O R I G I N A L
" ..
.
A R T I C L E
Jose Car/os Fernandes Ga/dur6z, Elisa/do de Araujo Carlini
T h e e ffe c ts o f lo n g -te rm a d m in istra tio n o f g u a ra n a o n th e
c o g n itio n o f n o rm a l, e ld e rly v o lu n te e rs
B r a z i l i a n I n f o r m a t i o n C e n t e r o n P s y c h o t r o p i c D r u g s o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f P s y c h o b i o l o g y a t t h e F e d e r a l U n i v e r s i t y o f s a o P a u l o - s a o P a u l o , B r a z i l
Paulinia cupana (guarana) is a Brazilian plant given great prestige in popular medicine, for example as being a potent stimulator of
brain functions. The authors assessed the effects of the long-term administration of guarana on the cognition of normal, elderly volunteers. Forty-five volunteers were studied, with a random distribution in three experimental groups: placebo (n=15), caffeine (n=15), and guarana (n=15), in a double-blind study. There were no significant cognitive alterations in these volunteers.
UNITERMS: Paulinia cupana (guarana). Cognition. Medicinal plants.
INTRODUCTION
T
h e c o n c e p t o f a d a p ti v e o r r e s is ta n t d r u g s h a s a r is e n in th e p a s t 2 0 - 3 0 y e a r s th a n k s to e x te n s iv e r e s e a r c h d o n e b y S o v ie t, J a p a n e s e a n d K o r e a n s c ie n tis ts o n s e v e r a l p la n ts , e s p e c ia lly th o s e f r o m th e A r a lia c e a e f a m ily . A lth o u g h f o lk lo r ic u s e o f th e s e p la n ts h a s a lw a y s s p u r r e d c u r io s ity , th e r e h a v e b e e n , in g e n e r a l, f e w s c ie n tif ic s tu d ie s o n th e s e p la n ts . I n f a c t, it h a s b e e n d if f ic u lt to o b s e r v e a n y im m e d ia te e f f e c t o f th e s e p la n ts in r e la tio n to a ll th e a lle g e d th e r a p e u tic e f f e c ts th a t h a v e b e e n r e p o r te d b y p o p u la r m e d ic in e " ' 1 2 . I t w a s o n ly p o s s ib le to v e r if y th e ir ty p ic a l e f f e c ts a n d is o la te th e ir a c tiv e in g r e d ie n ts2Address for correspondence:
Jose Car/os Fernandes Ga/dur6z
Esco/a Paulista de Medicina - Depto. Psicobi%gia
Rua Botucatu, 8 6 2 - 19 andar - V. C/ementino
Sao Pau/o/SP - Brasil - CEP 04023-900
w h e n in v e s tig a tio n s s to p p e d s e a r c h in g f o r s h o r t- te r m e f f e c ts in n o r m a l a n im a ls , a n d d e m o n s tr a te d th e p la n ts ' p r o te c tio n a g a in s t a g g r e s s iv e a g e n ts th r o u g h lo n g - te r m u s e .
O f te n a d a p tiv e p la n ts s tu d ie d in th e f o r m e r S o v ie t U n io n , f iv e h a v e a lr e a d y b e e n o f f ic ia lly a p p r o v e d f o r th e r a p e u tic u s e2: P a n a x g i n s e n g , A r a l i a e l a t a , A r a l i a c o r d a t a , A c a n t h o p a n a x s e n t i c o c u s ( u s e d f o r a s tr o n a u t p r e p a r a tio n ) a n d O p l o p a n a x e l a t u s .
I n B r a z il, o u r s c ie n tif ic c o m m u n ity h a s d e v o te d little e f f o r t to in v e s tig a tin g o u r v a s t f lo r a f o r a d a p tiv e p la n ts . T h e r e f o r e , it is n o t p o s s ib le to f in d s c ie n tif ic s tu d ie s r e le v a n t to th is m a tte r . H o w e v e r , in B r a z ilia n p o p u la r m e d ic in e , s e v e r a l p la n ts a r e u s e d w ith th e s a m e p u r p o s e a s o th e r f o lk m e d ic in e f o u n d in C h in a a n d o th e r c o u n tr ie s . G u a r a n a ( P a u l i n i a c u p a n a ) a n d th e P f a f f i a p a n i c u l a t a a r e g o o d e x a m p le s .
