc.ac.uk

 OBJECTIVE: This study examined the acute effects of ingesting a widely used commercial formula containing extracts of bitter orange, green tea and guarana (Gx) on the metabolic rate and substrate utilisation in overweight, adult males at rest (study 1) and during treadmill walking (study 2). SUBJECTS: Two different groups of 10 sedentary males with more than 20% body fat participated in studies 1 and 2. DESIGN: In each study, subjects participated in two experimental trials during which they were given two 500 mg capsules containing either Gx or a placebo (P) in a counterbalanced double-blind manner. Doses of the main active ingredients were 6 mg of synephrine, 150 mg caffeine and 150 mg catechin polyphenols. MEASUREMENTS: In study 1, subjects completed 7 h supine rest with baseline measures taken during the first hour, with expired gases, blood pressure, heart rate and venous blood being collected every 30 min for the remaining 6 h following ingestion of Gx or P. In study 2, subjects exercised for 60 min at 60% heart rate reserve following ingestion of Gx or P 1 h previously. Venous blood samples were collected twice at rest and at 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min, with expired gas measurements taken at 4, 9, 14, 19, 29, 39, 49 and 59 min. In both studies, venous blood was analysed for NEFA, glycerol, glucose and lactate concentrations, while expired gases were used to calculate ATP production from carbohydrate and NEFA, as well as the total substrate utilised. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results did not show any significant effect of Gx ingestion on total ATP utilisation during 6 h rest or during 60 min treadmill walking. Changes were observed in the relative contributions of CHO and NEFA oxidation to ATP production in both studies, such that there was an increase in ATP production from CHO and a decrease from NEFA. The increase in CHO oxidation was shown to be as high as 30% at rest.

  Protective effects of guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart. var. Sorbilis) against DEN-induced DNA damage on mouse liver.:Food Chem Toxicol. 2006 Jun;44(6):862-7. Epub 2006 Jan 9.Fukumasu H, Avanzo JL, Heidor R, Silva TC, Atroch A, Moreno FS, Dagli ML.Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of S?o Paulo, CEP 05508-900 S?o Paulo, SP, Brazil.

 Guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart. var. Sorbilis) is a plant originally from Brazil, which is rich in tannins. Some tannins are known to present protective effects against DNA damage. This study was performed to investigate the anti-genotoxic/cytotoxic properties of guarana in hepatocytes of mice injected with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN). The protective effect of guarana was evaluated both by comet assay and DNA smear fragmentation technique in two month-old female BALB/c mice. These were treated previously with 2.0 mg/g bw of guarana for 16 days and then injected with DEN (160 microg/g body weight) to induce DNA damage. The DEN-only treated group presented higher comet image length than the guarana plus DEN and untreated groups (116.06+/-5.0 microm, 104.09+/-3.3 microm and 93.28+/-14.4 microm, respectively; p<0.01). Guarana treatment presented a 52.54% reduction in comet image length when animals were exposed to DEN (p<0.05). DNA samples from the guarana plus DEN group clearly showed less EtBr fluorescence intensity when compared to the DEN-only group, reinforcing the comet assay data. These results show, for the first time, that guarana has a protective effect against DEN-induced DNA damage in mouse liver.

  Lipid metabolism in trained rats: effect of guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart.) supplementation.:Clin Nutr. 2005 Dec;24(6):1019-28. Epub 2005 Sep 22.Lima WP, Carnevali LC Jr, Eder R, Costa Rosa LF, Bacchi EM, Seelaender MC.Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1524, S?o Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-900, Brazil.

 BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Guarana is widely consumed by athletes, either in supplements or in soft drinks, under the belief that it presents ergogenic and "fat burning" effects. We examined the effect of guarana supplementation (14 days) upon aspects of lipid metabolism in sedentary (C) and trained rats (T). METHODS: To isolate the effect of caffeine from that of other components of guarana, we adopted two different doses of whole extract (G1-0.130 g/kg; G2-0.325 g/kg) or decaffeinated extract (DG1, DG2). Body weight, food and water intake; muscle fat content, oleate incorporation, glycogen content, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) activity and mRNA expression; along with plasma lactate concentration, were assessed. RESULTS: Muscle oleate incorporation was decreased in rats receiving decaffeinated guarana in relation to G1 and G2; as was CPT I mRNA expression in the gastrocnemius. Whole extract supplementation, but not DG induced reduced plasma lactate concentration in trained rats. G1 showed higher muscle glycogen content compared with all other groups. The results show an effect of guarana on aspects of lipid metabolism, which is abolished by decaffeination. CONCLUSION: The changes in lipid metabolism of supplemented rats herein reported are associated with the methylxanthine content of guarana.


