Effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Borago officinalis on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal syndrome in morphine-dependent mice

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Borago officinalis on morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice. Morphine-dependent group received morphine for nine days and then received naloxone via intraperitoneal injection. Control group received saline for nine days. Post-treated group received B. officinalis extract intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg) on the day 10 before naloxone injection. Co-treated group received B. officinalis extract intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg) and morphine for nine days and then received naloxone. Extract-treated group received extract for nine days and then received naloxone. Naloxone injection significantly increased the frequency of jumping, blinking, ptosis, defecation, paw trembling, and two-legged standing in comparison to the control group. Co-treatment and post-treatment with B. officinalis extract significantly decreased the withdrawal symptoms. In conclusion, hydroalcoholic extract of B. officinalis significantly attenuated the symptoms of morphine withdrawal syndrome

In vitro effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Peganum harmala on human ureteric contractions

Introduction: Ureteral obstruction by stones is one of the most common urological problems. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the in vitro effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Peganum harmala L. on the contraction of the human ureter. Materials and Methods: In this study, 28 samples of human ureter tissue were studied. Six tissue samples were examined for the evaluation of P. harmala extract at concentrations of 1, 2, and 4 mg/mL. Moreover, five tissue samples were examined for checking NaCl solution since, six pieces of tissue for the examination of prazosin 10-8M solution. Results: There was a significant difference between the second contraction of P. harmala group with concentration of 4 mg/mL and NaCl group (P<0.001). Additionally, a significant difference between the prazosin and P. harmala groups with a concentration of 4 mg/mL (P=0.048) was observed. There is a marginal difference between the secondary contractions in two groups. A significant decrease in secondary contraction (15 minutes after adding the solution) was observed between the prazosin group and the P. harmala group at a concentration of 1 mg/mL (P<0.001). Moreover, the secondary contraction of the prazosin group showed a significant decrease compared with the NaCl group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Administration of P. harmala extract can be useful in reducing urinary human ureteric contractions while the best effect was achieved at 4 mg/mL of P. harmala extract. Keywords: Peganum harmala, Ureter, Prazosin, Renal coli

Entinociceptive effects of Euphorbia helioscopia extract on Balb/c mice

Background and aims: Euphorbia helioscopia has multiple pharmacological activities, such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal,anticancer and/or antitumor, allelopathic, anti-allergic and anti-asthmatic, antioxidant, antinociceptive effect. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antinociceptive activities of Euphorbia helioscopia extract in Balb/c mice, as well as the total flavonoids, phenolic contents, and antioxidant activities of the extract. Methods: In this study, 90 Balb/c mice were randomly designated into 9 groups. Group 1 received normal saline, groups 2 to 7 received different doses of the E. helioscopia hydroethanolic extract (i.e., 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 2, & 8 mg/kg, i.p.).In addition, groups 8 and 9 received naloxone (1 mg/kg) and extract (8 mg/kg) plus naloxone (1 mg/kg), respectively (Naloxone was injected 15 minutes after extract administration). Then, pain response was evaluated for 30 minutes after the injection of 20 µL formalin (1.5%) in the plantar surface of the mice foot. Further, the beta-carotene-linoleate method was used for measuring antioxidant capacity. Finally, total phenolic and flavonoid content were measured based on Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. Results: Total phenol and flavonoid content were 49.43 ± 1.8 mg GAE/g dried extract and 30.19 ± 1.96 mg rutin/g dried extract, respectively. Our results showed that during the first 5 minutes (the acute pain step), a significant difference (P<0.05) was observed between the control group and the group which received the E. helioscopia hydroethanolic extract (8 mg/kg). In the next 25 minutes (the chronic pain step), a significant difference (P<0.05) was found between the control group and the group which received 0.1 and 8 mg/kg doses of the extract. Based on the results, naloxone was unable to reverse the antinociceptive effects of the extract and the maximum antioxidant activity of the extract was 1.641 mg/g of rutin equivalent. Conclusion: In general, this study supports the use of the E. helioscopia extract in folk medicine as the analgesic agent and calls for further investigations regarding elucidating its mechanism of action. Eventually, our findings revealed that the extract of E. helioscopia possessed either antinociceptive or anti-oxidative activities. Keywords: Euphorbia helioscopia, Pain, Mice, Formalin test, Antioxidant activit

Chemical compositions of essential oil and antioxidant activity of dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica) in sole crop and dragonhead- soybean (Glycine max) intercropping system under organic manure and chemical fertilizer