G u a r a n a is a ttr ib u te d w ith p o w e r f u l p r e v e n tiv e a n d c u r a tiv e a c tio n s ( a ll w ith o u t s c ie n tif ic p r o o f ) a n d , a m o n g th e s e , w e c a n c ite s o m e o f its in d ic a tio n s : n e u r a lg ia , m ig r a in e , a r te r io s c le r o s is , m e n s tr u a l p a in , w e ig h t lo s s ,
GALDUROZ, J.C.F. & CARLINI, E.A. - Effects of long-term administration of guarana on the cognition of normal, elderly volunteers
1074
r e n a l a c tiv a tio n , b a d d ig e s tio n , h e a r t a n d b r a in s tim u la tio n ,
a n d o th e r sl9 •
A n th r o p o lo g is t A . H E N M A N , in h is 1 9 8 6 s tu d y o f
g u a r a n a 1 6 , d e s c r ib e s th e u s e o f th is p la n t b y th e S a te r e
-M a u e I n d ia n s w h o liv e in th e A m a z o n , e m p h a s iz in g its
u s e a s a liq u id p r e p a r a tio n w h ic h is d ilu te d a n d ta k e n
s e v e r a l tim e s d u r in g th e d a y o n a lo n g - te r m b a s is . H e a ls o
r e p o r ts th a t g u a r a n a h a s b e e n u s e d b y th e s e I n d ia n s f o r
c e n tu r ie s a s a s tim u la n t, h e a d a c h e m e d ic in e , a n d f o r r e lie f
o f c r a m p s , e tc .
I n r e la tio n to its b o ta n ic a l c la s s if ic a tio n , P I O
C O R R E A 2 1 a s w e ll a s H E N M A N '6 , d e s c r ib ~ g u a r a n a a s
b e in g f r o m th e S a p ie n d a c e a e f a m ily , w ith tw o s u b s p e c ie s :
Paulinia
cupana
var sorbilis
a n dPaulinia
cupana
var
typica.
C h e m ic a lly g u a r a n a is c h a r a c te r iz e d b y its h ig h-g r a d e c a f f e in e , w ith a s m a lle r q u a n tity o f th e o p h y llin e a n d
th e o b o m in e . I t is k n o w n th a t th e s e s u b s ta n c e s d o n o t h a v e
p h a r m a c o lo g ic a l a c tio n s th a t c a n e x p la in ill.lth e th e r a p e u tic
e f f e c ts p o p u la r ly a ttr ib u te d to g u a r a n a . I n f a c t, th e c e n tr a l
s tim u la tin g e f f e c t o f c a f f e in e c a n n o t e x p la in th e m a jo r ity
o f th e m3
• O n th e o th e r h a n d , a p r e s e n c e o f a h ig h
c o n c e n tr a tio n o f ta n n in in g u a r a n a h a s b e e n d e s c r ib e d a s
4 - 6 p e r c e n t, a c c o r d in g to H E N M A N '6 .
T h e f o llo w in g s tu d y c o n s id e r s th e e f f e c t o f th e lo n g
-te r m u s e o f g u a r a n a o n th e c o g n itio n o f n o r m a l, e ld e r ly
v o lu n te e r s .
• A t le a s t a s ix th g r a d e e d u c a tio n ( to a v o id b ia s in
c o g n itiv e a s s e s s m e n t) ;
F r e e o f m e d ic a tio n s ;
N o s ig n if ic a n t p h y s ic a l o r m e n ta l d is tu r b a n c e s .
T h e p r o je c t w a s a p p r o v e d b y th e E th ic s C o m m itte e
o f th e F e d e r a l U n iv e r s ity o f S a o P a u lo in A n im a N o b ili.
A ll v o lu n te e r s s ig n e d a T e r m o f A g r e e m e n t to p a r tic ip a te .
E X P E R IM E N T A L G R O U P S
T h r e e e x p e r im e n ta l g r o u p s w e r e f o r m e d , e a c h w ith
IS v o lu n te e r s :
G R O U P I - P L A C E B O
G R O U P I I - C A F F E I N E , in q u a n titie s e q u iv a le n t to
d o s e s o f a d m in is te r e d g u a r a n a . T h e p u r p o s e o f th is
g r o u p w a s to a s s e s s th e d if f e r e n t c o g n itiv e e f f e c ts o f
g u a r a n a a n d c a f f e in e , if a n y .
