In traditional Iranian medicine, asafoetida, an oleo-gum-resin obtained from the roots of Ferula assa-foetida, has been prescribed as a diuretic. This study was undertaken to investigate the diuretic effect of asafoetida in normal rats. Asafoetida was administered orally at the doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg and furosemide (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) was used as positive control. The diuretic effect was evaluated by measuring urine volume and sodium, potassium, urea, and creatinine content in urine and serum. Urine volume, excretion of sodium, and potassium were significantly increased by asafoetida as compared to the control group. A significant increase in creatinine clearance was observed in the groups treated with asafoetida at the doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg (P < 0.05). We conclude that asafoetida induced a diuretic effect comparable to that produced by the reference diuretic furosemide. This study provides a quantitative basis for explaining the folkloric use of asafoetida as a diuretic agent.

Ferula assa-foetida L. is distributed throughout central Asia and Mediterranean area and grows wildly in Iran and Afghanistan. Asafoetida is an oleo-gum-resin that is the exudates of the roots of Ferula assa-foetida and some other Ferula species. In Iranian traditional medicine, asafoetida is considered to be sedative, analgesic, carminative, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihelmintic, emmenagogue and expectorant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of asafoetida in mice. The analgesic activity of asafoetida (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was compared with that of sodium diclofenac (30 mg/kg) or morphine sulfate (8 mg/kg) by using hot plate and acetic acid induced writhing tests. In hot plate test, the percentage of maximum possible effect (%MPE) against the thermal stimulus at 15 min post treatment time point for all doses of asafoetida was significantly greater than the control group. The number of writhes in all three doses of asafoetida was significantly less than the control group. GraphPad Prism 5 software was used to analyze the behavioral responses. Data were analyzed using repeated measure one-way ANOVA and P<0.05 was considered as the significant level. According to our findings, asafoetida exhibited a significant antinociceptive effect on chronic and acute pain in mice. These effects probably involve central opioid pathways and peripheral anti-inflammatory action.

BACKGROUND:In Iranian folk medicine, several plants are used for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, such as diarrhea and spasm. One of these herbal medications are the essential oil yielded from seeds of Ferula assa-foetida L. and an oleo-gum-resin known as asafetida, which is exudated from its root. F. assa-foetida grows wildly in south and central mountains of Iran.AIM:In this study, relaxant effect of asafoetida and seed's essential oil of F. assa-foetida was investigated in isolated rat's ileum in three doses.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A total of 5 cm of ileum was removed and sets for recording its isotonic contractions. The amplitude of contractions induced by different doses of asafoetida and essential oil before and after exposing the specimens with cumulative logarithmic concentrations of acetylcholine (Ach) was evaluated. The relaxant effect of asafoetida and seed's essential oil of F. assa-foetida was investigated in isolated rat's ileum in three doses (0.1 0.2 and 0.3%). All statistical analysis was by GraphPad Prism 5 (San Diego, California) and comparisons were made by means of the analysis of variances followed by Tukey's test. The statistical significance was considered as P < 0.05.RESULTS:Asafoetida produced an antispasmodic effect on Ach induced contraction in 0.2% and 0.3% concentrations. Our findings also showed that essential oil has significant antispasmodic action against cumulative concentrations of 10(-12) up to 10(-2) M Ach. In spasmolytic evaluation, our findings showed that the essential oil derived from F. assa-foetida seed in concentrations of 0.2% and 0.3% significantly reduced Ach (10(-4) M) induced contractions. Exposure to the 0.2% and 0.3% asafoetida, reduced the percentage of maximum contraction induced by 10(-4) M Ach to 43% and 12% respectively, which this reduction was statistically significant.CONCLUSION:The results of the present study, supports the traditional claim of asafoetida as an antispasmodic therapeutic.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of saffron extract on preventing D-galactose and NaNO2 induced memory impairment and improving learning and memory deficits in amnestic mice. In this study, the learning and memory functions in ovariectomized mice were examined by the one way passive and active avoidance tests. In active avoidance test, training in amnestic treated (AT) and amnestic prophylaxis (AP) groups, was improved so that there was a significant difference between them and the amnestic control (AC) group. In passive avoidance test, animal's step through latency, as an index for learning, in all test groups was significantly greater than control group. Total time spent in dark room (DS), which opposes the memory retention ability, in AC was significantly greater than AT group at 1 and 2 hours after full training, while there was not any significant difference between this index in AP and AT as compared with normal control (NC) group. Our findings indicate that saffron hydro-alcoholic extract prevents and improves amnesia induced by D-galactose and NaNO2 in mice.

