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

Chemical constituents of Allium stipitatum regel (persian shallot) essential oil

A. stipitatum (Synonym: A. hirtifolium) or Persian shallot from Amaryllidaceae family with indigenous name of ''Mooseer'' is one of the important edible Alliums in Iran. It is native and endemic from northwestern to southern of Iran and grows as a wild plant in the Zagross Mountains at high elevations of different provinces with the climate of very cold to moderate cold. In this study, essential oil constituents of A. stipitatum were investigated through gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. After obtaining the chromatograms and mass spectra, the essential compounds of the essential oil were determined. As shown 1-Butene,1-(methylthio)-(Z) (18.21%), Methyl methylthiomethyl disulfide (8.41%), Dimethyl tetrasulfide (6.47%), Piperitenone oxide (4.55%) were the most abundant components and comprised 37.64% of the essential oil (Figure 1). While 2,5-Diethylthiophene (0.07%) and n-Nonanal (0.06%) were detected in lower amounts. The presence of compounds showed mono-sulfur (22.42%), disulfide (1.81%), tri-sulfur (13.57%) and tetra-sulfur compounds (6.47%). The results indicated that the highest amount of sulfur compounds is related to mono-sulfur compounds

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

Anti-platelet aggregation assay and chemical composition of essential oil from Allium atroviolaceum Boiss growing in Iran.

Plants belonging to genera Allium have widely been acquired as food and medicine. Their wide use was mainly due to the medicinal properties attributed to these plants over the centuries, lately supported by epidemiological and research studies. In this study, essential oil constituents of Allium atroviolaceum growing in Shahr-e-kord, Iran, were investigated through gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. In this essential oil two major constituents were trisulfide, di-2-propenyl (26.85%) and diallyl disulphide (10.98%) while trans-2-(2- pentenyl) furan (0.02%) and Limonene (0.06%) have been identified in lower amounts. The in-vitro antiplatelet activity of essential oil was evaluated, using arachidonic acid (AA) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) as the platelet aggregation inducers. The results showed that essential oil of Allium atroviolaceum with IC50; 0.25 mg/ml and 0.47 mg/ml inhibited in-vitro platelet aggregation induced by AA and ADP respectively

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

Botany, secondary metabolites, therapeutic effects and toxicity of Ferula persica: A review

Background & Aim: Ferula persica is a medicinal plant belonging to the Apiaceae family and grows in some provinces of Iran, including Mazandaran, Tehran, Semnan, Alborz, and Qazvin. The plant is traditionally used as an expectorant, antispasmodic, anti-bloating and laxative, also it is used to treat indigestion with bloating and constipation, neurologic diseases, epilepsy, and various pain, especially joint pain. Due to the value and importance of F. persica in traditional medicine and its beneficial pharmacological effects, this review aimed to investigate the findings on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, traditional uses, and pharmacological effects of this medicinal plant published up to 2022. Experimental: The information and findings in this review were obtained via electronic search using Google Scholar, Pubmed, Science Direct, Wiley Online, and Taylor & Francis, as well as relevant books. Results: Various studies have shown that F. persica contains secondary metabolites such as coumarin, sulfur-containing compounds, steroids such as stigma-esterol, sitosterol, monoterpene and sesquiterpene, also numerous pharmacological activities including antitumor, anti-Alzheimer, antiepileptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antigenotoxic, about the plant have been reported. Recommended applications/industries: Due to high-value components, wide application in traditional medicine, and various pharmacological effects, F. persica may be addressed as a source of multiple herbal medicinal compounds

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

Anchusa italica extract: phytochemical and neuroprotective evaluation on global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion

Stroke is the third leading cause of mortality and disability in industrial countries. Treatment with herbs with antioxidant properties has been reported to be an alternative to the conventional treatments. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Anchusa italica extract on hippocampal injury induced by transient global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in the rat. To do so, 50 rats were randomly assigned to five groups; control, sham, ischemia, and 50 or 100 mg/kg of Anchusa italica treated animals. Ischemia was induced by occlusion of carotid artery for 30 minutes. Afterward, behavioral tests and biochemical analyses were conducted. Induction of ischemia/reperfusion caused a decline in learning and passive avoidance memory in rats. Moreover, Anchusa italica caused an increase in learning and improved the passive avoidance memory. Induction of ischemia/reperfusion caused a decrease in the antioxidant capacity of the brain and serum as well as an increase in the malondialdehyde of the brain and serum. Anchusa italica led to an increase in the antioxidant capacity of the brain and serum and decrease in the malondialdehyde of the brain and serum. Overall, because of its protective effects on spatial memory, passive avoidance learning, antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation during ischemia/reperfusion, Anchusa italica might be beneficial in ischemic patients