G R O U P I I I - G U A R A N A
T h e s a m p le o f g u a r a n a u s e d w a s a n a ly z e d b y
E M B R A P A ( B r a z i Ii a n A g r o p e c u a r i a n R e s e a r c h
C o m p a n y ) a n d h a d th e f o llo w in g c o m p o n e n ts :
M o is tu r e : 8 .8 0 %
A s h : 1 .5 1 %
C a f f e in e : 2 .1 0 %
T a n n in : 1 6 %
Evaluation instruments
*
T h e v o lu n te e r s in e a c h e x p e r im e n ta l g r o u p to o k tw o
c a p s u le s a d a y ( o n e in th e m o r n in g , o n e in th e a f te r n o o n )
f o r 1 5 0 d a y s o f th e s tu d y . E a c h c a p s u le c o n ta in e d 5 0 0 m g
o f p o w d e r e d g u a r a n a ; th e c a p s u le s o f c a f f e in e c o n ta in e d
1 2 .5 m g . T h e p la c e b o w a s b r o w n s u g a r ( 5 0 0 m g /c a p s u le ) .
T h e d o s e s o f Ig r a m o f g u a r a n a p e r d a y w a s d e c id e d
u p o n a f te r s tu d y in g th e r e c o m m e n d a tio n s o f la b o r a to r ie s
th a t s o ld th e p r o d u c t, a n d a p r e v io u s s tu d y d o n e b y th is
d e p a r tm e n t1 3 •
A ll c a p s u le s w e r e id e n tic a l s in c e th is w a s a d o u b le
-b lin d s tu d y , a n d v o lu n te e r s w e r e
r a n d o m ly d iv id e d in to o n e o f th e
th r e e e x p e r im e n ta l g r o u p s .
P la c e b o
*
P la c e b o
*
Basic
G u a r a n aIntermediate
G u a r a n aFinal
Assessment
C a ffe in eAssessment
C a ffe in eAssessment
P A T IE N T S A N D M E T H O D S
F o r ty - f iv e v o lu n te e r s f it th e f o llo w in g s e le c tio n
c r ite r ia :
O v e r 6 0 y e a r s - o ld ( s e v e r a l s tu d ie s h a v e d e m o n s tr a te d
th a t, a f te r th e a g e o f 5 0 - 5 5 , a d e c lin e in c o g n itiv e
f u n c tio n s b e g in s , w h ic h d o e s n o t m e a n a n y
p a th o lo g ic m a n if e s ta tio n 6 . 1 5 ;
( n o tr e a tm e n t) ( 3 m o n th s o f tr e a tm e n t)
[
• C lin ic a l e v a lu a tio n • L a b o r a to r y
* •P s y c h o lo g ic a l te s ts • S le e p s c a le • A n x ie ty in v e n to r y
F ig u r e 1 - T h e s tu d y p r o c e d u r e .
( 5 m o n th s o f tr e a tm e n t)
1 . C o g n itiv e e v a lu a tio n
T h e M in i- M e n ta l S ta te l( ) w a s
u s e d a s s c r e e n in g f o r d e m e n tia w ith
a c u t- o f f s c o r e o f 2 3 p o in ts . A m o n g
n e u r o p s y c h o lo g ic a l a s s a y s , w e u s e d
D ig ita l S p a n 2 4 to a s s e s s im m e d ia te
m e m o r y ; F r e e R e c a ll f o r r e c e n t
"'*" . % t:« W .
m e m o r y '; D ig ita l S y m b o l to e v a lu a te p s y c h o m o to r a c tiv ity
a n d c o n c e n tr a tio n8 . 1 4 ;C a n c e lla tio n te s ts to v e r if y v ig ila n c e
a n d a tte n tio n7 ; a n d , f in a lly , th e M o s a ic te s t f o r v is u a l a n d s p a c ia l o r g a n iz a tio n '8 .
T h e R a v e n - P r o g r e s s iv e M a tr ic e s ( A d v a n c e d S c a le )
w a s u s e d . I t is in d ic a te d to a s s e s s g e n e r a l a b ilitie s , h a v in g
s h o w n s e n s itiv ity to d e te c t r e a s o n in g a n d v is u a l p e r c e p tio n
d a m a g e s .
2 . S le e p a s s e s s m e n t s c a le
T o v e r if y p o s s ib le d r u g in te r f e r e n c e s in s le e p d u r in g
tr e a tm e n t4 •
3 . A n x ie ty a s s e s s m e n t s c a le
W e u s e d th e S ta te - T r a it A n x ie ty I n v e n to r y 2 2 .
