Author/Authors :
Hajhashemi, Valiollah Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan , Rabbani, Mohammad Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan , Karami-Saravi, Zaman Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan , Asghari, Gholam-Reza Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan
Abstract :
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
