Effect of withinia somnifera and shilajit on alcohol addiction in mice

Abstract

Background:Alcohol addiction is a social problem leading to both loss of health and economic prosperity among addicted individuals. Common properties of anti-addictive compounds include anti-anxiety, anticonvulsants, anti-depressant, and nootropic actions primarily through modulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonergic systems.Objective:Here, we screen ashwagandha and shilajit known ethnopharmacologically as nervine tonic and adaptogenic herbs for possible anti-addictive potential.Materials and Methods:Effect of ashwagandha churna and shilajit was measured on ethanol withdrawal anxiety using elevated plus maze. Role of ashwagandha and shilajit on chronic ethanol consumption (21 days) was measured using two bottle choice protocol of voluntary drinking. We also measured the effect of the above herbs on corticohippocampal GABA, dopamine, and serotonin levels.Results:Both ashwagandha and shilajit were found to reduce alcohol withdrawal anxiety in a dose-dependent manner. These herbs alone or in combination also decreased ethanol intake and increased water intake significantly after 21 days of chronic administration. Chronic administration of ashwagandha was found to significantly increase GABA and serotonin levels whereas shilajit altered cortico-hippocampal dopamine in mice.Conclusion:These central nervous system active herbs alone or in combination reduced both alcohol dependence and withdrawal thus showing promising anti-addictive potential.SUMMARY Withinia Somnifera alone and in combination with Shilajeet prevented ethanol withdrawal and alcohol addiction Abbreviations used: GABA: Gama aminobutyric acid, CNS: Central Nervous System, CPP:Condition place preference, DA: Dopamine, 5-HT: 5-hydroxytryptamine, NMDA:N-methyl-D-aspartate

Ameliorative effect of Withania somnifera and Shilajit on brain lesions and behaviour of hypothyroid rats

“…Ashwagandha might have acted as anxiolytic by reducing the levels of tribulin, an endocoid marker of clinical anxiety and corticotrophin in the brain thus improving neurobehavioual effi ciency 24 . Group 7 rats showed reduction in open arm entries, in relation to total arm entries, provided a measure of fear induced inhibition of exploratory activity that aĴ enuated by anxiolytic activity of shilajit.…”

Effect of shankhpushpi on alcohol addiction in mice

“…[ 24 ] After 30 days of chronic ethanol intake, animals showed increased cortico-hippocampal levels of GABA as we reported previously. [ 25 ] Decrease in GABAergic function after chronic administration of alcohol in experimental animals has been widely attributed to decrease in GABA A receptor expression and function. [ 26 ] Shankhpushpi treatment significantly increased GABA levels in the cortico-hippocampal lysates over ethanol-treated animals.…”

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“…In addition to Shilajit benefits for diabetes (Gupta et al, 2016;Raju & Sharma, 2016), it can also be beneficial for other diseases and conditions, including insulin resistance (Gupta, 1966;Kanikkannan et al, 1995), obesity Pattonder et al, 2011), inflammation (Firozsalari et al;Pingali & Nutalapati, 2022), oxidative stress (Atashbar et al, 2018;Derhami et al, 2022), arthritis (Azizi et al, 2018;Lawley et al, 2013), cancer (Kloskowski et al, 2021;Pant et al, 2012), bone health (Cesur et al, 2019;Labban, 2013), allergy (Ghosal et al, 1989;Sadeghi et al, 2020), mental health (Jaiswal & Bhattacharya, 1992;Khaksari et al, 2013), immune system (Bižanov et al, 2012;Musthafa et al, 2018), increased energy (Bhattacharyya et al, 2009;Stohs et al, 2017), adaptogenic (Agarwal et al, 2007;Bansal & Banerjee, 2016), antiaging and rejuvenating (Ghosal, 1990;Wilson et al, 2011), and for sexual health (Ikram-ul-Haq et al, 2016;NİZAM & SELÇUK, 2021). These benefits are shown in table 2.…”