Experimental Procedure
w id o w e r ; 2 5 v o lu n te e r s h a d f in is h e d h ig h s c h o o l, 1 5 h a d
f in is h e d p r im a r y s c h o o l a n d 5 h a d g r a d u a te d f r o m
u n iv e r s ity .
T a b le 1
Im m e d ia te (D ig it S p a n ) a n d re c e n t (F re e R e c a ll)
m e m o ry a s s e s s m e n t o f th e 4 5 v o lu n te e rs in th e
th re e p h a s e s o f th e s tu d y
(re s u lts a re a v e ra g e s c o re a n d s ta n d a rd d e v ia tio n )
C o g n itiv e P h a s e s o f tre a tm e n t
te s ts G ro u p s In itia l In te rm . F in a l
P la c e b o 1 1 .4 :t2 1 2 .1 :t1 1 2 .1 :t2
D ig it S p a n C a ffe in e 1 1 .4 :t2 1 2 .5 :t2 1 2 .6 :t2
G u a ra n a 1 0 .3 :t2 1 1 .8 :t1 1 1 .7 :t1
M a x im u m s c o re : 1 8
T a b le Is h o w s th e r e s u lts o f tw o c o g n itiv e te s ts u s e d
f o r m e m o r y a s s e s s m e n t. T h e r e w e r e n o s ig n if ic a n t
d if f e r e n c e s .
T a b le 2
A s s e s s m e n t o f P s y c h o m o to r P e rfo rm a n c e (D ig it
S y m b o l), A tte n tio n (C a n c e lla tio n T e s t) a n d V is u a l
S p a c ia l O rg a n iz a tio n (M o s a ic )
(re s u lts a re a v e ra g e s c o re a n d s ta n d a rd d e v ia tio n ) M a x im u m s c o re : 2 7
C o g n itiv e P h a s e s o f tre a tm e n t
te s ts G ro u p s In itia l In te rm . F in a l
P la c e b o 3 4 .6 :t7 3 6 .6 :t8 4 0 .8 :t8 *
D ig it S y m b o l C a ffe in e 3 1 .7 :t1 1 3 7 .5 :t1 0 3 9 .0 :t1 2 *
G u a ra n a 3 5 .8 :t1 1 4 0 .0 :t1 2 4 2 .6 :t1 2 *
M a x im u m s c o re : 6 7
M a x im u m s c o re : 1 1 2 E a c h v o lu n te e r w a s s u b m itte d to a c lin ic a l e v a lu a tio n
( p h y s ic a l a n d la b o r a to r y e x a m s ) f o llo w e d b y th e M in
i-M e n ta l S ta te e x a m a n d n e u r o p s y c h o lo g ic a l te s ts to
d e te r m in e th e b a s a l c o g n itiv e s ta te . W e a ls o a p p lie d th e
S le e p S c a le a n d th e A n x ie ty I n v e n to r y .
T h e s e le c te d v o lu n te e r s in itia te d th e in ta k e o f o n e o f
th e th r e e s u b s ta n c e s w ith in itia l c lin ic a l f o llo w - u p e v e r y
w e e k , a n d th e n e v e r y m o n th ( to r e c e iv e m o r e c a p s u le s ,
th u s p r o v id in g n o t o n ly th e n e c e s s a r y c lin ic a l c a r e , b u t
a ls o a s s u r in g u s th a t th e s u b s ta n c e s w e r e b e in g u s e d
r e g u la r ly ) . I n th e th ir d a n d f if th m o n th a f te r b e g in n in g
tr e a tm e n t, th e c o m p le te e v a lu a tio n o f th e b a s is p h a s e w a s
a g a in r e p e a te d ( F ig .1 ) .
S T A T IS T IC A L A N A L Y S IS
D a ta w a s a n a ly s e d u s in g n o n - p a r a m e tr ia te s ts . F o r
th e a n a ly s is o f d e p e n d e n t s a m p le s , w e u s e d th e F r ie d m a n
te s t a n d , f o r in d e p e n d e n t s a m p le s , w e u s e d th e K r u s k a l
W a llis te s t. T h e s ig n if ic a n c e le v e l w a s 5 p e r c e n t.
