Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:9 Issue: 3, Jun 2014

It has been elucidated that Berberis vulgaris (barberry) can alleviate morphine withdrawal syndrome. Also it has been reported that aqueous extract of barberry possibly have inhibitory effect on NMDA receptors. In this study, we decided to evaluate the effects of aqueous extract of B. vulgaris fruit on morphine tendency in mice using conditioned place preference (CPP) method. In experiment 1 (acquisition phase), mice underwent morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) training with injections of morphine (40 mg/kg). In experiment 2 (extinction and reinstatement phases), mice underwent the same CPP training as in experiment 1 and subsequent extinction training on day 16th a reinstatement by CPP was done by injection of reminding 10 mg/kg morphine. The administration of morphine (40 mg/kg for four days) produced place preference. In the first method, the aqueous extract of barberry (200 mg/kg) prevented morphine tendency to white cell in CPP method. In the second method, after inter-peritoneal injection of aqueous extracts of barberry at 100 and 200 mg/kg, the animals tendency toward the white cells of CPP chamber on the sixteenth day (after a reminder injection of morphine 10 mg/kg) was significantly reduced. These results show that aqueous extract of barberry can reduce the acquisition and reinstatement of morphine-induced conditioned place preference.

Intra canal medicaments are used to reduce the number of bacteria and reinfection in endodontic procedures. Calcium Hydroxide was introduced to endodontics by Herman as an intracanal antimicrobial agent. The aim of this study was to present an injectable formulation of calcium hydroxide then compare the final pH of this new formulation with Metapaste and evaluate the effect of a mixture of Calcium Hydroxide powder with water on human extracted teeth.Patients and A total of 49 extracted human single-canal roots without caries and visible microcracks were included in this study. The teeth were decoronated and length of teeth was measured 1 mm anatomic apex. The canals were prepared using step-back technique. A cavity was created in the middle third of the buccal surface of all roots. The teeth were randomly divided into five groups: Group A (n = 15): In this group the root canals were filled with a mixture of calcium hydroxide powder and distilled water. Group B (n = 15): Included roots that were filled with Metapaste. Group C (n = 15): Root canals of this group were filled with new formulation of calcium hydroxide paste. Group D (negative control, n = 2): Included roots that were filled with a mixture of calcium hydroxide powder and distilled water. Group E (positive control, n = 2): Root canals of this group were filled with a mixture of calcium hydroxide powder and distilled water. Each tooth was immersed in a separate closed container with 4 mL saline for 2 weeks, pH of liquids were measured with an electrical pH meter after 7 and 14 days. The SPSS software (version 13) was used for data analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey tests were used for the statistical evaluation of results. There was no significant difference at 7th day between the groups (P = 0.17) but at 14th day, a significant difference was observed between the groups (P = 0.04). The new formulation of calcium hydroxide with methylcellulose base has slower ionic dissolution, more durability and longevity of alkaline properties in comparison to combination of powder with distilled water and is comparable with other commercial products.

Wound healing is a complicated and integrated process. Researches have indicated the wound healing effects of calcium channel blockers in animal models in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the wound-healing activity of amlodipine as a calcium channel blocker and combination of amlodipine with phenytoin on excisional cutaneous wound models in rabbit. Animals were divided into 5 groups (n = 5). The control group was treated topically with eucerin. The untreated control group received no healing agent. The reference standard group was treated with phenytoin1%. A treatment group was treated with amlodipine 1%. The last group was treated with combination of amlodipine1% and phenytoin 1%. Results indicated significant difference between days needed for complete healing in both of the treatment groups. Wound closure was completed on 13th day and 9th day in amlodipine and combination groups respectively. In conclusion, calcium channel blockers can be used to enhance wound healing, especially if this treatment becomes with phenytoin. Further studies are needed to find out the mechanism of this healing effect.

Pycnocycla spinosa (P. spinosa) a member of the Umbelliferae family is traditionally used for treatment of different ailments. This study aimed to evaluate the total phenolic and flavonoid content of P. spinosa extracts (methanol, ethanol and aqueous) and their antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. The antimicrobial activity of different extracts of P. spinosa was evaluated using micro broth dilution. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured. Their antioxidant effect was evaluated using DPPH assay and β-carotene linoleic acid test. P. spinosa ethanol extract with higher-level phenolic and flavonoid contents showed the highest antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, in comparison with the other extracts. Bacillus sp. and Streptococcus sp. showed higher sensitivity to P. spinosa ethanol extract. P. spinosa ethanol extract can be used as a mouthwash for treatment of the oral infections. More clinical and toxicological studies are required for providing its efficacy.

