Role of Habb-e-Jawahar in Attenuating Nicotine Withdrawal in Rats
Author(s): Raka Jain*
Abstract
Background: The Habb-e-Jawahar (HJ) is one of the most important drugs used in the indigenous system of Unani medicine in India. It is considered to be one of the potent drugs of the nervous system and provides strengthening to the vital organs.
Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of Unani drug, HJ to attenuate mecamylamine precipitated nicotine withdrawal in nicotine-dependent rats.
Methods: Male adult Wistar albino rats (n=54) were used in the study and were made physically dependent by subcutaneous infusion of nicotine (9.0 mg/kg/day) via a 7-day osmotic pump, while the control rats received saline. The three different doses of HJ (15.9 mg/kg, 22.5 mg/kg and 38.4 mg/kg) were given orally for 7 days. Nicotine withdrawals were precipitated with nicotine antagonist, mecamylamine (1 mg/kg), 2 hours after the test dose on day 7. Somatic signs of withdrawal were scored for 15 minutes using Gellert–Holtzman (GH) rating scale followed by a measurement of motor activity. The drug, Bupropion was used as a positive control. Serum levels of nicotine (cotinine) and corticosterone were estimated by ELISA.
