Effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Teucrium polium, Descurainia sophia and Artemisia aucheri on naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal in male rat

Morphine withdrawal syndrome is one of the critical and dangerous side effects of opioid abusing; and treatment of addiction and its withdrawal syndrome are in health priorities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Teucrium polium, Descurainia sophia and Artemisia aucheri extracts on morphine. In this experimental study, 40 male rats were divided into 4 identical groups including control group that received morphine, naloxone and distilled water, and groups with morphine dependent rats treated with Descurainia sophia extract (400 mg/kg), morphine dependent rats treated with Teucrium polium extract (600mg/kg), and morphine dependent rats treated with Artemisia aucheri extract (200mg/kg). All animals received different doses of morphine for 7 days. Then, at the 7th day of addiction they received the extracts by an oral-gastric catheter. After passing one hour of intraperitoneal naloxone injection (0.5 mg/kg), each animal was placed in a cage separately and observed for forty minutes. Then, variables of fecal quality, frequency, and weight of stool, lying down, itching, and jumping were determined. In this experimental study, the extract of Descurainia sophia significantly decreased indexes of lying down, weight loss and itching compared with control group (P<0.01). Teucrium polium extract group significantly decreased (P<0.01) frequency of jumping and lying down compared with control group. Also, the Artemisia aucheri extract decreased itching index compared to control group (P<0.001). Results showed that the extracts have significant effects on reducing the symptoms of withdrawal syndrome in rats. More studies are suggested to confirm the effects of these plants on morphine withdrawal syndrome.