In vitro and in vivo bioactivities of Ambrosia maritima and Bituminaria bituminosa organic extracts from Algeria.

Introduction: Two medicinal plants, Ambrosia maritima and Bituminaria bituminosa, growing in Algeria were investigated for their flavonoids content and their biological activities.

Methodology: Different organic extracts were prepared from the aerial parts of each plant using maceration method followed by liquid/liquid type extractions. The anti-antioxidant activity was tested using the β-carotene bleaching method.

Yokukansan Inhibits the Development of Morphine Tolerance by Regulating Presynaptic Proteins in DRG Neurons.

Opioids, such as morphine, are used in clinical settings for the management of acute and chronic pain. However, long-term use of morphine leads to antinociceptive tolerance and hypersensitivity. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of morphine tolerance seem to be quite complex, with suggestions including internalization of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), neuroinflammation with activation of microglia and astrocytes, and changes in synaptic function in the central nervous system.

Kamikihito rescued depressive-like behaviors and hippocampus neurogenesis in chronic restraint stress rats.

Background And Aim: Substantial evidence suggests the effectiveness of plant-based medicine in stress-related diseases. Kamikihito (KKT), a Japanese traditional herbal medicine (Kampo), has been used for anemia, insomnia, and anxiety. Recent studies revealed its ameliorating effect on cognitive and memory dysfunction in several animal models.

Analgesic effect of voluntary exercise in a rat model of persistent pain via suppression of microglial activation in the spinal cord.

In this study, we employed a rodent model for persistent allodynia and hyperalgesia to determine whether voluntary exercise could exert analgesic effects on these pain symptoms. Rats were subcutaneously injected with formalin into the plantar surface of the right hind paw to induce mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia. We assessed the analgesic effects of a voluntary wheel running (VWR) using the von Frey test and investigated microglial proliferation in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.