T h e s tu d y w a s d e v e lo p e d a t th e C e n te r o f C lin ic a l
R e s e a r c h o f th e D e p a r tm e n t o f P s y c h o b io lo g y a t th e
F e d e r a l U n iv e r s ity o f S a o P a u lo f r o m J a n u a r y to S e p te m b e r
1 9 9 2 .
P la c e b o
F re e R e c a ll C a ffe in e
G u a ra n a
P la c e b o
C a n c e lla tio n C a ffe in e
G u a ra n a
1 4 .6 :t4
1 4 .4 :t3
1 3 .7 :t2
4 0 .9 :t1 0
4 0 .2 :t7
4 2 .0 :t6
1 3 .9 :t4
1 4 .4 :t2
1 2 .8 :t3
4 0 .6 :t7
4 2 .7 :t6
4 4 .3 :t6
1 4 .5 :t3
1 4 .4 :t3
1 3 .4 :t4
4 2 .9 :t7
4 2 .9 :t7
4 4 .2 :t7
R E S U L T S
M o s a icP la c e b o
C a ffe in e
G u a ra n a
3 2 .2 :t1 1
2 3 .8 :t1 2
3 5 .9 :t9
3 4 .9 :t1 0
3 0 .0 :t1 3
4 1 .0 :t9
3 7 .2 :t9
3 0 .3 :t1 5
4 2 .4 :t7 *
T h e s e a r e th e f o llo w in g s o c ia l a n d d e m o g r a p h ic
c h a r a c te r is tic s o f th e 4 5 s u b je c ts : m e a n a g e w a s 6 56 0 . 7 6
;
2 0 w e r e m a le ( 4 4 p e r c e n t) ; 3 9 m a r r ie d , 5 b a c h e lo r s , a n d 1
M a x im u m s c o re : 5 0
* p < 0 .0 5 in re la tio n to in itia l a s s e s s m e n t (F rie d m a n te s t
fo r d e p e n d e n t s a m p le s )
G A L D U R O Z , J .C .F . & C A R L IN I, E .A . - E ffe c ts o f lo n g -te rm a d m in is tra tio n o f g u a ra n a o n th e c o g n itio n o f n o rm a l, e ld e rly v o lu n te e rs
1 0 7 6
D IS C U S S IO N
S c o re s
w h ic h w a s n o t c o n firm e d b y th e te s ts ; h e w a s u n d e r
c a ffe in e . N o b o d y re p o rte d a ris e in lib id o o r im p ro v e d
s e x u a l p e rfo rm a n c e (th ro u g h s p o n ta n e o u s o r s tim u la te d
q u e s tio n n a ire s ).
L a b o ra to ry e x a m s re m a in e d s ta b le th ro u g h o u t th e
s tu d y a n d d u rin g e x te n d e d c o n tro l fo r tw o m o n th s
a fte rw a rd s .
It is im p o rta n t to e m p h a s iz e th e g re a t in te re s t a n d
w o rk d e m o n s tra te d b y a ll v o lu n te e rs , n o t o n ly in h e lp in g
. w ith th e s tu d y , b u t in a ls o in m a in ta n in g th e h o p e o ffin d in g
a s o lu tio n fo r th e m e m o ry lo s s th a t h a d b ro u g h t th e m to
o u r h o s p ita l. T h e w ith d ra w a l o f tw o v o lu n te e rs (o n e d u e
to in s o m n ia a n d a n o th e r d u e to ta c h y c a rd ia ) w a s a d e c is io n
m a d e m o re b y th e re s e a rc h e r th a n b y th e p a tie n t.