Background: Nowadays herbal therapy for pain relevance is the matter of considerable propensity. Artemisia sieberi Besser is one of the herbal medication which has been consider as a pain reliever in Iranian traditional medicine, which needs further scientific investigations. Objective: In this study the antinociceptive effect of hydro alcoholic Artemisia sieberi Besser extract (AE) was assessed by using formalin test in mice. Methods: 42 male mice were divided into 7 groups. Interaperitoneal administration of distilled water to control group, vehicle to negative sham group, 1, 2 mg/kg morphine to positive sham groups and 40, 400, and 4000 mg/kg AE to test groups were performed. 25 µl of 2% formalin was then injected into the plantar surface of animalchr('39')s hind limb and the animalchr('39')s pain behavior for one hour was assessed. Mean pain scores in each five minute time block calculated for each animal were statistically analyzed. Results: in acute phase mean pain score animals receiving 4000 mg/kg AE was significantly less than control groups p<0.05. the antinociceptive effect of AE was more prominent in the chronic phase so the analgesic effect of 4000 mg/kg AE was significantly more than 2 mg/kg. Conclusion: the data collected from this study indicates the analgesic effect of AE which is more significant in chronic phase and this effect may be due to anti-inflammatory ingredients in AE which needs to be more investigated.

It has been suggested that saffron increases the myometrial contractions and may lead to the abortion1. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of non toxic concentrations of aqueous saffron decoction on preterm delivery in mice. In this study 65 female BALB/c mice, weighting 25–30 grams, were breed in the animal house of medical college by keeping the ratio of male: females as 1:3, in each plastic cage. The females were checked daily for vaginal plaque and the day on which the vaginal plaque was observed, was considered as the first day of pregnancy. The pregnant rats were divided into 7 subgroups and placed in separate cages throughout the gestational period and were fed in the same conditions. Animals in control group received tape water but the test groups received different concentrations (0.8%, 0.4% & 0.2%) of aqueous saffron decoction in whole gestational period or only in 1st, 2nd or 3rd trimesters of gestational period. All animals had natural childbirth. Parturitions in 19th, 20th and 21th days of pregnancy was considered as normal delivery but deliveries before 19th day, were considered as preterm delivery. According to our findings the mean number of preterm delivery in animals receiving saffron decoction was dose dependently more than control group. Maximum preterm deliveries were observed in animals receiving different concentrations of aqueous saffron decoction on 3rd trimester or whole gestational period especially for 0.4% decoction. Data collections in this study indicate that saffron consumption especially in last trimester of gestation can lead to preterm delivery. Preterm delivery may be due to increase in uterine contractions.

The aim of this study was to assess the evidences for the effects of saffron consumption on abortion and congenital disorders [1–3]. 65 female BALB/c mice, weighting 25–30 grams, were breed in animal house of medical college. The first day of pregnancy was the day on which the vaginal plaque was observed. The pregnant mice were divided into13 subgroups. Each pregnant animal was placed in a separate cages throughout the gestational period and were fed in the same conditions. Animals in control group received tape water but the test groups received different concentration (0.8, 0.4&0.2%) of aqueous saffron decoction in whole or only in1st, 2nd or 3rd trimesters of gestational period. In 18th day of pregnancy, animals were anesthetized and their fetuses were extracted through a cesarean section. The placenta was excised, weighed, and the number and placement of implantation sites, Live, dead and resorbed fetuses were recorded. All fetuses were stereo microscopically examined for any morphological abnormalities. According to our findings the mean number of live fetuses in animals receiving 0.8% saffron solution and mostly those who were received the decoction on 2nd trimester or whole gestational period were significantly less than control group while the mean numbers of resorbed and dead fetuses in test groups were dose dependently greater than control group (p<0.05). Maximum number of dead fetuses was for animals receiving saffron solution on 2nd trimester. Some developmental abnormalities were observed only in animals using solutions in whole gestational period. Saffron's components especially in high doses and in 2nd gestational trimester affect embryonic implantation, organogenesis and may lead to abortion.