  Effects of encapsulated green tea and Guarana extracts containing a mixture of epigallocatechin-3-gallate and caffeine on 24 h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in men.:Br J Nutr. 2005 Sep;94(3):432-6.B¨¦rub¨¦-Parent S, Pelletier C, Dor¨¦ J, Tremblay A.Division of Kinesiology, Laval University, Ste-Foy, Qu¨¦bec, Canada, G1K 7P4.

 It has been reported that green tea has a thermogenic effect, due to its caffeine content and probably also to the catechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). The main aim of the present study was to compare the effect of a mixture of green tea and Guarana extracts containing a fixed dose of caffeine and variable doses of EGCG on 24 h energy expenditure and fat oxidation. Fourteen subjects took part to this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over study. Each subject was tested five times in a metabolic chamber to measure 24 h energy expenditure, substrate oxidation and blood pressure. During each stay, the subjects ingested a capsule of placebo or capsules containing 200 mg caffeine and a variable dose of EGCG (90, 200, 300 or 400 mg) three times daily, 30 min before standardized meals. Twenty-four hour energy expenditure increased significantly by about 750 kJ with all EGCG-caffeine mixtures compared with placebo. No effect of the EGCG-caffeine mixture was observed for lipid oxidation. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased by about 7 and 5 mmHg, respectively, with the EGCG-caffeine mixtures compared with placebo. This increase was significant only for 24 h diastolic blood pressure. The main finding of the study was the increase in 24 h energy expenditure with the EGCG-caffeine mixtures. However, this increase was similar with all doses of EGCG in the mixtures.

  Acute effects of guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart.) on mouse behaviour in forced swimming and open field tests.:Phytother Res. 2005 May;19(5):441-3. Campos AR, Barros AI, Albuquerque FA, M Leal LK, Rao VS.Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Cear¨¢, C.P. 3157, 60430-270, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil

 Guarana, a herbal extract from the seeds of Paullinia cupana Mart. has been evaluated in comparison with caffeine on mouse behaviour in forced swimming and open field tests. Guarana (25 and 50 mg/kg, p.o.) and caffeine (10 and 20 mg/kg, p.o.) each significantly reduced the duration of immobility in the forced swimming test suggesting an antidepressant-like effect in mice. At these doses, neither substance affected ambulation in the open field test. However, a high dose of guarana (100 mg/kg) and caffeine (30 mg/kg) significantly enhanced the locomotor activity in the open field test. Caffeine, but not guarana, could effectively block an adenosine agonist, cyclopentyl adenosine (CPA)-induced increase in swimming immobility suggesting that mechanism(s) other than the adenosinergic mechanism are involved in the antidepressant-like activity of guarana.

  Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana Mart.:J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Oct 31;102(1):32-6.Basile A, Ferrara L, Pezzo MD, Mele G, Sorbo S, Bassi P, Montesano D.Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Plant Biology, Federico II University, via Foria 223, 80139 Naples, Italy. adbasile@unina.it

 The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis Mart. (Sapindaceae) seeds, commonly called guarana, was assessed towards selected bacteria as well as in different antioxidant models. The extract, at a concentration between 16 and 128 microg/ml, showed a significant antibacterial effect expressed as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In particular, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC=16 microg/ml), Proteus mirabilis (MIC=32 microg/ml), Proteus vulgaris (MIC=32 microg/ml) and Escherichia coli (MIC=32 microg/ml) were the most inhibited. The antioxidant activity was determined by the malonyldialdehyde (MDA) test, measuring the MDA concentration in 3T3-L1 cells after induced cellular damage using ferric ammonium citrate (FAC). The reduction of lipid peroxidation was 62.5% using a guarana extract with a concentration of 2 microg/ml. This effect was dose/dependent. The ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana seeds was analysed by spectrophotometry to determine the concentration of catechol substances after treatment of the extract with p-aminophenol. The total phenolics content in the ethanol extract was also determined spectrophotometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). The concentration of catechol equivalent was 6.06+/-0.13 mg/g (mean+/-S.D.), while the total phenolic content was 8.43+/-0.21 mg/g (mean+/-S.D.). The correlation index between antioxidant activity and catechol content was 0.96.