s c o re : 1 2 M a x im u m P la c e b o 3 8 .8 ::t9 3 7 .0 ::t8
C a ffe in e 3 7 .6 ::t8 3 6 .0 ::t7
G u a ra n a 3 8 .3 ::t8 4 0 .2 ::t5
P la c e b o 6 .1 ::t2 6 .8 ::t2
C a ffe in e 5 .2 ::t2 6 .1 ::t3
G u a ra n a 5 .7 ::t1 6 .6 ::t1
T a b le 3
A n x ie ty le v e l s ta te tr a it m e a s u r e d b y a n x ie ty in v e n to r y a n d
r e a s o n in g a s s e s s m e n t ( R a v e n ) o f th e 4 5 v o lu n te e r s
(re s u lts a re a v e ra g e s c o re a n d s ta n d a rd d e v ia tio n )
R a v e n
A s s e s s m e n t P h a s e s o f tre a tm e n t
G ro u p s In itia l In te rm . F in a l
P la c e b o 3 9 .4 ::t9 3 8 .4 ::t8 3 6 .3 ::t8
S ta te C a ffe in e 3 5 .8 ::t1 0 3 3 .8 ::t1 3 3 1 .5 ::t9
G u a ra n a 3 3 .0 ::t6 3 2 .8 ::t4 3 2 .8 :t5 T a b le 2 s h o w s th a t th e v o lu n te e rs p re s e n te d a n
im p ro v e m e n t in th e D ig it S y m b o l te s t w h e n th e fin a l a n d
in itia l a s s e s s m e n t w e re c o m p a re d , a lth o u g h th e re w e re n o
d iffe re n c e s b e tw e e n th e th re e g ro u p s (P la c e b o , C a ffe in e
a n d G u a ra n a ). In th e re s u lts o f th e M o s a ic te s t, th e g u a ra n a
g ro u p s h o w e d s ig n ific a n t im p ro v e m e n t, b u t it is im p o rta n t
to n o te th a t th e in itia l re s u lts o f th is g ro u p w e re a lre a d y
h ig h e r in c o m p a ris o n to th e o th e r tw o g ro u p s , a lth o u g h
n o t s ig n ific a n tly .
F in a lly , T a b le 3 s h o w s d a ta in re la tio n to th e
v o lu n te e rs ' le v e ls o f a n x ie ty m e a s u re d b y th e A n x ie ty
In v e n to ry a n d th e d e te c tio n o f a ffe c te d re a s o n i n g
(P ro g re s s iv e M a tric e s - R a v e n ). T h e re w e re n o s ig n ific a n t a lte ra tio n s .
O n e p a tie n t, u n d e r p la c e b o , c o m p la in e d o f p e rs is te n t
in s o m n ia d u rin g th e firs t w e e k o f th e e x p e rim e n t, w ith n o
im p ro v e m e n t a fte r a d m in is tra tio n o f o n ly 1 c a p s u le /d a y .
S h e o n ly re c o v e re d h e r s le e p a fte r in te rru p tio n o f th e
tre a tm e n t. T h e re w e re n o o th e r q u a lita tiv e o r q u a n tita tiv e a lte ra tio n s in v o lu n te e rs ' s le e p .
F o u r p a rtic ip a n ts c o m p la in e d o f " b u rn in g in th e
s to m a c h " ; th re e w e re ta k in g g u a ra n a a n d o n e w a s ta k in g
c a ffe in e . T h is w a s im p ro v e d b y d e c re a s in g th e d o s e s to 5 0 0 m g /d a y a n d th e in ta k e o f c a p s u le s o n ly a fte r m e a ls .
O n e v o lu n te e r w h o w a s ta k in g g u a ra n a h a d to in te rru p t tre a tm e n t d u e to ta c h y c a rd ia th a t w a s c lin ic a lly c o n firm e d .
S o m e c u rio u s fa c ts w e re re p o rte d b y th e v o lu n te e rs .
O n e w o m a n s a id th a t th e tre a tm e n t w a s " re ju v e n a tin g "
a n d " b rin g in g b a c k h e r jo y fo r life " ; s h e w a s u n d e r p la c e b o .
A n o th e r s a id re p e a te d ly th a t h is m e m o ry h a d im p ro v e d ,
T ra it
R e s u lts s h o w th a t g u a ra n a , in th e s tu d ie d d o s e s , d id
n o t c a u s e e n o u g h a lte ra tio n s to c h a ra c te riz e a n y d e te c ta b le
c lin ic a l m a n ife s ta tio n . O n ly in th e M o s a ic te s t w a s th e re a
s ta tis tic a l im p ro v e m e n t (G u a ra n a G ro u p ); h o w e v e r, o n ly
o n e re s u lt is n o t re le v a n t fo r o u r s tu d y . It is o b v io u s th a t
th e s ta tis tic a l d iffe re n c e fo u n d in th e D ig it S y m b o l te s t
w a s d u e to le a rn in g , s in c e it w a s fo u n d in a ll th e s tu d ie d
g ro u p s . In g e n e ra l, th e s e re s u lts a re s im ila r to th o s e fo u n d
in a n o th e r s tu d y o n th e im m e d ia te e ffe c ts o f g u a ra n a 1 3 .
