[Water extract of juglans regia L. and diabetes mellitus in Iranian traditional medicine]

There are many reports about the glucose lowering effects of medicinal plants in animal models. There are a some reports in Iranian traditional medicine about glucose lowering effect of septum water extract of Juglans Regia L. In the present study, effect of aqueous extract of the septum of Juglans Regia L. on plasma glucose is assessed. After preparing the water extract of Juglans Regia L. and concentrating of it the lyophilized extract, was tested in diabetic [ip injection of streptozocin] and normal rats. Comparison between groups was made by analysis of variance [ANOVA] and the differences between the means assessed using student's t test. In an oral glucose tolerance test [OGGT], a single oral administration of the water extract at doses of 50, 250 and 750 mg/kg body weight didn't lowered the plasma glucose level in the normal rats. Although that insulin administration [5IU/kg] caused a reduction of serum glucose[P<0.001], none of the extract doses [1000, 750, 500, 250mg/Kg] could cause a significant reduction in such level [P>0.005]. These results demonstrated that the water extract of the septum of Juglans regia's fruit didn't have a significant hypoglycemic effect in rats

[Mechanism of the interaction of cannabinoid system in central amygdale with opioid system]

Cannabinoids which are active compounds of marijuana show some pharmacological effects similar to the opioids. There are also functional interactions between both cannabinoid and opioid systems. In this study we investigated the role of cannabinoid receptors in central amygdala and its interaction with opioid system. In the present study, we investigated the effects of intraperitoneal injection of opioid drugs on response-induced by intra-amygdala [intra-Amyg] microinjection of cannabinoid agents in rats, using elevated plus-maze test of anxiety. Intraperitoneal injection of morphine [3, 6 and 9 mg/kg] increased%OAT and%OAE, but not locomotor activity, showing an anxiolytic response. However, some doses of the opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone reduced%OAT and locomotor activity as well. Intra-Amyg administration of CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonist, ACPA [at the dose of 1.25 and 5 ng/rat] increased%OAT and%OAE but not locomotor activity, thus showing an anxiolytic response, which was increased by morphine [6 mg/kg, i.p.] without any interaction. Naloxone also reduced ACPA effects. Intra-Amyg administration of CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist, AM251 [2.5, 25 and 100 ng/rat] did not alter%OAT and%OAE but higher doses of drug [25 and 100 ng/rat] reduced locomotor activity. However, the drug in combination of morphine anxiolytic response and with naloxone decreased anxiety. The results may indicate an anxiolytic for CB1 cannabinoid. Our results also showed that opioid system may have interaction with cannabinoid receptor in the amygdale