  Chemopreventive effects of Paullinia cupana Mart var. sorbilis, the guaran¨¢, on mouse hepatocarcinogenesis.:Cancer Lett. 2006 Feb 20;233(1):158-64. Fukumasu H, da Silva TC, Avanzo JL, de Lima CE, Mackowiak II, Atroch A, de Souza Spinosa H, Moreno FS, Dagli ML.Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of S?o Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87. CEP 05508-900 S?o Paulo, SP, Brazil.

 Guaran¨¢ (Paullinia cupana) is originally from Amazon, Brazil. Its effects on mouse hepatocarcinogenesis have been investigated in this study. Mice were treated with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN), received three different doses of P. cupana added to commercial food, and euthanized after 25 weeks. Gross lesions were quantified, and preneoplastic lesions (PNL) were histologically measured. Cellular proliferation was evaluated by immunobloting for the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The incidence and multiplicity of macroscopic lesions were reduced. The PNL number and PCNA expression were reduced in the highest P. cupana dose. According to these results, guaran¨¢ presented inhibitory effects on DEN hepatocarcinogenesis in mice.

  Clinical toxicology study of an herbal medicinal extract of Paullinia cupana, Trichilia catigua, Ptychopetalum olacoides and Zingiber officinale (Catuama) in healthy volunteers.:Phytother Res. 2005 Jan;19(1):54-7. Oliveira CH, Moraes ME, Moraes MO, Bezerra FA, Abib E, De Nucci G.Miguel Servet Clinical Pharmacology Unit, 415 Jesu¨ªno Marcondes Machado Avenue, Campinas, SP 13092-320, Brazil. oliveira_ch@terra.com.br

 In Brazil, a herbal medicinal extract named Catuama containing a mixture of Paullinia cupana (guarana; Sapindaceae), Trichilia catigua (catuaba; Meliaceae), Ptychopetalum olacoides (muirapuama; Olacaceae) and Zingiber officinale (ginger; Zingiberaceae) is used as a body stimulant, energetic, tonic and aphrodisiac. The present study investigated the chronic administration of 25 mL Catuama twice a day during 28 days for any toxic effect on healthy human volunteers of both sexes. No severe adverse reactions or haematological and biochemical changes were reported.


  Comparative study between capillary electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography in 'guarana' based phytopharmaceuticals.:J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2005 Jan 4;36(5):989-94. Sombra LL, G¨®mez MR, Olsina R, Mart¨ªnez LD, Silva MF.Area de Qu¨ªmica Anal¨ªtica, Facultad de Qu¨ªmica, Bioqu¨ªmica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Chacabuco y Pedernera, San Luis 5700, Argentina. lsombra@unsl.edu.ar

 The last years have seen a significant increase in the use of herbal medicines and their preparations all over the world. Adulterations with synthetic drugs are common problems with phytopharmaceutical products and this can potentially cause adverse effects. In consequence, it is important to determine the presence of synthetic drugs in herbal medicines to ensure their efficacy and safety. In this study, guarana derivatives were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis (CE), and the results were compared with those obtained by the HPLC technique. In order to obtain adequate fingerprints, and search for adulterants, caffeine was used as the marker compound. This separation method was applied to analyze the seed powder and commercial tablets of Paulinia cupana Mart. The methodology performance was evaluated in terms of specificity, sensitivity and precision. The results are in agreement with those obtained by the HPLC method. Furthermore, the analysis time of the CE method is up to two times shorter than the respective parameter in HPLC and solvent consumption is more than 100-fold less.

  Improved cognitive performance in human volunteers following administration of guarana (Paullinia cupana) extract: comparison and interaction with Panax ginseng.:Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 Nov;79(3):401-11.Kennedy DO, Haskell CF, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB.Human Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Division of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, United Kingdom. david.kennedy@unn.ac.uk