It w o u ld s e e m w h o th e p re s tig e o f g u a ra n a c o m e s
o n ly fro m its p o p u la rity , a t le a s t in th e s tu d ie d
a s p e c ts . C e rta in ly m a n y o f th e re p o rte d e ffe c ts
c o m e fro m th e fa c t th a t c a ffe in e is a s tim u la n t
a n d fro m th e " p la c e b o " e ffe c t, th e re fo re
tu rn in g g u a ra n a in to a to n ic b e v e ra g e .
H o w e v e r, it is n o t to ta lly fre e fro m s id e
e ffe c ts , s in c e fo u r v o lu n te e rs s h o w e d s o m e
d is c o m fo rt, w ith o n e n o t c o m p le tin g th e s tu d y
< 3 0 d u e to ta c h y c a rd ia , w h ic h c o n firm s s e v e ra l
re p o rts o f p e o p le w h o a re s e n s itiv e to g u a ra n a 3 1 - 4 0
m e d iu m -lo w a n d p re s e n t ta c h y c a rd ia (G A L D U R O Z &
4 1 - 5 0 C A R L IN I, d a ta n o t p u b lis h e d ).
A t th e b e g in n in g o f th is s tu d y , w e h a d m e d iu m -h ig h
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - in m in d th a t th e g re a t q u a n tity o fta n n in s ~ in
> 5 0 g u a ra n a (o u r s a m p le h a d 1 6 p e rc e n t) c o u ld h ig h a n x ie ty p e rh a p s a c t a s a " c a p to r" o f fre e -ra d ic a ls a n d ,
th e re fo re , ju s tify s o m e o f th e e ffe c ts th a t a re
re p o rte d b y th e p o p u la tio n . H o w e v e r, o n e
c a n n o t to ta lly d is re g a rd th a t th is p la n t h a s a n a d a p tiv e a c tio n , s in c e -it h a s a lre a d y b e e n
o b s e rv e d , d u rin g in v itro lip id p e ro x id a tio n ,
s a o P a u lo M e d ic a l J o u r n a llR P M 1 1 4 ( 1 ) : 1 0 7 3 - 1 0 7 8 , 1 9 9 6 G A L D U R O Z , J .e .F . & C A R L IN I, E A - E ffe c ts o f lo n g - te r m a d m in is tr a tio n o f
1077
th at g u aran a acts as an an tio x id an t (M A T T E I R , et aL ,
d ata n o t p u b lish ed ).
T h ere are sev eral stu d ies th at try to stu d y su b stan ces
o r p lan ts w h ich im p ro v e co g n itio n eith er in n o rm al p eo p le
o r in th e m en tally ills.1 7 .2 0 an d , u n fo rtu n ately , g u aran a h as
n o t sh o w n an y su ccess.
H o w ev er, tw o issu es can b e b ro u g h t u p to ex p lain
th ese failu res: treatm en t tim e w ith g u aran a w as in su fficien t,
alth o u g h stu d ies o n co g n itio n en h an cem en t d ru g s state th at
a d ru g is n o t efficien t w h en it sh o w s n o resu lts after 5 to 6
m o n th s o f ad m in istratio n2 3
• O n th e o th er h an d , an o th er
arg u m en t in fav o r o f g u aran a is th at th e n eu ro p sy ch o lo g ical
tests em p lo y ed w ere n o t sen sitiv e en o u g h to d etect th e
ex p ected alteratio n s.
In an y case, w e d o k n o w th at th is 'is th e first scien tific
stu d y reg ard in g ch ro n ic ad m in istratio n o f g u aran a in
h u m an b ein g s.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
B rascap , G u aran a G lo b o S .A ., B erto li A L , M iran d a
V M , O liv eira R , S a L C , A rag ao F , N ak am u ra E M , S arto ri
V A , S eab ra M L V , M o u ro L C , A n d reatin i R , B o rg es M F ,
N o to A R , an d M attei R .
RESUMO
A Paulfnia cupana (0 guarana)
e
um a planta da flora brasileira que goza de grande prestigio na m edicina popular, entre eles de ser potente estim ulante das funyoes cerebrais. O s autores avaliaram os efeitos da adm inistrayao cronica da guarana sobrea cogniyao de voluntarios idosos norm ais. Foram estudados 45 voluntarios, sendo distribufdos aleatoriam ente para um dos
tres grupos experim entais: Placebo (n=15), C afefna (n=15) e G uarana (n=15), em estado duplo-cego. N ao obteve-se nenhum a
m udanya significativa na cogniyao desses voluntarios. I
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