Organic manure can be used as an alternative for chemical fertilizers in sustainable agriculture. In addition, compared with sole cropping systems, intercropping is a promising approach for the crop production due to its lower reliance to chemical fertilizers. In this study, grain yield of soybean and biomass, chemical compositions and antioxidant activity of dragonhead essential oil in sole crop and dragonhead-soybean intercropping system under organic and chemical fertilizers were investigated. Land equivalent ratio (LER) was calculated as well. Results indicated intercropping and application of organic manure, increased soybean grain yield and dragonhead biomass. The LER value for soybean: dragonhead with ratios of 1:1 and1:2 under organic manure was greater than 1, indicating superiority of intercropping versus sol crop systems. GC–MS analysis showed that geranial, geranyl acetate, neral and piperitone were major compounds of dragonhead. The geranial and neral contents were increased in sole cropped dragonhead with application of chemical fertilizer, while the piperitone content was enhanced in sole cropped plants fertilized with organic manure. The highest of geranyl acetate content was observed in intercropped dragonhead plants fertilized with chemical fertilizer. Addition of organic manure lead to increase the antioxidant capacity of dragonhead in intercropped plots. The highest antioxidant activity of dragonhead (IC50 = 1.45 μgmL−1) was observed in one row of soybean + two rows of dragohead treated with organic manure. Overall, one row of soybean + two rows of dragohead with use of organic manure was more productive and had the highest LER value, antioxidant activity and a large amount of chemical compositions of essential oil. Thus this treatment could be adopted by the medicinal plant growers for appropriate production of dragonhead. © 2018 Elsevier B.V

Medicinal plants: Past history and future perspective

Human societies have been in close contact with their environments since the beginning of their formation and used the ingredients of the environment to obtain food and medicine. Awareness and application of plants to prepare food and medicine have been realized through trial and error, and gradually human became able to meet his needs from his surroundings. Information about medicinal plants has long been transmitted gradually and from generation to generation, a human knowledge has gradually become complete with the formation of civilizations and the provision of more facilities. Medicinal plants are used as a medical resource in almost all cultures. Ensuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of medicinal plants and herbal drugs very recently became a key issue in industrialized and developing countries. By standardizing and evaluating the health of active plant-derived compounds, herbal drugs can help the emergence of a new era of the healthcare system to treat human diseases in the future. Awareness of traditional knowledge and medicinal plants can play a key role in the exploitation and discovery of natural plant resources. In order to maintain this knowledge, comprehensive approach and collaboration are needed to maintain historical records on medicinal plants and use these resources in favour of human beings, before they are destroyed forever. Therefore, this review was conducted to investigate and describe the process of using medicinal plants throughout history. This review focuses on the recent various important challenges in quality evaluation of medicinal plants in the authenticity, efficacy, toxicity and consistenc

Oral acute and sub-acute toxic effects of hydroalcoholic Terminalia chebula Retz and Achillea wilhelmsii extracts in BALB/c mice

Background: This study examined the acute and sub-acute toxic effects of Terminalia chebula and Achillea wilhelmsii extracts on the murine model. Methods: In both phases, mice were assigned to intervention and control groups. At the end of study, the liver, kidney, and heart tissues were collected for histopathological studies. Results: In the acute phase of the study, the safe dose was = 5000 mg/kg and that of Terminalia chebula extract 2754.436 (2438-3114) mg/kg. The highest dose of T. chebula extract induced few histopathological changes. Conclusion: It will be useful to gain information on the minimum lethal doses of T. chebula and A. wilhelmsii to adopt safe doses of the two plants. Keywords: Achillea wilhelmsii; Acute toxicity; Animal Model; Sub-acute toxicity; Terminalia chebul

A screening of growth inhibitory activity of Iranian medicinal plants on prostate cancer cell lines

Background: Prostate cancer has been known as one of the most common malignancy in the men and it is therefore very important to prevent and treat this cancer. In this study, the anticancer effects of 20 species of medicinal plants in Iran, especially those grown in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, were investigated on prostate cancer cell lines to identify potential natural alternatives for the development of prostate cancer anticancer drugs. Methods: The plants were gathered from Chaharmahal va Bakhtyari and their aerial parts extracted through maceration method using ethanol 70%. Anti-proliferative activity of extracts on PC-3, DU145 and HDF cell lines was evaluated by MTT assay 48 hours after treatment. Results: Euphorbia szovitsii Fisch. & C.A.Mey. and Achillea wilhelmsii had anti-proliferative activity more than other plants on PC-3. Also IC50s for Urtica dioica, Euphorbia szovitsii Fisch. & C.A.Mey. and Medicago sativa were lower amount among the examined plants on Du-145. Conclusion: According to our result, Euphorbia szovitsii Fisch. & C.A.Mey., U. dioica and Medicago sativa with good anti-proliferative activity can serve as an effective source of natural products to develop new antiprostate cancer drugs

Medicinal Plants with Multiple Effects on Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications: a Systematic Review

Abstract Purpose of Review This systematic review describes evidence concerning medicinal plants that, in addition to exerting hypoglycemic effects, decrease accompanying complications such as nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, hypertension, and/or hyperlipidemia among individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Recent Findings Studies on the antidiabetic mechanisms of medicinal plants have shown that most of them produce hypoglycemic activity by stimulating insulin secretion, augmenting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), inhibiting αamylase or α-glucosidase, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion, advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation, free radical scavenging plus antioxidant activity (against reactive oxygen or nitrogen species (ROS/RNS)), up-regulating or elevating translocation of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4), and preventing development of insulin resistance. Summary Not only are medicinal plants effective in DM, but many of them also possess a variety of effects on other disease states, including the complications of DM. Such plants may be appropriate alternatives or adjuncts to available antidiabetic medication