Passiflora incarnata attenuation of neuropathic allodynia and vulvodynia apropos GABA-ergic and opioidergic antinociceptive and behavioural mechanisms

Background: Passiflora incarnata is widely used as an anxiolytic and sedative due to its putative GABAergic properties. Passiflora incarnata L. methanolic extract (PI-ME) was evaluated in an animal model of streptozotocininduced diabetic neuropathic allodynia and vulvodynia in rats along with antinociceptive, anxiolytic and sedative activities in mice in order to examine possible underlying mechanisms. Methods: PI-ME was tested preliminary for qualitative phytochemical analysis and then quantitatively by proximate and GC-MS analysis. The antinociceptive property was evaluated using the abdominal constriction assay and hot plate test. The anxiolytic activity was performed in a stair case model and sedative activity in an open field test. The antagonistic activities were evaluated using naloxone and/or pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). PI-ME was evaluated for prospective anti-allodynic and anti-vulvodynic properties in a rat model of streptozotocin induced neuropathic pain using the static and dynamic testing paradigms of mechanical allodynia and vulvodynia. Results: GC-MS analysis revealed that PI-ME contained predominant quantities of oleamide (9-octadecenamide), palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid) and 3-hydroxy-dodecanoic acid, among other active constituents. In the abdominal constriction assay and hot plate test, PI-ME produced dose dependant, naloxone and pentylenetetrazole reversible antinociception suggesting an involvement of opioidergic and GABAergic mechanisms. In the stair case test, PI-ME at 200 mg/kg increased the number of steps climbed while at 600 mg/kg a significant decrease was observed. The rearing incidence was diminished by PI-ME at all tested doses and in the open field test, PI-ME decreased locomotor activity to an extent that was analagous to diazepam. The effects of PI-ME were antagonized by PTZ in both the staircase and open field tests implicating GABAergic mechanisms in its anxiolytic and sedative activities. In the streptozotocin-induced neuropathic nociceptive model, PI-ME (200 and 300 mg/kg) exhibited static and dynamic anti-allodynic effects exemplified by an increase in paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency. PI-ME relieved only the dynamic component of vulvodynia by increasing flinching response latency. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Passiflora incarnata might be useful for treating neuropathic pain. The antinociceptive and behavioural findings inferring that its activity may stem from underlying opioidergic and GABAergic mechanisms though a potential oleamide-sourced cannabimimetic involvement is also discussed

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Not AvailableArsenic (As) - induced oxidative stress causes male reproductive toxicity apart from its other generalized systemic effects. Some phytochemicals through their antioxidant properties might help to overcome such toxic effects. The aim of the study was to elucidate the protective role of the selected phytochemicals, ellagic and ferulic acids against the As-induced reproductive toxicity. Forty two healthy male Swiss albino mice were randomly assigned to six groups (each @ n = 7). Group A served as the control, while group B received 200 ppm of As through drinking water. The group C and D mice were administered Per os (P.O) with 50 mg/kg BW of ellagic and ferulic acids, respectively on alternate days. Group E or F received 50 mg of ellagic or ferulic acid + 200 ppm of As for forty days. Ellagic and/ ferulic acid significantly reduced the accumulation of As, protein carbonylation (PC), lipid peroxidation (LPO) in addition to altering the antioxidant enzymes (CAT and SOD) activities, reduced glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the testicular tissues. A significantly (p  80%, ALH > 2.5 μm) and testicular damage induced by the As were ameliorated (p < 0.05) by the phytochemical treatments. These phytochemicals due to their antioxidant activities were found to attenuate the As-induced oxidative stress, testicular damage, and sperm abnormalities via regulating the expressions of Nfe2l2, StAR and Ppargc1a. The study revealed that ellagic and ferulic acids might be potential therapeutic options to protect the male reproductive system from As-poisoning