[Study of sedative and anxiolytic effect of herbal extract of Nardostachys jatamansi in comparison with diazepam in rats]

Due to sedation, anticonvulsant and anti-pain effects, Nardostachys jatamansi has had a special place in traditional medicine of China, India and Iran. Regarding Alkaloid, Organic acid esters, valeric acid and isovalerates this plant has always been used to reduce nervous pressure and the treatment depression and chronic insomnia. Considering the importance of sedative and anxiolytic effects of this plant's we decided to have a comparative study of this plant with chemical drugs. In this study, first, the rhizome of N.jatamansi was extracted by hydromethanolic [70%] solvent and then, the presence of valporoates, in total extract was revealed by GC-MS analysis of its n-Hexane fraction. For studying the effectiveness of sedative and anxiolytic of TV. jatamansi in compraison with diazepam different groups of female wistar rats received N.jatamansi [100, 200, 400 mg/kg, ip], diazepam [1.2 mg/kg, ip], di-metyl; solphoxid [DMSO] with equal volume, and 15 min after assessing the relif/sleep inducing effect [induced sleep duration by ketamine, 40 mg/kg, ip] and anxiolytic effects [using Elevated plus were done]. The GC-MS analysis of the n-hexan fraction of extract led to identification and quantification of fifteen compounds, the main components were a-Aristolen-1-alpha-ol [31.1%], valerenal [31%] and valerenic acid [26.5%]. Pharmacological results showed that herbal extract of TN. jatamansi with the maximum inhibition was observed at the does of 200 mg/kg of sedative and anxiolytic effect. Obtained resultes indicated that extract of N. jatamansi gives sedative and anxiolytic effects

Fatty acid composition of echium amoenum fisch et. mey. seeds [Boraginaceae]

The seeds of Echium amoenum [Boraginaceae] are used in Iranian Traditional Medicine as diuretic, analgesic, hypotensive and diaphoretic. This study was designed to identification and quantification of composition of fatty acids in the seeds oil of E. amoenum. The seeds of the plant were extracted with n-hexane. After evaporating under reduced pressure, oil was get. Methanolysis of the oil glyceride was carried out in KOH medium and BF3, under reflux condition for 30 min. The esters passed into the upper hexane layer, then analyzed by GC-MS. The seeds of E. amoenum revealed the presence of four fatty acids including one saturated and three unsaturated. The unsaturated fatty acids were present in much greater proportion than saturated ones. Linolenic acid was found to be major unsaturated fatty acid and the palmitic acid as predominant saturated acid

[Dendrostellera lessertii extract effects on TNF-alpha release and its receptors down regulation on cultured human monocytes]

We investigated the mechanism of action of Dendrostellera lessertii effects on decreasing size of adeno-carcinoma of rat intestine and breast tumors. This purpose followed by assessing its effects on TNF-alpha and TNF-alpha receptors on cultured human monocytes. The breast and intestine tumors were induced in rats by DMBA and DMH, respectively. Human monocytes isolated by adhesion procedure. TNF- alpha in cultured media were measured by sensitive biotin-streptoavidin ELISA method and radio iodination was used for TNF- alpha receptors determination on human cultured monocytes. Oral administration of Dendrostellera lessertii extract during 20 consecutive weeks reduced significantly the diameter of tumor or eliminated them totally. Our data indicated that the plant extract at various doses did increase TNF-alpha release and in a time dependent manner decreases the TNF- alpha receptors in less than 90 minutes significantly in cultured human monocytes. Dendrostellera lessertii extract [H2O/EtOH] decreases the size of rat adenocarcinoma breast tumors. Our data support that the extract probably act through increasing TNF-alpha releasing and decreasing TNF-alpha receptors on cultured human monocytes