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OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effects of Zhumeria majdae essential oil (ZMEO) on morphine dependence and tolerance in mice.@*METHODS@#ZMEO (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) and clonidine (0.1 mg/kg) as the positive control were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). The effect of ZMEO and clonidine on the dependence were evaluated by counting the number of jumps induced by naloxone (5 mg/kg) while the tolerance was evaluated by the tail-flick test.@*RESULTS@#ZMEO at the dose of 10 mg/kg during the development period led to a significant inhibition of morphine tolerance (P0.01), and significantly reduced the withdrawal signs (number of jumps) of mice (P>0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#ZMEO had significant effects on morphine tolerance and dependence. The linalool rich essential oil of Z. majdae plays a major role in the reduction of tolerance and dependence induced by morphine.
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OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effects of Zhumeria majdae essential oil (ZMEO) on morphine dependence and tolerance in mice.@*METHODS@#ZMEO (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) and clonidine (0.1 mg/kg) as the positive control were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). The effect of ZMEO and clonidine on the dependence were evaluated by counting the number of jumps induced by naloxone (5 mg/kg) while the tolerance was evaluated by the tail-flick test.@*RESULTS@#ZMEO at the dose of 10 mg/kg during the development period led to a significant inhibition of morphine tolerance (P0.01), and significantly reduced the withdrawal signs (number of jumps) of mice (P>0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#ZMEO had significant effects on morphine tolerance and dependence. The linalool rich essential oil of Z. majdae plays a major role in the reduction of tolerance and dependence induced by morphine.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the antifungal activities of the extracts and sub-fractions of Phlomis olivieri, Verbascum speciosum, Sambucus ebulus and Erigeron hyrcanicus, four Persian medicinal plants used in Iranian folk medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Evaluation of the antifungal activity was performed on the clinical isolates of pathogenic fungi including Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, T. verrucosum, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum and Epidermophyton floccosum, and the yeast Candida albicans. The susceptibility tests were done by agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of active extracts and sub-fractions were measured using method of National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Only P. olivieri sub-fractions were found to have fungicidal activity among the other investigated plants. The MIC and MFC was found to be high in petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions (100 and 200 mg/mL) against the studied pathogenic fungi and the yeast Candida albicans. P. olivieri sub-fractions significantly inhibited the growth of all pathogenic fungi and the yeast studied.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>If the antifungal activity of P. olivieri is confirmed by in vivo studies and if the responsible compound (s) is isolated and identified, it could be a good remedy for mycotic infections.</p>
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Background: With increasing use of antibiotics, the number and type of microbial resistance to antibiotics have been raised and at result the need for synthesis of new antimicrobials or acquire new sources of antimicrobial is indisputable. In this study the antimicrobial effects of the flowering aerial parts of Glaucium vitellinum and Gaillonia aucheri were investigated
Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial effect of mentioned extracts against Escherichia coli PTCC 1399, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PTCC 1430, Salmonella typhimurium PTCC 1639, Staphylococcus aureus PTCC 1431 and Candida albicans PTCC 5027 were evaluated by disk diffusion and the microdilution method based on CLSI protocol 2012
Results: No any zone of inhibition were detected by disk diffusion method against tested microbes for Glaucium vitellinum. After deletion of agar interference, the minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] was determined by broth microdilution method for two plants. None of tested extracts were effective against Gram negative tested bacteria except alkaloid fraction of G. vitellinum which was effective against S. typhi. In contrast, the extracts and fractions of both plans were effective against tested gram positive bacteria especially S. aureus
Conclusion: The best result of MIC was detected for alkaloid fraction of G. vitellinum [0.09 mg/ml] Vs. G. aucheri [125 mg/ml] against S.aureus
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Objective: To investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory property and possible involvement of opioid receptors of ethyl acetate extract from aerial parts of Daphne mucronata (D. mucronata) in mice by formalin test. Methods: Single doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg of body weight of ethyl acetate extract of D. mucronata were intraperitoneally administered to the mice 30 min before analgesic test. The anti-nociceptive effect of preparations was evaluated based on the formalin in mice. Results: The results indicated that the extract (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg) increased the pain threshold of mice and induced analgesia in both phases of formalin test. Like morphine sulfate (5.0 mg/kg, i.p.), the extract also showed more effective analgesic effect on the late phase of formalin test. Pre-treatment of animals with naloxone (5.0 mg/kg i.p.) did not inhibit the effects of the extract. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that D. mucronata contains potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory compounds which support its traditional use. Moreover, it seems that the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the extract is mediated by non-opioid mechanisms. Further pharmacological studies are required to determine whether the analgesic mechanisms are actually responsible for such properties.
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Phlomis lanceolata is a medicinal plant that has long been used to treat various conditions such as diabetes, gastric ulcer, hemorrhoids, inflammation and wounds. As most of Phlomis species have shown cytotoxic activity against proliferation of different cell lines, a biological investigation of P. lanceolata was carried out in this study. The aim of this study was to find out the in vitro cytotoxic activity of total extract and different fractions of Phlomis lanceolata on four cell lines. Cytotoxic activity of the metanolic total extract and partition fractions of chloroform, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether of flowering aerial parts of Phlomis lanceolata on the HT29, Caco2, T47D and NIH3T3 cell lines is examined by MTT. Petroleum ether fraction showed high cytotoxic activity against proliferation of all four cell lines. Presence of heavy triterpens and lipophil compounds recognized by TLC test in Petroleum ether fraction is responsible for high cytotoxic activity. The results emphasize the importance of phytochemical studies which could lead to the discovery of new active compounds
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Carthamus tinctorius L. is commonly known as Safflower. C. tinctorius extracts and oil are important in drug development with numerous pharmacological activities in the world. This plant is cultivated mainly for its seed, which is used as edible oil. For a long time C. tinctorius has been used in traditional medicines as a purgative, analgesic, antipyretic and an antidote to poisoning. It is a useful plant in painful menstrual problems, post-partum hemorrhage and osteoporosis. C. tinctorius has recently been shown to have antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activities. Carthamin, safflower yellow are the main constituents in the flower of C. tinctorius. Carthamidin, isocarthamidin, hydroxysafflor yellow A, safflor yellow A, safflamin C and luteolin are the main constituents which are reported from this plant. Caryophyllene, p-allyltoluene, 1-acetoxytetralin and heneicosane were identified as the major components for C. tinctorius flowers essential oil. Due to the easy collection of the plant and being widespread and also remarkable biological activities, this plant has become both food and medicine in many parts of the world. This review presents comprehensive analyzed information on the botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects of C. tinctorius.