Study and comparison of the effect of oral administration of Peganum harmala seeds and methadone on morphine withdrawal syndrome in rats

Addiction, especially morphine dependence is a prevalence and incurable disease. With Regard to low ability of new chemical drugs in treatment of addicted ones and with respect to herbal medicine recommendation due to lower side effects and cheap production. This study experimentally examined the effect of P.harmala on morphine withdrawal syndrome. Animals were addicted with escalating morphine consumption in drinking water within 21 days. Naloxone (2.5 mg/kg, i.p) was injected for precipitating of pharmacological withdrawal syndromes. The signs were observed for 40 min after naloxone injection. Physiological withdrawal syndromes were followed 48 h after disruption of morphine consumption. In the treatment groups P. harmala (6.25% in food pellaete), methadone and Raha with 30 mg/kg and 1.7 l/kg were respectively prescribed via drinking water. The grade physiological sign, ejaculation was significantly diminished by methadone consumption (P < 0.05). Also, teeth chattering sign was markedly reduced in methadone Peganum h., and Raha groups (P < 0.05). Also, the physiologic chocked sign diarrhea was markedly reduced by methadone. Jumping, ejaculation and teeth cattering pharmacological grade signs were decreased in Peganum, methadone and raha groups more than control ones. Also diarrhea pharmacologic sign was diminished by Peganum and methadone significantly. Finally, if methadone could decrease both physiological and pharmacologic Opiate withdrawal score (OWS), but the effect of Peganum in reduction of physiological OWS is more significant than methadone group. The data from peganum show that this plant could diminished both pharmacological and physiological withdrawal signs in morphine dependent rats. However it was found that its effect for of morphine physiological withdrawal signs is more potent than methadone and raha treatment groups.