Study of the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Passiflora incarnata on morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice

Majid Motaghinejad, Manijeh Motevalian, Ozra Motaghinejad. Department of pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Chronic use of morphine leading to dependency, and discontinuation of the drug causes physical and emotional changes which needs pharmacological intervention. In present study we evaluate the effects of various doses of Passiflora incarnata extract on morphine withdrawal syndrome in comparison to clonidine as a standard method.

Method: fifty six male adult mice(C57BL/6 strain) 25-30 grams (mean weight 27.5± 0.2grams)divided in 7 groups, in 6 groups morphine dependency was induced by chronic injection of morphine for 6 consecutive days (20-45mg/kg ,increasing dose manner) after that in group I morphine(45mg/kg), hydro alcoholic extract of Passiflora incarnata administered in doses 100, 200, 400, 800 mg/kg(group II,III,IV,V) and Clonidine(group VI) was injected subcutaneous (total period of procedure was 12 day) and normal saline used in control groups(VII)(12 day) and in the last day Withdrawal syndrome was induced by injection of naloxone(3mg/kg, SC).Total withdrawal score (TWS) was calculated as base of behavioural sign(such as jumping,writhing,rearing,etc) of naloxone precipitated withdrawal syndrome in all group. Mean ± SEM. of negative control(VII) (independent) and positive control(I) (dependent) groups was compared by the Student\'s t test and the results of treatment and control groups were assessed by ANOVA test and bunferroni post test (P< 0.05).

Result:Total withdrawal score was decreased by chronic administration of Passiflora incarnata and clonidine. This study showed that clonidine (0.4mg/kg i.p.) and Passiflora incarnata extract in all doses used significantly decreased TWS in comparison to normal saline. And this effect was comparable to clonidine.

Conclusion:The data obtained in this study suggest that Passiflora incarnata hydro-alcoholic extract has therapeutic potential in management of opiate withdrawal syndrome and this is comparable to the effect of clonidine particularly at high doses of plant extract.

Key words: Passiflora incarnata, morphine, withdrawal syndrome, clonidine