Comparative study of the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of two varieties of Punica granatum.

CONTEXT: Studies have shown that pomegranate, Punica granatum Linn. (Lythraceae), has remarkable biological and medicinal properties. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to explore and compare the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of the methanol extract (MoE) obtained from fruit peels of two varieties of pomegranate: Amrouz (MoEA) and Sefri (MoES). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Antinociceptive activity of MoEA and MoES was examined using four models of pain. The extracts were administered by the intraperitoneal route (i.p.) in writhing (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) and formalin tests (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) and by intra-cerebroventricular injection (i.c.v.) in hotplate and tail-immersion tests (10, 25 and 50 µg/3 µl/rat). anti-inflammatory activity was studied using the hind paw egg albumin test (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg, i.p.). RESULTS: In the writhing test, the index of pain inhibition (IPI) was 52% for MoEA (150 mg/kg, i.p.) and 29% for MoES (150 mg/kg, i.p.). In the formalin test, the IPI of early and late phase were, respectively, 75% and 82% for MoEA (100 mg/kg, i.p.) and 8% and 63% for MoES (100 mg/kg, i.p.). In the hotplate and tail-immersion test, MoEA and MoES increased in a dosedependent manner the reaction latency to the thermal stimuli. MoEA seems to be more potent than MoES. Only the analgesic effect of MoEA was partially inhibited by pretreatment with naloxone. Both extracts exerted a significant anti-inflammatory effect. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that P. granatum contains active constituents, which possess antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity, justifying its popular uses.

Prenatal exposure to tobacco extract containing nicotinic alkaloids produces morphological and behavioral changes in newborn rats.

Tobacco exposure is not only a health concern for adults but has also been shown to exert deleterious effects on the health of the fetus, newborn, child, and adolescent. Decreased cognitive function, lower Intellectual Quotient (IQ) and deficits in learning and memory in children have been associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy. In this study, we have studied the effect of a tobacco plant extract on the growth and development in the rat. The extract contained relative proportions of alkaloids, including nicotine, purified by chemical separation. Pregnant rats received oral doses of either control (NaCl) or tobacco extract during the entire gestational period. Offspring length and body weight were measured. Each day, the offspring were observed for the following physical parameters: hair growth, incisor eruption and eye opening. The day of appearance of these developments was recorded. Before weaning, the offspring were examined to test their cliff avoidance response (6 postnatal day (PN)), surface righting reflex (05, 07, 13 postnatal day), swimming development (10, 12 postnatal day), negative geotaxis response (7,9,13 and 17 postnatal day) and jumping down choice cage (15, 17 postnatal day). Administration of tobacco extract to dams during the entire gestation period affects behavior and development in pups. The observed effects were a delay in opening eyes, incisor eruption and hair appearance, behavioral developments and an alteration in the rate of success behavior. However, in the jumping down choice cage test there was no difference compared to control animals. The results suggest that tobacco extract has a significant effect on the development of behavioral patterns, orientation and motor coordination and function. They also suggest significant growth retardation and teratogenic effects.