 Extracts from the plant guarana (Paullinia cupana) feature as putatively stimulating ingredients in a number of foods, drinks and dietary/herbal supplements. To date, little research in humans has examined the potential psychoactive effects of these extracts. Extracts of Panax ginseng, which are often sold in combination with guarana, contain similar potentially active components, and have been shown to modulate cognitive performance. In this double-blind, counterbalanced, placebo-controlled study, the cognitive and mood effects of separate single doses of: 75 mg of a dried ethanolic extract of guarana (approx 12% caffeine), 200 mg of Panax ginseng (G115), and their combination (75 mg/200 mg), were assessed in 28 healthy young (18-24) participants. On each day of the study (separated by a 7-day washout), cognitive performance and subjective mood were assessed pre-dose and at 1, 2.5, 4 and 6 h post-dose using the Cognitive Drug Research computerised assessment battery, Serial subtraction tasks and Bond-Lader mood scales. In comparison to placebo, all three treatments resulted in improved task performance throughout the day. In the case of guarana, improvements were seen across 'attention' tasks (but with some evidence of reduced accuracy), and on a sentence verification task. While also increasing the speed of attention task performance, both ginseng and the ginseng/guarana combination also enhanced the speed of memory task performance, with little evidence of modulated accuracy. Guarana and the combination, and to a lesser extent ginseng, also led to significant improvements in serial subtraction task performance. These results provide the first demonstration in humans of the psychoactive effects of guarana, and confirmation of the psychoactive properties of ginseng. Given the low caffeine content (9 mg) of this dose of guarana extract, the effects are unlikely to be attributable to its caffeine content.

  Guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart.) offers protection against gastric lesions induced by ethanol and indomethacin in rats.:Phytother Res. 2003 Dec;17(10):1199-202.Campos AR, Barros AI, Santos FA, Rao VS.Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Cear¨¢, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.

 The effects of guarana (Paullinia cupana) extract were analyzed in rats on acute gastric lesions induced by ethanol and indomethacin and were compared to those produced by caffeine, a methylxanthine. Guarana (50 and 100 mg/kg p.o.) pretreated animals showed a significant reduction in the severity of gastric lesions induced by absolute ethanol in a manner similar to caffeine (20 and 30 mg/kg p.o.). Against indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration, guarana at a higher dose offered significant protection but caffeine was ineffective at the doses tested. In 4 h pylorus-ligated rats, both guarana and caffeine caused significant diminution in the gastric secretory volume as well as the total acidity. Gastrointestinal transit in mice was not significantly affected by either of these agents. These findings indicate that guarana has a gastroprotective property that needs further elucidation as regards to its mechanism.

  Seed oil composition of Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke.:Lipids. 2003 Jul;38(7):773-80. Avato P, Pesante MA, Fanizzi FP, Santos CA.Dipartimento Farmaco-Chimico, Universit¨¤, 1-70125 Bari, Italy. avato@farmchim.uniba.it

 The chemical composition of the oil extracted from the seeds of Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke (syn. P. sorbilis) was investigated. Cyanolipids constituted 3% of the total oil from guaran¨¢ seeds, whereas acylglycerols accounted for 28%. 1H and 13C NMR analyses indicated that type I cyanolipids (1-cyano-2-hydroxymethylprop-2-ene-1-ol diesters) are present in the oil from P. cupana. GC and GC-MS analysis showed that cis-11-octadecenoic (cis-vaccenic acid) and cis-11-eicosenoic acids were the main FA (30.4 and 38.7%) esterified to the nitrile group. Paullinic acid (7.0%) was also an abundant component. Oleic acid (37.4%) was the dominant fatty acyl chain in the acylglycerols.

  Purine alkaloids in Paullinia.:Phytochemistry. 2003 Oct;64(3):735-42.Weckerle CS, Stutz MA, Baumann TW.Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstr. 107, CH-8008, Zurich, Switzerland. weckerle@systbot.unizh.ch

 Among the few purine alkaloid-containing genera consumed as stimulants, Paullinia is the least investigated with respect to both chemotaxonomy and within-the-plant allocation of caffeine and its allies. Since purine alkaloids (PuA) have been proved to be valuable marker compounds in chemotaxonomy, 34 species of Paullinia and related genera were screened for them, but only one, P. pachycarpa, was positive in addition to the already known P. cupana and P. yoco. The PuA allocation in P. pachycarpa was examined and found to be restricted to theobromine in the stem, leaves and flowers. Moreover, the theobromine concentration in the stem cortex increased significantly towards the base of the plant. Since the stem cortex of P. yoco is traditionally used by the natives of Colombia and Ecuador to prepare a caffeine-rich beverage, we suspected that within the genus Paullinia the PuA are preferentially allocated to the older parts of the stem and not to young shoots like e.g., in the coffee plant (Coffea spp.). Indeed, the axis (greenhouse) of P. cupana (guaran¨¢), known for its caffeine-rich seeds, exhibited a basipetal PuA gradient (0.005-0.145%). Moreover, the analysis of young cortex samples (herbarium) and of one piece of old stem (museum collection) revealed the same for P. yoco, even though we found much less (0.5 vs 2.5%) caffeine in the old cortex as compared to the only two analyses in 1926 of similar material. However, this discrepancy may be explained by the high variability of the PuA pattern we detected among yoco, the diversity of which the Indians take advantage.