The aim of study was to assess the effects of non toxic doses [1] of aqueous saffron decoction (0.8% & 0.4%) on contraceptive attributes in mice. In this study 15 female BALB/c mice, weighting 25–30 grams, were randomly divided into 3 equal groups. 2 groups had fed by saffron solutions (0.4% & 0.8%) before the mating process.All groups were breed in the animal house of medical college. The day on which the vaginal plaque was observed, was considered as the first day of pregnancy. The pregnant mices were divided into 3 subgroups and placed in seperate cages throughout the gestational period and were acclimatized and fed in the same conditions. Animals in all group received tape water in whole gestational period. In 20th day of pregnancy, animals were anesthetized and their fetuses were extracted through a cesarean section. The placenta was excised, weighed, and the number and placement of implantation sites, live and dead fetuses and early and late resorptions were recorded. Mean number of live, dead or resorbed fetuses in animals receiving saffron extracts before the mating were dose dependently less than control group, maximum decrease were observed in animals receiving 0.8% saffron solution. Saffron and its components (2,3) may affect embryonic implantation and may result in contraceptive-like effects. Moreover, using saffron may cause long term effects because of its components and their metabolites like the effects on embryonic implantation if used just before breeding.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of saffron hydro-alcoholic extract on learning and memory function in mice model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study 20 ovariectomized mice were randomly and equally divided into 4 following groups: healthy control (Distilled water), AD control (D-galactose and NaNO2 solution [1]), AD prevention (saffron extract with D-galactose and NaNO2 solution), and AD treatment (saffron extract 15 consecutive days following AD induction). All injections were administered intraperitoneally (IP) for 60 consecutive days. The cognitive functions were examined using " one way active avoidance learning and memory" test in a shuttle box apparatus [2] and the mean number of shock free trials (M.Sh.F.T.) was considered as an index for learning (1 day after the treatments), short term memory (one week after training) and long term memory (one month after training). M.Sh.F.T. for healthy control, AD control, AD prevention and AD treatment groups was 13.93±0.8667, 1.933±1.235, 9.000±2.200, 17.47±3.459, respectively in learning, 18.47±1.733, 1.933±0.5207, 11.93±1.733, 20.00±0.5292, respectively in short term memory and 19.07±2.210, 3.667±0.9684, 13.53±0.5207, 27.80±0.1155, respectively in long term memory. In all 3 sets of experiments (learning, short and long term memory), M.Sh.F.T. in AD control group was significantly less than all other groups (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between AD treatment and healthy control groups (p>0.05). Our findings indicate that saffron hydro-alcoholic extract prevents the induction of AD and improves the learning ability and memory recall in AD mice model.

Objectives: In this study the effects of non toxic [1] concentrations of saffron decoction on fat deposition in pregnant mice was assessed. Methods: 130 adult female mice were mated overnight and checked daily for vaginal plaque until yielding 65 pregnant mice. The vaginal plaque observation was considered as the1st day of pregnancy. The reminder mated females were considered as non pregnant. Each category of pregnant and non pregnant animals was randomly and equally divided into 13 groups. In each category animals in control group received tap water while the animals in test groups received different concentration of saffron decoction (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8%) in 4 different time course during 3 weeks of gestational period (1st, 2nd, 3rd week and complete duration of pregnancy) ad libitum. 18 days after the onset of the experiments animals were sacrificed by deep anesthesia and striping fats deposited in the abdominal cavity from diaphragm to the genitalia were precisely removed and weighted. Result: there was no significant difference between the fat deposition in pregnant and non pregnant animals but the intra abdominal fat deposition in all test groups was significantly reduced in both pregnant and non pregnant animals as compared with their own control group (p<0.05).The effect of saffron on intra abdominal fat deposition was dose and time dependant and maximum effect was seen in animals receiving 0.8% saffron decoction throughout the gestational period. Conclusion: according to our data, saffron is a potent attenuator of fat deposition probably due to its action on food intake and its antioxidative effect [1,2].