Attenuation of cannabis withdrawal symptoms by Prosopis farcta extract, its luteolin and melatonin in mice: Involvement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and dopamine.

The aim of this study was the identification of luteolin in Prosopis farcta extract (PFE) and melatonin to evaluate its effect on THC withdrawal syndrome in mice. Luteolin was identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPCL). Signs of toxicity of mice in PFE and luteolin were monitored for LD50 calculation. The behavioral symptoms of THC withdrawal (stereotypies, ambulation, and inactivity time) induced by the rimonabant challenge were illustrated in THC-dependent mice receiving PFE, luteolin, and melatonin. The expression of mature BDNF (mBDNF) was evaluated by Western blot analysis. The dopamine concentrations were measured using HPLC. PFE and luteolin LD50 were 650 and 220 mg/kg, respectively. PFE (300 mg/kg), all doses of luteolin, and melatonin increased significantly the mBDNF expression and decreased the dopamine concentration. The findings suggest that PFE, luteolin, and melatonin are mighty in reducing the signs of THC withdrawal. It seems these effects were due to a decrease in dopamine concentration level and an increase in mBDNF protein expression in mice brains.

Immune-enhancing activity of Astragalus maximus extract for inhibiting the Toxoplasma gondii infection: experimental research.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the in-vitro anti-Toxoplasma effects and cytotoxicity effects of Astragalus maximus chloroformic extract (AMCE) on the T. gondii Rh strain. Methods: In-vitro effects of AMCE (2-64 µg/ml) on tachyzoites were measured by MTT assay for 48 h. The effects of AMCE on infectivity rate and intracellular parasites into macrophage cells (J774-A1) were evaluated. The Griess reaction assay and quantitative real-time PCR were used to determine the nitric oxide (NO) and the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ and iNOS in infected J774-A1 macrophage cells. Results: The mortality rate of the parasites significantly (P<0.001) increased in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 9.85 µg/ml. The rate of infection and the mean number of intracellular tachyzoites in macrophage cells were significantly reduced (P<0.001) after exposure of the macrophage cells to AMCE. The mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, iNOS, and NO production in macrophage cells after treatment with the AMCE were increased, especially at the concentration of ½ IC50 and IC50 (P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings of the current in vitro investigation revealed favorable anti-Toxoplasma effects of AMCE against tachyzoites and intracellular forms of T. gondii. Despite the fact that the accurate anti-Toxoplasma mechanisms of AMCE are not clear, our results showed that triggering NO production and cellular immunity can be considered as the main mechanisms of action of AMCE for controlling and eliminating T. gondii. However, further surveys are mandatory to assess the efficacy and safety of AMCE in an animal model and its accurate mechanisms of action.

Does Turmeric/curcumin Supplementation Change Anthropometric Indices in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Curcumin is the principal polylphenol of turmeric that has been used to treat various disorders. However, its anti-obesity effects in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remain controversial. Therefore, we aimed to perform a meta-analysis on the effects of supplementation with turmeric/curcumin on body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in these patients. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ISI Web of Science were searched until January 2019, without any restrictions. Clinical trials that reported body weight, BMI and WC in patients with NAFLD were included. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) were pooled using a random-effects model. Eight studies (449 participants) fulfilled the eligibility criteria of the present meta-analysis. Overall, meta-analysis could not show any beneficial effect of turmeric/curcumin supplementation on body weight (WMD, -0.54 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.40, 1.31; p = 0.56; I2 = 0.0%), BMI (WMD, -0.21 kg/m2; 95% CI, -0.71, 0.28; p = 0.39; I2 = 0.0%) and WC (WMD, -0.88 cm; 95% CI, -3.76, 2.00; p = 0.54; I2 = 0.0%). Subgroup analysis based on participants' baseline BMI, type of intervention, and study duration did not show any significant association in all subgroups. The results showed that turmeric/curcumin supplementation had no significant effect on body weight, BMI and WC in patients with NAFLD. Further studies with large-scale are needed to find out possible anti-obesity effects of turmeric/curcumin.