  Weight loss and delayed gastric emptying following a South American herbal preparation in overweight patients.:J Hum Nutr Diet. 2001 Jun;14(3):243-50. Andersen T, Fogh J.Department of Ultrasound, Medical Center Charlottenlund, Trunnevangen 4A, DK 2920, Charlottenlund, Denmark.

 BACKGROUND: Obesity and overweight may soon affect more than half of the population in some regions of the world and are associated with diabetes, hypertension and other diseases that cause morbidity, mortality and high health-care expenditure. No one approach, whether dietetic management, medication, or commercial weight loss programme, can alone solve the problem--all potential treatments need to be investigated and exploited. Among the herbal preparations known to non-western cultures are materials which may have applications in modulating physiological processes which influence gut motility, food intake and energy balance. One such mixed herbal preparation is 'YGD' containing Yerbe Mat¨¦ (leaves of Ilex paraguayenis), Guarana (seeds of Paullinia cupana) and Damiana (leaves of Turnera diffusa var. aphrodisiaca). AIMS: This study had two distinct aims: to determine the effect of a herbal preparation 'YGD' containing Yerbe Mat¨¦, Guarana and Damiana on gastric emptying; to determine the effect of the same preparation on weight loss over 10 days and 45 days and weight maintenance over 12 months. METHODS: Gastric emptying was observed using ultrasound scanning in seven healthy volunteers following YGD and placebo capsules taken with 420 mL apple juice. Body weight was observed before and after 10 days of treatment with three YGD capsules or three placebo capsules before each meal for 10 days in 44 healthy overweight patients attending a primary health care centre. Forty-seven healthy overweight patients entered a double-blind placebo-controlled parallel trial of three capsules of YGD capsules before each main meal for 45 days compared with three placebo capsules on body weight. Body weight was monitored in 22 patients who continued active (YGD capsules) treatment for 12 months. RESULTS: The herb preparation YGD was followed by a prolonged gastric emptying time of 58 +/- 15 min compared to 38 +/- 7.6 min after placebo (P = 0.025). Body weight reductions were 0.8 +/- 0.05 kg after YGD capsules compared to 0.3 +/- 0.03 kg after placebo capsules over 10 days, and 5.1 +/- 0.5 kg after PGD capsules compared to 0.3 +/- 0.08 kg after placebo over 45 days. Active treatment with YGD capsules resulted in weight maintenance of the group (73 kg at the beginning and 72.5 kg at the end of 12 months). CONCLUSIONS: The herbal preparation, YGD capsules, significantly delayed gastric emptying, reduced the time to perceived gastric fullness and induced significant weight loss over 45 days in overweight patients treated in a primary health care context. Maintenance treatment given in an uncontrolled context resulted in no further weight loss, nor weight regain in the group as a whole. The herbal preparation is thus shown to be one that significantly modulates gastric emptying. Further clinical studies with dietetic monitoring of energy intake, dietary quality, satiety ratings, body weight and body composition are now indicated, and examination of the active principles contained in the three herbal components may prove rewarding.

  Microscopic examination of Guaran¨¢ powder--Paullinia cupana Kunth:Arch Kriminol. 1999 Jul-Aug;204(1-2):23-7. German.Sch?fer AT.Institut f¨¹r Rechtsmedizin, RWTH Aachen.

 Guaran¨¢ is a product from the seeds of the Amazonian liana Paullinia cupana that is also cultivated since a couple of years. It is rich in caffeine and serves in Brasil for the production of stimulants, soft drinks, and sweets. In the drug scene it is sometimes trafficked as natural stimulant or drug surrogate. Microscopic examination shows the presence of starch and tannins and provides a simple, quick and cheap method to distinguish guaran¨¢ from drugs of abuse.

  Two new flavone glycosides from paullinia pinnata.:J Nat Prod. 1999 Aug;62(8):1179-81.Abourashed EA, Toyang NJ, Choinski J Jr, Khan IA.Department of Pharmacognosy and National Center for the Development of Natural Products, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677, and Department of Biology,

 Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Paullinia pinnata L. (Sapindaceae) resulted in the isolation of the two new flavone glycosides characterized as diosmetin-7-O-(2' '-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-6' '-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) (1) and tricetin-4'-O-methyl-7-O-(2' '-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-6' '-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) (2).

