Abstract
The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of chronic and acute treatment of the essential oil (EO) of Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. on the development of morphine tolerance and dependence in mice. Mice were rendered tolerant to and dependent on morphine by subcutaneous injection of morphine over a period of 5 days. Tolerance was assessed using the tail-pinch test and withdrawal signs of morphine were precipitated by injecting naloxone 2 h after the final morphine injection. Repeated injection of the EO of K. odoratissima (5 and 10 mg/kg) for 4 days significantly suppressed morphine-withdrawal jumps, a sign of the development of dependence to opiate as assessed by naloxone precipitation withdrawal on day 5 of testing. A single injection (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) of the EO on day 5, 1 h prior to morphine failed to produce any significant change in morphine withdrawal signs. Neither the acute nor the chronic administration of EO of the K. odoratissima did significantly influence the development of tolerance to the analgesic effect of morphine. Alleviation in morphine signs of withdrawal after chronic injection with K. odoratissima is indicative of reversal of neuronal adaptation that takes place during morphine presence in the brain.
Highlights
There are 275 genera and 2850 species in the Umbelliferae family [1]
Recent phytochemical study has revealed that the essential oil (EO) of the K. odoratissima consists of 27 components, representing 93.3% of the total oil
Since phthalide make up the major component of the EO of the K. odoratissima, and these substances are known to bear calcium channel blocking property [5], this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of the EO of the plant on morphine tolerant and dependent mice
Summary
There are 275 genera and 2850 species in the Umbelliferae family [1]. Is one of the latest species of the Umbelliferae family that is only found in Iran [2]. K. odoratissima is a monotypic and self-growing medicinal plant which is endemic of the restricted western parts of Iran and locally called “Karafs-e-koohi.”. Except the recent publications on the sedative [3] and antioxidant activity [4] of K. odoratissima, there are no other published pharmacological reports available. Recent phytochemical study has revealed that the essential oil (EO) of the K. odoratissima consists of 27 components, representing 93.3% of the total oil. Ligustilide, the major component of the essence has been pharmacologically characterized for several actions [5]. In 2006, Cao et al showed that Ligustilide caused vasodilation via inhibiting voltage-dependent calcium channels and receptor-mediated calcium influx and release [5]
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