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Effect of Aqueous Extract of Crocus sativus L. on Morphine-Induced Memory Impairment.
Authors: Naghibi SM, Hosseini M, Khani F, Rahimi M, Vafaee F, Rakhshandeh H, Aghaie A Abstract In the present study, the effect of aqueous extracts of saffron on morphine-induced memory impairment was investigated. On the training trial, the mice received an electric shock when the animals were entered into the dark compartment. Twenty-four and forty-eight hours later, the time latency for entering the dark compartment was recorded and defined as the retention trial. The mice were divided into (1) control, (2) morphine which received morphine before the training in the passive avoidance test, (3-5) three g...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Protective effects of methylsulfonylmethane on hemodynamics and oxidative stress in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats.
Authors: Mohammadi S, Najafi M, Hamzeiy H, Maleki-Dizaji N, Pezeshkian M, Sadeghi-Bazargani H, Darabi M, Mostafalou S, Bohlooli S, Garjani A Abstract Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is naturally occurring organic sulfur that is known as a potent antioxidant/anti-inflammatory compound. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of MSM on hemodynamics functions and oxidative stress in rats with monocrotaline- (MCT-) induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 38-days treatment. MSM was administered to rats at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day doses 10 days before a s...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Anxiolytic and Antidepressant-Like Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Alafia multiflora Stem Barks in Rodents.
Authors: Foyet HS, Tsala DE, Bouba AA, Hritcu L Abstract The present study examined the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of the aqueous extract of Alafia multiflora Stapf (AM) stem barks (150 and 300 mg/kg, 7 days administration) on rats and mice, using experimental paradigms of anxiety and depression. In the open field, the aqueous extract increased significantly the number of center square crossed and the time spent at the center of the field as well as the rearing time, while the grooming time was reduced significantly. In the elevated plus maze, the aqueous extract increased the time spent and t...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Memory-enhancing activity of palmatine in mice using elevated plus maze and morris water maze.
Authors: Dhingra D, Kumar V Abstract The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of palmatine on memory of Swiss young male albino mice. Palmatine (0.1, 0.5, 1 mg/kg, i.p.) and physostigmine (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) per se were administered for 10 successive days to separate groups of mice. Effect of drugs on learning and memory of mice was evaluated using elevated plus maze and Morris water maze. Brain acetylcholinesterase activity was also estimated. Effect of palmatine on scopolamine- and diazepam-induced amnesia was also investigated. Palmatine (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) and physostigmine significantly...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Preclinical Determinants of Drug Choice under Concurrent Schedules of Drug Self-Administration.
Authors: Banks ML, Negus SS Abstract Drug self-administration procedures have played a critical role in the experimental analysis of psychoactive compounds, such as cocaine, for over 50 years. While there are numerous permutations of this procedure, this paper will specifically focus on choice procedures using concurrent schedules of intravenous drug self-administration. The aims of this paper are to first highlight the evolution of drug choice procedures and then review the subsequent preclinical body of literature utilizing these choice procedures to understand the environmental, pharmacological, and bio...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Trends in Ambulatory Prescribing of Antiplatelet Therapy among US Ischemic Stroke Patients: 2000-2007.
Conclusion. We observed a continued increase in prescription of the aspirin-clopidogrel combination from 2000 to 2007. Clinical trial evidence suggests that the aspirin-clopidogrel combination does not provide any additional benefit compared with clopidogrel alone; however, our study findings indicate that even with lack of adequate clinical evidence physician prescribing of this combination has increased in real-world community settings. PMID: 23251145 [PubMed] (Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences)
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Chronic administration of a combination of six herbs inhibits the progression of hyperglycemia and decreases serum lipids and aspartate amino transferase activity in diabetic rats.
In conclusion, the MSEC inhibited the progression of hyperglycemia and decreased serum lipids and hepatic enzyme activity in diabetic rats. Therefore, it has the potential to be used as a natural product for the management of diabetes. PMID: 23304131 [PubMed] (Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences)
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Drug-eluting stents in multivessel coronary artery disease: cost effectiveness and clinical outcomes.
