Sophora alopecuroides L. Var. alopecuroides alleviates morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice: Involvement of alkaloid fraction and matrine

Objective(s): Evaluation of the Sophora alopecuroides var. alopecuroides seed effects on morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice and determination of the alkaloid composition of the seed total extract. Materials and Methods: The effects of the seed total extract, alkaloid fraction and major compound matrine on the mice morphine withdrawal syndrome were compared to saline and methadone. Mice were made dependent on morphine by morphine sulfate injection 3 times a day for 3 days. The withdrawal jumping and diarrhea were induced by administration of naloxone 2 hr after the 10th injection of morphine sulfate on the day 4. The total extract (100, 200, 300 mg/kg), alkaloid fraction (5, 10, 20 mg/kg), matrine (5, 15, 30 mg/kg), methadone (10 mg/kg) or saline were injected 30 min before naloxone. All drugs were administered by subcutaneous injection. The total extract alkaloid composition was also determined by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-MS analysis. Results: All doses of the total extract, alkaloid fraction and matrine as well as methadone decreased jumping and diarrhea significantly compared to the saline. The effects of the total extract and alkaloid fraction were not significantly different from methadone. But, there were significant differences between the effects of matrine and methadone. Matrine, cytisine, sophoridine, n-methyl cytisine, sophocarpine and sophoramine were the major alkaloids. There was no nicotine in the total extract. Conclusion: S. alopecuroides var. alopecuroides suppresses opioid withdrawal with efficacy comparable to methadone. Matrine may be one of the alkaloids responsible for the effect of the plant. © 2016, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Improved glycemic control and lipid profile in hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients consuming Salvia officinalis L. leaf extract: A randomized placebo. Controlled clinical trial

Objectives: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Salvia officinalis L. (S. officinalis) leaf extract in the treatment of hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients. Design: Randomized placebo-controlled parallel group study. Setting: Diabetes Clinic (Karaj City, Alborz Province of Iran). Interventions: The efficacy and safety of taking S. officinalis leaf extract (one 500. mg capsule t.i.d. for 3 months) in treatment of 40 hyperlipidemic (hypercholesterolemic and/or hypertriglyceridemic) type 2 diabetic patients were evaluated and compared with the placebo group (n=40). Main outcome measures: Fasting blood levels of glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C (low density lipoprotein cholesterol), HDL-C (high density lipoprotein cholesterol), SGOT (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase), SGPT (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase) and creatinine. Results: The extract lowered fasting glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-C but increased HDL-C compared to baseline at endpoint. Percent difference mean (95 confidence interval) between the extract and placebo groups in terms of effects on fasting glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C and HDL-C at endpoint were 32.2 (26.5, 37.9), 22.7 (16.8, 28.6), 16.9 (9.7, 24.1), 56.4 (36.1, 76.7), 35.6 (29.9, 41.3) and 27.6 (15.8, 39.4) (P=0.001, P=0.01, P=0.01, P=0.009, P 0.05). No adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: S. officinalis leaves may be safe and have anti-hyperglycemic and lipid profile improving effects in hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Anti-obesity and anorectic effects of saffron and its constituent crocin in obese Wistar rat

Background: Obesity is pandemic worldwide and a strong risk factor for cardio-metabolic disorders. The few approved anti-obesity drugs have poor efficacy and safety profile. Thus, there is an urgent need for new anti-obesity agents. According to the traditional medicine and a clinical trial, saffron may have anorexigenic and anti-obesity effects which need further investigation. Objectives: Evaluation of the effects of saffron and crocin on body weight, food intake and blood leptin levels in obese Wistar rat. Methods: In the present study, saffron methanolic extract (25, 50, 100, 200 mg/kg) and its active constituent crocin (5, 15, 30, 50 mg/kg), sibutramine (5 mg/kg) and saline were gavaged daily to obese Wistar rats for 2 months and their effects on the body weight, food intake and blood leptin levels were evaluated. Results: The saffron extract and crocin at all doses as well as sibutramine reduced body weight, food intake and leptin levels significantly compared to saline and baseline (p < o.o5). The extract and crocin effects were comparable to sibutramine. Conclusion: Saffron has anti-obesity and anorectic effects in the obese Wistar rat. The lowered leptin levels indicate that saffron reduces fat mass and increases insulin sensitivity. Crocin may be one of the active constituents involved in the effects of saffron. The effects of saffron and crocin may have important clinical implications in terms of treatment and prevention of obesity in humans

Antihypertensive efficacy and safety of Vaccinium arctostaphylos berry extract in overweight/obese hypertensive patients: A randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial

