Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is derived from the eponymous climbing plant native to the Amazon rainforests in Brazil.
Guarana has been used by traditional medicine for 2,000 years and already have been attributed, over time, healthy properties:
- cardiotonic
- tonic
- diuretic
- antidepressants
- feverish
Today it is used in the medical, cosmetic fields and as dietary supplement. Some of the health properties have been confirmed by scientific literature, others remain awaiting confirmation.
The anti-inflammatory property has been validated by numerous studies that agree on the ability of guarana, simvastatin and caffeine to control and prevent infiamations. However, compounds found in guarana have been shown to be more effective than caffeine in countering inflammation (1).
The activity of guarana, the stimulant of the central nervous system, has demonstrated some protective effects in models of cognitive decline diseases such as Parkinson, Alzheimer and Huntington. Although the mechanisms of this action are still unknown, a hydro-alcoholic guarana extract, for its positive effects, has revealed some potential in the fight against age-related diseases associated with misfolding and protein accumulation (2).
Guarana is a common food for Amazonian populations that enjoy longevity and a low incidence of cognitive decline diseases. This study contributes to the knowledge of therapies that could be useful in preventing or treating disorders associated with aging, and also suggests purinergic signaling as a plausible therapeutic target for longevity studies. (3).
The antioxidant and antibacterial effects observed in guarana extracts are attributed to secondary metabolites present in its composition. Its seeds contain high amounts of methylxanthine, such as caffeine, theobromine and theophylin. Some saponins, polyphenols, and especially tannins are found in good quantities in the fractions of guarana seed extract (4).
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The use of dietary supplements has increased recently and the risk of adverse effects may increase if supplements are used improperly (5).
Guarana studies
References________________________________________
(1) Lipotoxicity-associated inflammation is prevented by guarana (Paullinia cupana) in a model of hyperlipidemia. Ruchel JB, Bernardes VM, Braun JBS, Manzoni AG, Passos DF, Castilhos LG, Abdalla FH, de Oliveira JS, de Andrade CM, Casali EA, da Cruz IBM, Leal DBR. Drug Chem Toxicol. 2019 Jun 14:1-9. doi: 10.1080/01480545.2019.1624767.
(2) Guarana (Paullinia cupana) Extract Protects Caenorhabditis elegans Models for Alzheimer Disease and Huntington Disease through Activation of Antioxidant and Protein Degradation Pathways. Boasquívis PF, Silva GMM, Paiva FA, Cavalcanti RM, Nunez CV, de Paula Oliveira R. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2018 Jul 4;2018:9241308. doi: 10.1155/2018/9241308.
(3) Mechanisms involved in anti-aging effects of guarana (Paullinia cupana) in Caenorhabditis elegans. Arantes LP, Machado ML, Zamberlan DC, da Silveira TL, da Silva TC, da Cruz IBM, Ribeiro EE, Aschner M, Soares FAA. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2018 Jul 2;51(9):e7552. doi: 10.1590/1414-431X20187552.
(4) Evaluation of Antibacterial, Antineoplastic, and Immunomodulatory Activity of Paullinia cupana Seeds Crude Extract and Ethyl-Acetate Fraction. Carvalho LV, Cordeiro MF, E Lins TU, Sampaio MC, de Mello GS, da Costa VC, Marques LL, Klein T, de Mello JC, Cavalcanti IM, Pitta ID, Galdino da Rocha Pitta M, Rêgo MJ. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:1203274. doi: 10.1155/2016/1203274
(5) Abuse and Misuse of Selected Dietary Supplements Among Adolescents: a Look at Poison Center Data. Biggs JM, Morgan JA, Lardieri AB, Kishk OA, Klein-Schwartz W. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Nov-Dec;22(6):385-393. doi: 10.5863/1551-6776-22.6.385.
Guarana 
Saponins