Authors: Panchal K, Patel S, Bhatt P Abstract Multivessel coronary artery disease is more often treated either with coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting. The advent of drug-eluting stent (DES) has changed the revascularization strategy, and caused an increase in the use of DES in multivessel disease (MVD), with reduced rate of repeat revascularization compared to conventional bare metal stent. The comparative studies of DES-PCI over CABG have shown comparable safety; however, the rate of major adverse cerebrovascular and cardiac events and repeat r...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Effect of coenzyme-q10 on Doxorubicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
Authors: El-Sheikh AA, Morsy MA, Mahmoud MM, Rifaai RA, Abdelrahman AM Abstract Nephrotoxicity is one of the limiting factors for using doxorubicin (Dox) as an anticancer chemotherapeutic. Here, we investigated possible protective effect of coenzyme-Q10 (CoQ10) on Dox-induced nephrotoxicity and the mechanisms involved. Two doses (10 and 100 mg/kg) of CoQ10 were administered orally to rats for 8 days, in the presence or absence of nephrotoxicity induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of Dox (15 mg/kg) at day 4 of the experiment. Our results showed that the low dose of CoQ10 succeeded in reversing...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Methanolic Root Extract of Rauwolfia serpentina Benth Improves the Glycemic, Antiatherogenic, and Cardioprotective Indices in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Mice.
Authors: Azmi MB, Qureshi SA Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the phytochemistry and the effect of methanolic root extract (MREt) of Rauwolfia serpentina on alloxan-induced diabetic Wister male mice. Mice were divided in control (distilled water at 1 mL/kg) and alloxan-induced diabetic mice which subdivided into diabetic (distilled water at 1 mL/kg), negative (0.05% dimethyl sulfoxide at 1 mL/kg), positive (glibenclamide at 5 mg/kg) controls, and three test groups (MREt at 10, 30, and 60 mg/kg). All treatments were given orally for 14 days. Qualitatively MREt showed the presence of a...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Inhibition of Growth and Induction of Apoptosis in Fibrosarcoma Cell Lines by Echinophora platyloba DC: In Vitro Analysis.
The objective of this study was to examine the in vitro cytotoxic activity and the mechanism of cell death of crude methanolic extracts prepared from Echinophora platyloba DC, on mouse fibrosarcoma cell line (WEHI-164). Cytotoxicity and viability of methanolic extract was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and dye exclusion assay. Cell death ELISA was employed to quantify the nucleosome production result from nuclear DNA fragmentation during apoptosis and determine whether the mechanism involves induction of apoptosis or necrosis. The cell death was identified as apoptosis using ...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Preparation and evaluation of intravaginal ring containing drospirenone.
Authors: Zhang Y, Li CX, Ning MY, Duan XY, Liu Y Abstract In the present study, we investigated the feasibility of the vaginal administration of drospirenone silicone IVR. The in vitro release characteristics of matrix-type and reservoir-type IVR were compared under sink conditions in 21 days. At the same time, API excipients compatibility and preformulation study was performed by HPLC, IR, and DSC methods. Biocompatibility of reservoir system was evaluated by tolerability on tissue level in rats. It was found that, under strong light exposure, high temperature, and high humidity conditions, drospirenone a...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Wound Healing Properties of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Beneth. and Strophanthus hispidus DC.
Authors: Agyare C, Dwobeng AS, Agyepong N, Boakye YD, Mensah KB, Ayande PG, Adarkwa-Yiadom M Abstract Microbial infections of various types of wounds are a challenge to the treatment of wounds and wound healing. The study was to investigate antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of methanol leaf and stem bark extracts of Kigelia africana and methanol leaf and root extracts of Strophanthus hispidus and also to determine wound healing properties of the extracts. The antimicrobial activities of the methanol extracts were determined against two Gram-positive and two Gram-negative bacteria and a fungus using ...
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Interactions among Low Dose of Methotrexate and Drugs Used in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
In conclusion, during the treatment with MTX, DDIs play an important role in both the development of ADRs and therapeutic failure. PMID: 23737767 [PubMed] (Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences)
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research

Comparative in vitro effects of calcineurin inhibitors on functional vascular relaxations of both rat thoracic and abdominal aorta.
Conclusion. CsA exerts profound inhibitory effect on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation as compared to Tac in both TA and AA. Aortic rings from the thoracic region are more sensitive to CNIs, since the vasodilator response to ACh is solely mediated by NO while in the AA, ACh likely recruits other endothelial mediators besides NO to maintain vasodilatation. PMID: 23853606 [PubMed] (Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences)
Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences - November 25, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Adv Pharmacol Sci Source Type: research