Efficacy of extract from Ononis spinosa L. on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of the extract from Ononis spinosa L. (O. spinosa) on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats. METHODS: Phytochemical constituents of the extract from O. spinosa were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Rats were classified into 4 equal groups; ulcer control received oral vehicle; positive control was administered with 40 mg/kg esomeprazole (standard drug) and 2 groups received 0.5 and 1 g/kg of O. spinosa extract, respectively. Gastric ulcer was induced by absolute ethanol (5 mL/kg) orally to all groups. Measurement of ulcer index, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and determination of total glutathione level in gastric mucosa were performed. RESULTS: Oral administration of the extract from O. spinosa at doses 0.5 and 1 g/kg lowered the ulcer indices by 80.39% and 98.71% , respectively, compared to 67.89% by esomeprazole (40 mg/kg). Histologically, treatment with the extract decreased necrosis and hemorrhage in mucosa and edema and infiltration by inflammatory cells in submucosa. Using immunohistochemical technique, it was demonstrated that COX-2 expression increased in mucosa of animals treated with the extract as well as by esomeprazole. O. spinosa and esomeprazole increased total glutathione level in the stomach compared to control. Ononin was the major compound of the extract followed by trifolirhizin, myricitrin, gentisic acid, cycloartenol and quercetin. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that the extract from O. spinosa was able to protect gastric mucosa from ethanol injury by at least 2 mechanisms, namely the induction of COX-2 and decreasing oxidative stress in the stomach.

Ononis spinosa alleviated capsaicin-induced mechanical allodynia in a rat model through transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 modulation

Background@#Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a non-selective cation channel implicated in pain sensation in response to heat, protons, and capsaicin (CAPS). It is well established that TRPV1 is involved in mechanical allodynia. This study investigates the effect of Ononis spinosa (Fabaceae) in CAPS-induced mechanical allodynia and its mechanism of action. @*Methods@#Mechanical allodynia was induced by the intraplantar (ipl) injection of 40 µg CAPS into the left hind paw of male Wistar rats. Animals received an ipl injection of 100 µg O. spinosa methanolic leaf extract or 2.5% diclofenac sodium 20 minutes before CAPS injection. Paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was measured using von Frey filament 30, 90, and 150 minutes after CAPS injection. A molecular docking tool, AutoDock 4.2, was used to study the binding energies and intermolecular interactions between O. spinosa constituents and TRPV1 receptor. @*Results@#The ipsilateral ipl injection of O. spinosa before CAPS injection increased PWT in rats at all time points. O. spinosa decreased mechanical allodynia by 5.35-fold compared to a 3.59-fold decrease produced by diclofenac sodium. The ipsilateral pretreatment with TRPV1 antagonist (300 µg 4-[3-Chloro-2-pyridinyl]-N-[4-[1,1-dimethylethyl] phenyl]-1-piperazinecarboxamide [BCTC]) as well as the β2-adrenoreceptor antagonist (150 µg butoxamine) attenuated the action of O. spinosa. Depending on molecular docking results, the activity of the extract could be attributed to the bindings of campesterol, stigmasterol, and ononin compounds to TRPV1. @*Conclusions@#O. spinosa alleviated CAPS-induced mechanical allodynia through 2 mechanisms: the direct modulation of TRPV1 and the involvement of β2 adrenoreceptor signaling.

Ononis spinosa alleviated capsaicin-induced mechanical allodynia in a rat model through transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 modulation

Background@#Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a non-selective cation channel implicated in pain sensation in response to heat, protons, and capsaicin (CAPS). It is well established that TRPV1 is involved in mechanical allodynia. This study investigates the effect of Ononis spinosa (Fabaceae) in CAPS-induced mechanical allodynia and its mechanism of action. @*Methods@#Mechanical allodynia was induced by the intraplantar (ipl) injection of 40 µg CAPS into the left hind paw of male Wistar rats. Animals received an ipl injection of 100 µg O. spinosa methanolic leaf extract or 2.5% diclofenac sodium 20 minutes before CAPS injection. Paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was measured using von Frey filament 30, 90, and 150 minutes after CAPS injection. A molecular docking tool, AutoDock 4.2, was used to study the binding energies and intermolecular interactions between O. spinosa constituents and TRPV1 receptor. @*Results@#The ipsilateral ipl injection of O. spinosa before CAPS injection increased PWT in rats at all time points. O. spinosa decreased mechanical allodynia by 5.35-fold compared to a 3.59-fold decrease produced by diclofenac sodium. The ipsilateral pretreatment with TRPV1 antagonist (300 µg 4-[3-Chloro-2-pyridinyl]-N-[4-[1,1-dimethylethyl] phenyl]-1-piperazinecarboxamide [BCTC]) as well as the β2-adrenoreceptor antagonist (150 µg butoxamine) attenuated the action of O. spinosa. Depending on molecular docking results, the activity of the extract could be attributed to the bindings of campesterol, stigmasterol, and ononin compounds to TRPV1. @*Conclusions@#O. spinosa alleviated CAPS-induced mechanical allodynia through 2 mechanisms: the direct modulation of TRPV1 and the involvement of β2 adrenoreceptor signaling.