  Liquid chromatographic determination of methylxanthines and catechins in herbal preparations containing guaran¨¢..:J AOAC Int. 1998 Jul-Aug;81(4):691-701. Carlson M, Thompson RD.U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA.

 Herbal preparations derived from the dried seeds of guaran¨¢ (Paullinia cupana) have become a popular nutritional supplement used for stimulatory purposes. Once considered a drug substance in the United States, guaran¨¢ currently is classified as a food additive and dietary supplement. The pharmacological activity of guaran¨¢-containing products is primarily due to methylxanthine alkaloids. For guaran¨¢ preparations, methylxanthine levels and, more significantly, the presence of several polyphenol compounds (i.e., catechins) provide phytochemical markers of authenticity. Methylxanthines and polyphenols are extracted from sample matrix with a heated phosphate buffer-methanol solution, the cooled extract is filtered, and the extract is injected into the liquid chromatographic (LC) system. A Nova-Pak C18 column eluted with phosphate buffer-methanol mobile phase (pH = 3.50) and monitored at 272 nm gave satisfactory resolution for the methylxanthines theobromine, theophylline, caffeine and the polyphenols (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin. Twenty-four products including dried seeds, dried paste, seed powders, tablets, and capsule formulations were assayed and conclusions were drawn about their authenticity. The LC system responded linearly to methylxanthines over the 100-fold range in concentration from 0.043 to 4.30 micrograms/mL for theobromine and caffeine and from 0.041 to 4.10 micrograms/mL for theophylline. Precision data for the 3 methylxanthines obtained from 10 different products (n = 5) gave relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 1.18-15.52% within a concentration range of 0.01-52.28 mg/g. Recoveries of methylxanthines from fortified products varied from 87.5 to 120.0%. The response for catechins was linear over a 200-fold range in concentration of 0.05-10.0 micrograms/mL. Precision data from 5 products (n = 5) gave RSD values of 1.08-5.54% within a concentration range of 0.34-32.65 mg/g. Recoveries from these products ranged from 87.7 to 109.7%. Results and chromatographic profiles for 14 commercial products in solid dosage form indicate that a number of these products may not contain authentic guaran¨¢ as an active ingredient or contain less than the declared quantity of guaran¨¢. The proposed procedure also was applied to 2 carbonated soft drinks and a sample of mat¨¦.

  Guarana (Paullinia cupana): toxic behavioral effects in laboratory animals and antioxidants activity in vitro.:J Ethnopharmacol. 1998 Mar;60(2):111-6. Mattei R, Dias RF, Esp¨ªnola EB, Carlini EA, Barros SB.Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de Sa? Paulo, Brazil.

 The effects on toxic and behavioral levels of guarana (Paullinia cupana) were assessed in rats and mice subsequent to acute and chronic administrations and were compared to those produced by Ginseng (Panax ginseng). Experimental parameters included tests for antioxidant capacity in vitro and measured in vivo, toxicological screening, progress in weight, motor activity, death rate, and histopathological examination of the viscera. Guarana showed an antioxidant effect because, even at low concentrations (1.2 microg/ml), it inhibited the process of lipid peroxidation. In high doses of 1000-2000 mg/kg (i.p. and p.o.) it did not induce significant alterations in parameters for toxicological screening. No effects on motor activity were observed, neither did guarana alter the hypnotic effect of pentobarbital. Ginseng (250-1000 mg/kg i.p.), however, elicited reductions in motor activity, eyelid ptosis and bristling fur. Consumption of liquids containing guarana or ginseng and progress in weight of the animals remained at levels similar to the controls, even after prolonged administration. The percentage mortality was equivalent in control and in treated groups. The absence of toxicity of guarana was also demonstrated by histopathological examination, with no alteration being detected in heart, lungs, stomach, small and large intestine, liver, pancreas, kidneys, bladder and spleen.


  Evaluation of the toxicity of guarana with in vitro bioassays.:Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 1998 Mar;39(3):164-7. Santa Maria A, Lopez A, Diaz MM, Mu?oz-Mingarro D, Pozuelo JM.Departamento Biotecnolog¨ªa, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.

