ABSTRACT
Opioids can exert adverse effects on the body. Morphine, an opioid drug, reduces hormone levels and fertility, and causes sexual activity disorders. Tribulus terrestris [TT] is a traditional herbal medicine used to enhance sexual activities. This study investigates the possible role of TT on sex hormones and gonadotropins with the intent to show its usefulness in treating fertility disorders in opioid users. In this experimental study, we randomly divided 48 rats into four groups: i. control, ii. TT-treated, iii. addicted and iv. TT-treated addicted. Watersoluble morphine was administrated orally for 21 days to induce addiction, after which the treated groups 2 and 4 received plant-mixed pelleted food [6.25%] orally for four weeks. At the end of the treatment period, the sex hormone and gonadotropin levels of all rats' sera were determined by radioimmunoassay and Elisa kits. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance, followed by post-hoc Tukey test. P<0.05 was considered significant. The addicted group had a significantly lower luteinizing hormone [LH] level than the control group [p<0.027]. LH levels increased significantly in the TT-treated addicted group [p<0.031]. The testosterone level in the treated addicted group was lower than the treated control group. The addicted group had a significantly low testosterone level [p<0.001]. The estrogen level was significantly [p<0.002] lower in the addicted group than in the control group. In addition, there was a significant difference between the treated addicted group and the treated control group [p<0.048]. The treated control group had a significant increase in its progesterone level [p<0.002]. Overall, except for follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], morphine reduced most of the gonadotropins and sexual hormones. Whereas TT caused a considerable increase [p<0.05] in the hormones in the treated addicted group, there was only a slight increase in the treated control group. Oral consumption of TT could markedly antagonize the reduction of sex hormones and gonadotropins [except for FSH] due to morphine addiction
Subject(s)
Male , Animals, Laboratory , Gonadal Steroid Hormones/metabolism , Morphine Dependence/complications , Rats , Administration, Oral , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayABSTRACT
Addiction to opiates such as morphine is one of major public health problems. It has been shown that in addicted animals, administration of antioxidant agents such as vitamin C can reduce the withdrawal symptoms [WDS]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventional effect of grapefruit juice [Citrus Paradisi Macf.] on withdrawal symptoms in rats. In this experimental study, Sixteen male Wistar rats [250-300g] randomly divided into two groups [n=8]. All animals were addicted by intraperitoneal [i.p] injection of morphine [the 1-3 days: 10 mg/kg, the 4-6 days: 20 mg/kg and the 7-9 days 40 mg/kg; daily] for 9 days. The first group received 2 ml Citrus Paradisi Macf. orally 1 hour before morphine administration. The sham group received 2 ml of normal saline. Naloxone [10mg/kg, s.c] was administrated 45 minutes after of an additional dose of morphine [40 mg/kg] in the tenth day for withdrawal symptoms inducing. Then withdrawal symptoms such as frequency of wet-dog shaking, teeth chattering, defecation and penis licking were evaluated for 30 minutes. All withdrawal symptoms including frequency of wet-dog shaking, teeth chattering, defecation and penis licking were reduced in the Citrus Paradisi Macf. group in comparison with the sham group significantly [p < 0.05]. Our results showed that presumably antioxidant activity of Citrus Paradisi Macf. can reduce withdrawal symptoms. Although the exact mechanisms of its effect in brain need to be elucidate
Subject(s)
Male , Animals, Laboratory , Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/diet therapy , Antioxidants , Morphine Dependence/complications , Morphine Dependence/therapy , Rats, Wistar , Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/prevention & controlABSTRACT
La presente revision pretende reunir algunas de la evidencias existentes acerca del efecto de marihuana, morfina, heroina y cocaina sobre el sistema inminologico. Se hace en primer lugar una breve introduccion sobre los aspectos farmacologicos de cada una de las drogas para luego presentar la informacion relacionada con parametros inmunologicos bien sea en humanos, en modelos animales o in vitro. La conclusion general es que todas estas sustancias tiene accion moduladora sobre la expresion de receptores a nivel de las membranas celulares. El efeto de la cocaina parece ser de modulacion positiva, es decir que mejora las respuestas lo cual se corelaciona con la poca evidencia de enfermedades de origen infeccioso en adictos a esta sustancia, a diferencia de los opiaceos y la marihuana. Es necesario, sinembargo, disenar experimentos con un control mas estricto de todas las variblaes involucradas en la drogadiccion a fin de depurar resultados aparentemente contradictorios que impiden llegar a conclusiones definitivas
This paper reviews some available evidence on the immunological effects of marijuana, morphine, heroine and cocaine. After a short introduction on the pharmacological aspects of these drugs, we present human, animal and In vitro data on different parameters related with the immune system. A general conclusion is that all these drugs modulate the expression of receptors on cellular membranes. Cocaine seems to be a positive modulator since it increases immune responses which agrees with the fact that cocaine addicts do not frequently develop infectious problems. On the contrary, the other drugs seem to induce some immuno suppression and those with addiction to them present infections with a higher frequency. Nevertheless, before a final conclusion can be made, more studies carefully controlling all variables involved in drug addiction should be done in order to solve some of the apparent contradictions frequently found In the Literature