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Ptychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian "nerve tonic", possesses anticholinesterase activity.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2003 Jun;75(3):645-50.
Siqueira IR, Fochesatto C, da Silva AL, Nunes DS, Battastini AM, Netto CA, Elisabetsky E.

The cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) has provided the rationale for the current pharmacotherapy of this disease, in an attempt to downgrade the cognitive decline caused by cholinergic deficits. Nevertheless, the search for potent and long-acting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors that exert minimal side effects to AD patients is still an ongoing effort. Amazonian communities use traditional remedies prepared with Ptychopetalum olacoides (PO, Olacaceae) roots for treating various central nervous system conditions, including those associated with aging. The fact that PO ethanol extract (POEE) has been found to facilitate memory retrieval in the step down procedure in young and aged mice prompt us to evaluate its effects on AChE activity in memory relevant brain areas. POEE significantly inhibited AChE activity in vitro in a dose- and time-dependent manner in rat frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum; a significant inhibition was also found in these same brain areas of aged (14 months) mice after acute administration of POEE (100 mg/kg ip). We propose that such AChE inhibitory activity is a neurochemical correlate of a number of therapeutic properties traditionally claimed for P. olacoides, particularly those associated with cognition.

Promnesic effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides in aversive and non-aversive learning paradigms.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Feb 12;109(3):449-57. Epub 2006 Aug 30.
da Silva AL, Piato AL, Ferreira JG, Martins BS, Nunes DS, Elisabetsky E.

Homemade remedies with Ptychopetalum olacoides (PO) roots are used by Amazonian peoples for treating various age-related conditions. We previously reported that Ptychopetalum olacoides ethanol extract significantly improved step-down inhibitory avoidance long-term memory in adult and reversed memory deficits in aging mice. Adding to previous data, this study shows that a single i.p. administration of Ptychopetalum olacoides ethanol extract (POEE 50 and 100 mg/kg) improved step-down inhibitory avoidance short-term memory (STM) 3 h after training in adult (2.5 month) mice; comparable results were obtained with POEE given p.o. at 800 mg/kg. Moreover, memory improvement was also observed in aging (14 months) mice presenting memory deficit as compared to adult mice. Furthermore, POEE (100 mg/kg) improved non-aversive memory systems in adult mice in an object recognition paradigm. Consistently with its traditional use this study add to previously reported data and reinforces that POEE facilitates memory processes. Although the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties described for this extract may be of relevance for improving memory processes, the molecular mechanism(s) underlying the memory improvement here reported needs further scrutiny.

Antioxidant activities of Ptychopetalum olacoides ("muirapuama") in mice brain.
Phytomedicine. 2007 Apr 11
Siqueira IR, Fochesatto C, Torres IL, da Silva AL, Nunes DS, Elisabetsky E, Netto CA.

Ptychopetalum olacoides (PO) roots are used by Amazonian peoples to prepare traditional remedies for treating various central nervous system conditions in which free radicals are likely to be implicated. Following the identification of PO ethanol extract (POEE) free-radical scavenging properties in vitro, the aim of this study was to verify the in vivo antioxidant effect of POEE. Aging mice (14 months) were treated (i.p.) with saline, DMSO (20%) or POEE (100mg/kg body wt.), and the hippocampi, cerebral cortex, striata, hypothalamus and cerebellum dissected out 60min later to measure antioxidant enzyme activities, free-radical production and damage to macromolecules. POEE administration reduced free-radical production in the hypothalamus, lead to significant decrease in lipid peroxidation in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hypothalamus, as well as in the carbonyl content in cerebellum and striatum. In terms of antioxidant enzymes, catalase activity was increased in the cortex, striatum, cerebellum and hippocampus, while glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in the hippocampus. This study suggests that POEE contains compounds able to improve the cellular antioxidant network efficacy in the brain, ultimately reducing the damage caused by oxidative stress.

Anxiogenic properties of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. (Marapuama).
Phytother Res. 2002 May;16(3):223-6.
da Silva AL, Bardini S, Nunes DS, Elisabetsky E.

Alcohol infusions of roots of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. (PO), known as Marapuama or Muirapuama, are used in the Brazilian Amazon as a 'nerve tonic'. Over the years PO has been found increasingly in phytoformulations and regarded as a stimulant, claimed to enhance physical and mental performances. This study determined that a P. olacoides ethanol extract (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg) decreased exploratory behaviour in the hole-board test, without interfering with locomotion or motor coordination (rota-rod test). The data are comparable to that obtained with pentylenetetrazol (40 mg/kg), suggesting an anxiogenic effect of P. olacoides.