 A natural stimulant, Paullinia cupana, commonly called guarana, was tested for its ability to induce in vitro toxicity in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and bacterial cells (Photobacterium phosphoreum). The cytotoxic effects of aqueous guarana extracts were evaluated by three endpoint systems: neutral red (NR) uptake assay, total protein content [kenacid blue (KB)] assay, and tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The Microtox test was also used. Results indicated that the lowest concentration of guarana tested was not toxic and that the IC50 values calculated with the NR, KB, and MTT assays were lower than the highest concentration tested (40 mg/ml). There was no significant difference in cytotoxicity between the three test systems. The EC50 values obtained with the Microtox assay were consistent with these data. The present in vitro analysis suggests that the concentration of guarana is of critical importance in its cytotoxic activity and high doses could be harmful to human health.

  Pharmacological activity of Guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart.) in laboratory animals.:J Ethnopharmacol. 1997 Feb;55(3):223-9.Espinola EB, Dias RF, Mattei R, Carlini EA.Laborat¨®rio de Tecnologia Farmac¨ºutica, Universidade Federal da Para¨ªba, Brazil.

 Mice that ingested a suspension of guarana (Paullinia cupana, Sapindaceae) in a dose of 0.3 mg/ml showed a significant increase in physical capacity when subjected to a stressful situation such as forced swimming after 100 and 200 days of treatment. Such an effect, however, was not obtained with a concentration of 3.0 mg/ml, nor with the ingestion of a suspension of ginseng 5.0 mg/ml, nor of a solution of caffeine 0.1 mg/ml. Guarana, both after a single (3.0 and 30 mg/kg) or chronic administrations (0.3 mg/ml), was able to partially reverse the amnesic effect of scopolamine as measured through a passive avoidance test in mice and rats, indicating a positive effect on memory acquisition. However, no effect was observed when an active avoidance task was used in rats, even after 20 days of guarana administration. There was also a tendency of rats treated with 0.3 mg/ml of guarana to better maintain the memory of a Lashley III maze path. The animals had the same average lifespan, indicating a low toxicity of guarana, even after 23 months of treatment.

  Studies on the essential oil from guarana.:Z Lebensm Unters Forsch. 1996 Jul;203(1):95-8.Benoni H, Dallakian P, Taraz K.Institut f¨¹r Organische Chemie der Universit?t K?ln, K?ln, Germany.

 The essential oil from guarana [Paullinia cupana H.B.K. var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke] was analysed. Nine components were identified, namely (2) methylbenzenes, (1) cyclic monoterpene and (2) cyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, (2) methoxyphenylpropenes and (2) alkylphenol derivatives. The alleged psychoactivity of the essential oil is presumably due to the identified constituents estragole and anethole. Any contribution of aminated metabolites of estragole/anethole to the alleged psychoactivity of the essential oil of guarana can be excluded. Neither the psychoactive 4-methoxyamphetamine nor tert-aminoketones could be traced in human urine after oral application of guarana.

  Genotoxic and mutagenic effects of guarana (Paullinia cupana) in prokaryotic organisms.:Mutat Res. 1994 May;321(3):165-73.da Fonseca CA, Leal J, Costa SS, Leit?o AC.Departamento de Radiobiologia, Instituto de Biof¨ªsica Carlos Chagas Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 Aqueous extracts of Paullinia cupana (guarana), a species that belongs to the Sapindaceae family, were analyzed for the presence of genotoxic activities in bacterial cells. The extracts of guarana were genotoxic as assessed by lysogenic induction in Escherichia coli and they were also able to induce mutagenesis in Salmonella typhimurium. Addition of S9 microsomal fraction, catalase, superoxide dismutase or thiourea counteracted the genotoxic activity of guarana, suggesting that oxygen reactive species play an essential role in the genotoxicity of aqueous guarana extracts. The genotoxic activity in the extracts was related to the presence of a molecular complex formed by caffeine and a flavonoid (catechin or epicatechin) in the presence of potassium.

  Widespread tannin intake via stimulants and masticatories, especially guarana, kola nut, betel vine, and accessories.:Basic Life Sci. 1992;59:739-65. Review.Morton JF.University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124.

 Tannins are increasingly recognized as dietary carcinogens and as antinutrients interfering with the system's full use of protein. Nevertheless, certain tannin-rich beverages, masticatories, and folk remedies, long utilized in African, Asiatic, Pacific, and Latin American countries, are now appearing in North American sundry shops and grocery stores. These include guarana (Paullinia cupana HBK.) from Brazil, kola nut (Cola nitida Schott & Endl. and C. acuminata Schott & Endl.) from West Africa, and betel nut (Areca catechu L.) from Malaya. The betel nut, or arecanut, has long been associated with oral and esophageal cancer because of its tannin content and the tannin contributed by the highly astringent cutch from Acacia catechu L. and Uncaria gambir Roxb. and the aromatic, astringent 'pan' (leaves of Piper betel L.) chewed with it. In addition to the constant recreational/social ingestion of these plant materials, they are much consumed as aphrodisiacs and medications. Guarana and kola nut enjoy great popularity in their native lands because they are also rich in caffeine, which serves as a stimulant. Research and popular education on the deleterious effects of excessive tannin intake could do much to reduce the heavy burden of early mortality and health care, especially in developing countries.


