Interaction of alcoholic extracts of hops with pentobarbital and diazepam in mice

Pharmacological Analysis of GABAA Receptor and Sigma1R Chaperone Interaction: Research Report I-Investigation of the Anxiolytic, Anticonvulsant and Hypnotic Effects of Allosteric GABAA Receptors' Ligands

Two groups of facts have been established in previous drug development studies of the non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic fabomotizole. First, fabomotizole prevents stress-induced decrease in binding ability of the GABAA receptor's benzodiazepine site. Second, fabomotizole is a Sigma1R chaperone agonist, and exposure to Sigma1R antagonists blocks its anxiolytic effect. To prove our main hypothesis of Sigma1R involvement in GABAA receptor-dependent pharmacological effects, we performed a series of experiments on BALB/c and ICR mice using Sigma1R ligands to study anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepine tranquilizers diazepam (1 mg/kg i.p.) and phenazepam (0.1 mg/kg i.p.) in the elevated plus maze test, the anticonvulsant effects of diazepam (1 mg/kg i.p.) in the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure model, and the hypnotic effects of pentobarbital (50 mg/kg i.p.). Sigma1R antagonists BD-1047 (1, 10, and 20 mg/kg i.p.), NE-100 (1 and 3 mg/kg i.p.), and Sigma1R agonist PRE-084 (1, 5, and 20 mg/kg i.p.) were used in the experiments. Sigma1R antagonists have been found to attenuate while Sigma1R agonists can enhance GABAARs-dependent pharmacological effects.

Effect of aroma and magnum hops extracts and paracetamol on antioxidant liver parameters in mice

Hop varieties that are mainly grown in Serbia are Magnum (German variety) and Aroma, which is grown only in the Vojvodina region. About the use of hops extracts as an auxiliary remedy there are divergent opinions. Our findings indicate that extracts of Magnum and Aroma varieties, among the others, enhance and prolong the analgesic action of paracetamol. For this reason we undertook a study of the effects of these extracts alone and in combination with paracetamol, along with the action of paracetamol alone, on the activity of the antioxidant enzymes GSHPx, CAT, Px, XOD, GSHR, glutathione content, LPx intensity, as well as activities of AST and ALT. Paracetamol in the dose applied exerted no influence on the investigated parameters and neither did ethanolic extract of Magnum variety. On the other hand, ethanolic extract of Aroma hops caused a significant reduction of GSH content. In combination with paracetamol, extracts of both Magnum and Aroma varieties reduced significantly the LPx intensity, activities of CAT and GSHPx, as well as GSH content in the liver homogenate. A significant increase in the AST value with respect to control was also observed. These findings indicate the disturbance in the functioning of hepatocytes, probably by decelarating metabolism and elimination of paracetamol.