Objectives: To evaluate the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of a standardized Vaccinium arctostaphylos (V. arctostaphylos)berry hydro-alcoholic extract in the overweight/obese hypertensive patients. Design: Randomized placebo-controlled trial. Setting: Baqiyatallah hospital (Tehran, Iran). Interventions: The antihypertensive efficacy and safety of 3-month intake of 400 mg extract capsule three times daily alongside standardized anti-hypertensive regimen in the treatment of 50 patients was compared with the placebo (n = 50). Main outcome measures: SBP (systolic blood pressure), DBP (diastolic blood pressure), body mass index, waist circumference, CBC (complete blood count), blood levels of AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), BUN (blood urea nitrogen)and creatinine. Results: SBP decreased from 152.1 ± 7.7 to 140.5 ± 10.7 in the V. arctostaphylos group and from 152.9 ± 8.1 to 150.8 ± 9.3 in the placebo group (P 0.05). Moreover, no drug side effect and adverse interaction with other antihypertensive drugs was observed in the patients. Conclusions: V. arctostaphylosberry extract improves blood pressure control and has safety and tolerability in the overweight/obese hypertensive patients taking standard antihypertensive drugs. © 2019 Elsevier Lt

Morphine withdrawal attenuating effect, toxicity and alkaloid composition of Sophora alopecuroides L. var. alopecuroides

Background and objectives: The seedsof Sophora alopecuroides L. var. alopecuroides may benefit treatment of opioid dependence. Therefore, the plant alkaloid composition, toxicity and effects on morphine withdrawal were studied. Methods: The alkaloid composition was determined by GC and GC/MS analysis. Mice were made dependent by morphine injected 3 times a day for 3 days. The withdrawal jumping and diarrhea were induced by administration of naloxone 2 h after the 10th injection of morphine on the day 4. The ethanol 90% extract (100, 200, 300 mg/kg), alkaloid fraction (5, 10, 20 mg/kg), morphine (50 mg/kg) or saline were injected 30 min before naloxone. All drugs were injected subcutaneously to groups each consisting of 10 mice. To assess toxicity, different doses of the ethanol or aqueous extracts dissolved in normal saline were gavaged once to groups each consisting of 30 mice. Afterward, the numbers of dead animals within 72 h after gavage were counted and LD50 was calculated. Results: Matrine, cytisine, sophoridine, n-methyl cytisine, sophocarpine and sophoramine were the major alkaloids. All doses of the total extract, alkaloid fraction and morphine decreased jumping and diarrhea significantly compared to the saline (p0.05). The ethanol and aqueous extracts LD50 were 355 mg/kg and 540 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusion: The plant inhibited opioid withdrawal with efficacy comparable to morphine. The alkaloids may be involved in the effect. The ethanol and aqueous extracts are moderately and slightly orally toxic, respectively

The effects of Taraxacum officinale L. and Berberis vulgaris L. root extracts on carbon tetrachloride induced liver toxicity in rats

Background: Taraxacum officinale and Berberis vulgaris have long been used as herbal remedies for treatment of a variety of complaints including liver dysfunction and gallbladder disease. However scientifically reliable data are needed to verify their minimum effective doses. Objective: In present study, the effects of Taraxacum officinale L. and Berberis vulgaris L. root extracts at the different doses 10, 20 and 30 times higher than average dose (THD) used in traditional systems of medicines were tested against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver toxicity in rats. Methods: The root extracts of T. officinale at doses of 250, 500 and 750 mg/kg/day and B. vulgaris at doses of 300, 600 and 900 mg/kg/day, relative to 10, 20 and 30 THD average doses used in traditional systems of medicines were prepared by dissolving dry extracts in 5 dimethvl sulfoxide in distilled water. Eighty male Wistar rats, 5 months old, were divided in 8 groups of 10 rats each. Liver intoxication was induced in 7 groups by intraperitoneal injection of 1 ml/kg of 1:1 CCl4 in olive oil for two successive days. One group was kept as control and six different doses of medicinal plants . extracts were administered to six groups simultaneously with CCl4 administration. After three days the serum levels of ALT, AST and ALP, liver tissue glutathione level and catalase activities as well as liver tissue microvesicular steatosis and pericentral coagulation necrosis were determined. Results: In control group the blood levels of ALT, AST, ALP and liver tissue injury were increased whereas the serum GSH level and catalase activity decreased significantly after 3 days of beginning of carbon tetrachloride liver toxicity as compared to normal group. In T. officinale treated group at the dose of 750 mg/kg/day, the serum ALT and ALP levels and in B. vulgaris at the dose of 900 mg/kg/day, the serum ALP levels reduced significantly as compared to control group. The liver micro vesicular steatosis was inhibited significantly in both groups at the doses of 30 THD as compared to control group. Conclusion: In the present study administration of T. officinale and B. vulgaris root extracts at with 30 THD ameliorated CCl 4 induced liver damage