Self-emulsifying drug delivery system is an isotropic mixture of natural or synthetic oils, non-ionic surfactants or, one or more hydrophilic solvent and co-solvents/surfactant and polymer that improve bioavailability and increase solubility of poorly-soluble drugs. This study aimed to formulate a self-emulsifying drug delivery system containing a lipophilic drug٫ carvedilol, and to improve the dissolution rate and following oral absorption. This study was aimed to prepare and develop a stable formulation for self-emulsifying drug delivery system to enhance the solubility, release rate, and oral absorption of the poorly-soluble drug, carvedilol. The prepared self-emulsifying drug delivery system formulations were evaluated regarding their particle size, refractory index (RI), emulsifying efficiency, drug release, and rat intestine permeability. The results showed oleic acid as oil with Labrafil as surfactant and Labrafac PG (propylene glycol dicaprylocapraye) as co-surfactant with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and Poloxamer as polymer prepared stable emulsions with a refractive index higher than acidic medium and water. The particle size of formulations was influenced by the type of polymer so that the mean particle size in the self-emulsifying drug delivery system formulations containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose have a higher particle size compared to Poloxamer formulations. The percentage of drug release after 24 hours (R24) for Poloxamer and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose formulations were 61. 24-70. 61% and to 74. 26-91. 11%, respectively. The correlation between percentages of drug released after 24 hours with type of polymer was significant. In permeation studies, a significant and direct correlation existed between P4 and surfactant/co-surfactant ratio. The self-emulsifying drug delivery system formulations showed drug permeability through the rat intestine 2. 76 times more, compared with the control. This study demonstrated that physicochemical properties, in vitro release and rat intestine permeability were dependent upon the contents of S/C, water and oil percentage in formulations.

Previous studies showed that shallomin, the active antimicrobial constituent of Persian shallot, has a wide range of antibacterial and antifungal properties. The objective of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of topical shallomin alcoholic solution in treatment of cold sore.Patients and A total of 60 volunteers who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to two equal groups to hourly apply topical of either 0.5% shallomin alcoholic solution or placebo within the first 24 hours of developing cold sores. All the cases were reassessed at six-hour intervals. The cold sores were cleared within six hours among 30% of cases who received shallomin solution and the remaining of the cases in this group were cleared between 6six to 24 hours of application. In the placebo group, clearance of the sores occurred in four cases between 48 to 72 hours and the remaining of cases were cleared after 72 hours. The results of this study demonstrated that shallomin is a useful natural remedy in preventing the progression and treatment of cold sores and can significantly reduce the duration of ulceration.

Several studies have shown that species of the genus Hyptis, have promising antimicrobial and antifungal effects. Identify of chemical constituents of essential oil from leaves of Hyptis martiusii and evaluate its effect against bacterial strains by direct and gaseous contact. Essential oil was extracted from leaves of Hyptis martiusii Benth using hydro-distillation, and its composition was determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Chemical analysis showed that there was a predominance of sesquiterpenes. The leaf essential oil was screened for its minimal inhibitory concentration and modulatory effect of aminoglycoside by the direct (MIC) and gaseous (MID) micro-dilution assays for various pathogenic microorganisms. The essential oil remarkably inhibited the growth of all of the tested bacteria (MIC < 512 μg/mL) except S. aureus (SA358) multidrug resistant (MRSA) by direct contact. Twenty-four compounds representing 92.13% of the essential oil of leaves were characterized; δ -3-carene (6.88%), 1, 8-cineole (7.01%), trans-caryophyllene (9.21%), Cariophyllene oxide (7.47%) and bicyclogermacrene (10.61%) were found as the major components. Modulatory aminoglycoside effect, by direct contact, was showed antagonistic relationship with antimicrobial activity. The gaseous component of the oil inhibited the bacterial growth of all of the tested bacteria in 50% and 25% of oil concentration and demonstrated synergistic interactions can be attributed to the constituting the oil compounds. These results show that this oil influences the activity of the antibiotic and may be used as an adjuvant in the antibiotic therapy of respiratory tract bacterial pathogens.

Theophylline has been shown to cause heart anomaly in animal and human fetus. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of quercetin on theophylline-induced heart disorders in rat embryo. Theophylline-induced teratogenicity in rats was used as the animal model. Pregnant rats were administered theophylline (259 mg/kg, po) or theophylline plus quercetin (259 mg/kg, po and 100 mg/kg, ip, respectively) on 9th and 10th days of pregnancy. On day 19, cardiac changes were assessed, measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity levels in blood samples and also the fetus heart weight. Histopathological examination was also performed on all specimens. Theophylline-treated rats showed MDA level elevation and GPx activity reduction. Quercetin treatment improved heart conditions and resulted in a significant reduction in MDA levels and elevation in GPx activity. Moreover, co-administration of quercetin and theophylline increased the heart weight significantly. Furthermore, histophatological study showed no changes in the treated groups. This study demonstrated that quercetin have beneficial effects on theophylline-induced-anomalies in rat embryo.

Thymus species are well known medicinal plants which the previous studies suggested the involvement of the opioid system in them. This study aimed to investigate the effects of methanolic extract and essential oil of aerial parts of Thymus daenensis (TD), an endemic aromatic medicinal plant of Iran, on morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice. Experiments were performed in two groups of five, each group treated with extracts or essential oils of TD. Dependency was induced by subcutaneous injection of morphine for three consecutive days. On the fourth day, the last dose of morphine was injected two hours prior to intraperitoneal injection of naloxone while the extract or essential oil of TD was administered 30 minutes before naloxone. A period of 20 minutes after naloxone injection was considered the critical period of the withdrawal syndrome. The number of jumps, standing, leaning, and the weight of stools were recorded as withdrawal signs. The 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg doses of extract and all doses of essential oil decreased significantly the number of jumps, standing, leaning and the weight of stool. Administration of 100 mg/kg of extract only decreased the weight of stool and had no effect on the other factors. Extract and essential oil of TD attenuates morphine withdrawal behaviors in mice and may be useful in alleviating the signs and symptoms of opiate withdrawal syndrome in human.