Nature cures nature: Hypericum perforatum attenuates physical withdrawal signs in opium dependent rats.

CONTEXT: Hypericum perforatum Linn. (Hypericaceae) (St. John's wort) attenuates opium withdrawal signs. AIM: To explore the therapeutic potential of Hypericum perforatum in the management of opium-induced withdrawal syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of the Hypericum perforatum hydro-ethanol extract was investigated for potential to reverse naloxone (0.25 mg/kg)-induced opium withdrawal physical signs. Rats received opium extract (80-650 mg/kg) twice daily for 8 days along with Hypericum perforatum (20 mg/kg, orally) twice daily in chronic treatment and the same single dose 1 h before induction of withdrawal syndrome in the acute treated group. RESULTS: Hypericum perforatum reduced stereotype jumps and wet dog shake number in the chronic treatment compared to the saline control group (F(2, 24) = 3.968, p < 0. 05) and (F(2, 24) = 3.689, p < 0.05), respectively. The plant extract in the acutely treated group reduced diarrhea (F(2, 24) = 4.850, p < 0. 05 vs. saline). It decreased rectal temperature by chronic treatment at 30 min (F(2, 24) = 4.88, p < 0.05), 60 min (F(2, 240 = 5.364, p < 0.01) and 120 min (F(2, 24) = 4.907, p < 0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study reveals that the extract of Hypericum perforatum attenuates some physical signs of opium withdrawal syndrome possibly through direct or indirect interaction with opioid receptors. Further study is needed to clarify its mechanism.

Antagonistic effects of methanolic extract of Polygala telephioides on morphine responses in mice.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the antagonistic effects of the methanolic extract of Polygala telephioides (PT) on morphine responses in mice. Single administration of PT tended to antagonize the morphine-induced analgesia in a hot-plate test. Moreover, PT (300 mg/kg, p.o.) improved the morphine-induced memory impairment in an elevated plus maze test. However, PT alone had no effect on behaviors in the open-field, hot-plate and elevated plus maze tests. We investigated the effects of PT on naloxone-induced jumping (as withdrawal sign) in morphine-dependent mice. To induce dependence, mice were twice daily treated with morphine (10-45 mg/kg, s.c.) for 5 days. Co-administrations of PT (10, 100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) during repeated morphine treatments significantly suppressed the naloxone (10 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced jumping. However, the naloxone-induced jumping was not affected by a single large administration of PT on the 5th day. The inhibitory effect of PT on the naloxone-induced jumping was due to the development of dependence rather than expression of withdrawal sign. Moreover, single administration of PT (30 mg/kg, p.o.) decreased the morphine levels in plasma. These results indicate that PT may be useful in facilitating narcotic detoxification.