Antitussive activity of Withania somnifera and opioid receptors

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: Opportunity for Clinical Repurposing in COVID-19 Management

As the COVID-19 pandemic is progressing, the therapeutic gaps in conventional management have highlighted the need for the integration of traditional knowledge systems with modern medicine. Ayurvedic medicines, especially Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, WS), may be beneficial in the management of COVID-19. WS is a widely prescribed Ayurvedic botanical known as an immunomodulatory, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogenic agent. The chemical profile and pharmacological activities of WS have been extensively reported. Several clinical studies have reported its safety for use in humans. This review presents a research synthesis of in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies on Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (WS) and discusses its potential for prophylaxis and management of COVID-19. We have collated the data from studies on WS that focused on viral infections (HIV, HSV, H1N1 influenza, etc.) and noncommunicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes, cancer, etc.). The experimental literature indicates that WS has the potential for 1) maintaining immune homeostasis, 2) regulating inflammation, 3) suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, 4) organ protection (nervous system, heart, lung, liver, and kidney), and 5) anti-stress, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic activities. Using these trends, the review presents a triangulation of Ayurveda wisdom, pharmacological properties, and COVID-19 pathophysiology ranging from viral entry to end-stage acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The review proposes WS as a potential therapeutic adjuvant for various stages of COVID-19 management. WS may also have beneficial effects on comorbidities associated with the COVID-19. However, systematic studies are needed to realize the potential of WS for improving clinical outcome of patients with COVID-19.

Anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Withania somnifera root in fructose fed male rats

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance is a metabolic disorder which affects the diabetes mellitus pathophysiology and alters the cell excitability. This study has been designed to evaluate the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of chronic administration of Withania somnifera root (WSR) in fructose drinking water rats.

METHODS

An experiment was carried out on 48 Wistar-Albino male rats, weighting 200±30 g, which were divided into six groups (n=8): control group (C), control morphine (CM), W. somnifera group (WS) which received WSR (62.5 mg/g diet), W. somnifera naloxone group (WSN) which received WSR and naloxone, fructose (F) group which received fructose drinking water and FWS group which received fructose-enriched drinking water and WSR during the trial period. A biphasic pain response was induced after intraplantar injection of formalin (50 μL, 1%). Pain behavior was measured using Dubuisson methods. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS software V. 18, using ANOVA and Tukey test. Results were expressed as mean±SD. Statistical differences were considered significant at p<0.05.

RESULTS

The results showed that the insulin resistance index, blood sugar, insulin, IL-6, TNF-α, and acute and chronic pain score in the F group were significantly increased in comparison with the control group, but these parameters in the FWS group were significantly decreased compared with the F group (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that chronic oral administration of WSR has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in fructose drinking water rats and causes improved insulin resistance index.

Endogenous Opiates and Behavior: 2015

This paper is the thirty-eighth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2015 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.