  An aqueous extract of guaran¨¢ (Paullinia cupana) decreases platelet thromboxane synthesis:Braz J Med Biol Res. 1991;24(4):421-4.Bydlowski SP, D'Amico EA, Chamone DA.Funda??o Pr¨®-Sangue Hemocentro de S?o Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Brasil.

 The effects of an aqueous extract of guaran¨¢ (Paullinia cupana) on rabbit platelet aggregation and thromboxane synthesis were examined. The guaran¨¢ extract (100 mg/ml) and fractions separated by TLC (origin and xanthines) decreased platelet aggregation (37, 27 and 31% of control values, respectively) and platelet thromboxane formation from [14C]-arachidonic acid (78, 70 and 50% of control values, respectively). The decreased thromboxane synthesis could be responsible, at least in part, for the antiaggregatory action of guaran¨¢.

  A novel property of an aqueous guaran¨¢ extract (Paullinia cupana): inhibition of platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo.:Braz J Med Biol Res. 1988;21(3):535-8.Bydlowski SP, Yunker RL, Subbiah MT.Departamento de Ci¨ºncias Fisiol¨®gicas, Faculdade de Ci¨ºncias M¨¦dicas da Santa Casa de S?o Paulo, Brasil.

 Aqueous extracts of guaran¨¢ were studied in terms of effects on the aggregation of human and rabbit platelets. Guaran¨¢ extracts have anti-aggregatory and de-aggregatory actions on platelet aggregation induced by ADP or arachidonate but not by collagen. The active material was shown to be water soluble and heat resistant and appeared to be different from salicylates, nicotinic acid or known xanthines. Guaran¨¢ extracts inhibited platelet aggregation in rabbits following either intravenous or oral administration.

  HPLC determination of caffeine and theophylline in Paullinia cupana Kunth (guarana) and Cola spp. samples.:Z Lebensm Unters Forsch. 1985 May;180(5):398-401.Belliardo F, Martelli A, Valle MG.

 A reversed-phase high-performance liquid-chromatographic method for the determination of caffeine and theophylline in commercial guarana samples (drug obtained from the seeds of Paulinia cupana Kunth, Sapindaceae of the Amazon Region) and in Cola spp. samples is described and discussed. The methodology developed is simple and rapid with a minimum of samples preparation required. A comparison of five different techniques for the extraction of caffeine and theophylline is discussed. Furthermore the quantitative determination of caffeine and theophylline in five samples of Brasilian guarana, in two samples of dietetic products containing guarana, in two samples of Cola extract and in three of Cola seed powder are reported.

  Guaran¨¢ (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis): ecological and social perspectives on an economic plant of the central Amazon basin.:J Ethnopharmacol. 1982 Nov;6(3):311-38. Henman AR.

 Guaran¨¢ is considered an ideal crop for supplementing the incomes of small peasant farmers in the Amazon basin. A fast-growing perennial, guaran¨¢ can be planted in the midst of manioc crops, allowing the formation of extensive orchards in the place of regenerating scrub once the manioc has been harvested. Traditional forms of guaran¨¢ agriculture practised by the Sater¨º-Maw¨¦ Indians compare favourably with the plantation system favoured by government agronomists. Indigenous techniques of hand-processing guaran¨¢ are also shown to produce better quality in the finished product than those practices adopted by industrial concerns. A detailed comparison of two systems of production show the Indians' implicit concern to avoid oxidization of the phenolic compounds in the seed, since this leads to the guaran¨¢ becoming dark in colour, bitter in taste, and irritating to the gastrointestinal tract. The short-term medicinal effects of guaran¨¢ are commonly thought to result from a high content of caffeine and associated alkaloids, as well as from considerable amounts of tannin. Future research may well show that various saponins also play an important part in the drug's pharmacology, particularly with regard to its long-term influence as a general tonic and prophylactic.


  Scientific References:

  1.Research Update:Paullinia cupana or Guarana.