EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE SYNERGISTIC-SEDATIVE EFFECT OF PASSIFLORA AND KAVA

In order to investigate experimentally possible synergism between a pa ssiflora extract and a kava extract, both were tested individually and in combination in a controlled pharmacological study in the mouse. Th e effects on amphetamine-induced hypermotility and on barbiturate-slee ping-time were studied. The results show that both drugs exert statist ically significant sedative effects. Their nature differed with each s ingle extract. While the sedative effect of kava manifested itself as a pronounced reduction in amphetamine-induced hypermotility relatively greater than that of passiflora, the reverse was the case for prolong ation of barbiturate-sleeping-time which was greater with passiflora t han kava. Synergism between the two drugs was observed when the two ex tracts were administered simultaneously.