Context: Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae), commonly known as sweet wormwood or Qinghao, is an annual herb/shrub native of Asia. The plant grows broadly in Caspian Sea shores in North of Iran. In China, the aerial parts of this plant are source of artemisinin, which is an antimalarial compound.Objective: This study aimed to establish the scientific basis of reported ethnomedicinal use of A. annua as sedative agent.Material and methods: The plants were gathered from Gilan Province in Iran. Plant aerial parts were extracted with methanol and concentrated in vacuum. Methanol extract was partitioned into chloroform, petroleum ether, and ethyl acetate. Each fraction was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) in male mice with different concentrations (50, 100, and 200?mg/kg), and for evaluation of sedative activity, immobility time was determined. In effort to clarify the mechanism of action, flumazenil (3?mg/kg, i.p.) as a benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor antagonist was injected 15?min before chloroform fraction (200?mg/kg, i.p.).Results: Compared with control group (saline-treated mice), the chloroform fraction significantly increased immobility time in a dose-dependent manner. Flumazenil decreased immobility time induced by chloroform fraction significantly.Discussion and conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that A. annua growing in Iran has sedative effects, which are probably mediated via BZD receptors pathways. 相似文献
Introduction: Solid lipid nanoparticles are promising drug carriers for systemic circulations as well as local applications. One of the major challenges for drug delivery is designing nanocarriers for efficient delivery of active substances to the target site and facilitating drug absorption.
Areas covered: In this article, the effects of excipients and particle preparation methods on the properties of solid lipid nanocarriers (SLNCs) and their impact on drug absorption and efficacies related to different administration routes are reviewed and discussed.
Expert opinion: SLNCs have special characteristics, making them attractive as drug delivery systems, for parenteral and oral delivery for systemic effects, or ocular, pulmonary and topical delivery to enhance local treatment efficacy and reducing systemic side effects. Both excipients and fabrication methods are crucial for the function and size of nanoparticles and should be considered simultaneously in designing particles to obtain the optimal drug absorption and efficacy, especially for local treatments. Despite the demonstrated advantages by the preclinical studies, further studies on improved understanding of the interactions of SLNCs with biological tissues of the target site is necessary for efficient designing functional nanoparticles for clinical applications.
