Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Satureja hortensis seed essential oil, hydroalcoholic and polyphenolic extracts in animal models

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Satureja hortensis seed extracts and to analyze their essential oil constituents. Hydroalcoholic and polyphenolic extracts and essential oil of S. hortensis seeds were prepared using standard methods. Analgesic activity was assessed in male mice [25-35 g] using standard methods [acetic acid and formalin tests]. For the evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity, the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema test was used. The mice were pretreated with 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg, i.p., hydroalcoholic or polyphenolic extracts or 100 or 200 microl/kg, p.o. Hydrodistillation of the seeds of S. hortensis afforded a pale yellowish oil in a yield of 0.05% [v/w]. Pretreatment of mice with hydroalcoholic or polyphenolic extracts or essential oil significantly [p < 0.001] reduced acetic acid-induced abdominal twitches. Hydroalcoholic extracts also significantly reduced pain responses in early and late phases of the formalin test whereas the polyphenolic extract and essential oil were only effective in the late phase of the formalin test. All three fractions were found to reduce paw edema in the carrageenan test. These results clearly demonstrate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of S. hortensis seeds and since the hydroalcoholic extract relieved pain in the first phase of the formalin test, it seems that at least part of its analgesic activity may be mediated centrally. The results of this study substantiated the traditional use of S. hortensis plant seeds in painful and inflammatory ailments

Evaluation of cardiovascular effect of pycnocycla spinosa decne. exbosiss. var. spinosa extract in anaesthetized rat

Hydroalcoholic extract of Pycnocycla spinosa Decne. exBoiss. var. spinosa has in vitro spasmolytic action, and at oral dose of 250 micro g/kg inhibits castor oil induced diarrhoea in mice. In this investigation, effects of P. spinosa var. spinosa extract in comparison with nifedipine on blood pressure and heart rate in animal model was studied. Injection of three bolus doses of P. spinosa var. spinosa extract [100 micro g/kg, 500 micro g/kg and 1mg/kg] into the jugular vein, temporary reduced blood pressure and heart rate. However, soon after completion of extract administration blood pressure and heart rate returned to normal. Nifedipine on the other hand caused a sustained reduction in blood pressure and decreased heart rate compared with the control group. From this study it was concluded that P. spinosa var. spinosa extract at antidiarrhoeal dose has no significant effect on blood pressure and heart rate

Effects of Otostegia persica [Burm.] boiss on morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice

Effect of Otostegia persica on naloxone-induced morphine withdrawal syndrome was studied in male mice. Dependence was induced using daily subcutaneous injections of morphine for three days. Morphine was injected to mice at doses of 30 and 45mg/kg on day 1 and 60 and 90mg/kg on day 2 [8:00 am and 6:00 pm]. On day 3, morphine [90mg/kg] was injected 1h before oral administration and 1.5h before intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection of hydroalcoholic and hexane extracts of the plant. Naloxone was injected [5mg/kg, i.p.] 2h after the final dose of morphine and the withdrawal signs including jumping, rearing, diarrhoea, piloerection, tremor and ptosis were recorded during a period of 30 minutes. While oral and i.p. administration of hydroalcoholic extract reduced the number of jumping and rearing, the hexane extract could not exert any significant change. Also the hydroalcoholic extract [1500mg/kg] significantly [p<0.05] reduced diarrhoea, piloerection, tremor and ptosis. The hexane extract only significantly [p<0.05] inhibited diarrhoea. Results of this study indicated that the extract of Otostegia persica contained component[s] that alleviate morphine withdrawal syndrome and the responsible constituent[s] is [are] found in polar fraction since the hexane extract had only a negligible effect

Toxicological studies on an anticancer drug with marine origin

HESA-A, which contains biologically active compounds of marine origin, has selective toxicity against cancer cells. The present work reports the results of studies investigating the acute and sub-acute oral toxicity of this drug in mice and rats. In acute toxicity study, doses of HESA-A up to 13.7 g/kg and in sub-acute study, oral doses of 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg for 30 consecutive days did not cause any morbidity or mortality. Data analysis of body weight gain, gross observations, blood biochemistry, hematology and histopathological findings did not show significant differences between control and treated groups. An oral dose of 5000 mg/kg of HESA-A can be defined as no-observed-adverse-effectlevel [NOAEL] for mice and rats used under the experimental conditions