Effects of Ferula gummosa Boiss. fractions on morphine dependence in mice

Activity-guided fractionation of methanol-chloroform (1:1) extract of Ferul a gummosa was carried out to investigate the isolation of the active compon ent(s) responsible for the alleviation of morphine withdrawal syndrome indu ced by naloxone. Dependence was induced using subcutaneous (s.c.) injection s of morphine daily for three days. On day 4, morphine was injected 0.5 h b efore the interaperitoneal (i.p.) injections of fractions or diazepam (5 mg /kg, i.p.) as positive control. Naloxone was injected (5 mg/kg, s.c.) 2 h a fter the final dose of morphine. The number of episodes of jumping during 3 0 min after the injection of naloxone was considered as the intensity of th e withdrawal syndrome. The methanol-chloroform (1:1) extract of the aerial parts of plant was prepared and partitioned between water and chloroform. T he active chloroform layer was concentrated and partitioned between methano l-water (9:1) and n-hexane. Activity was observed in the hydroalcoholic lay er. This layer was concentrated and partitioned further between methanol-wa ter (3:2) and chloroform. The chloroform layer showed a dose-dependent and significant activity. For ail fractions the activity was observed at 470 mg /kg. Further purification on silica gel column chromatography gave a pure c ompound, which was 10 times as effective as the crude extract. The results of this study indicated that the plant extract contained component(s) that could be useful for the alleviation of morphine withdrawal syndrome. (C) 20 01 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.