Search

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects a cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) performed in the morning or evening on left ventricular (LV) filling indices and the level of N -terminal fragment of pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This was a randomized controlled single-blinded clinical trial. Ninety-six patients (mean age: 50.2 ± 8.1 years, 36 women and 44 men) with percutaneous coronary angioplasty were divided into two groups of intervention and control. In each group, the CRP was performed in either morning or evening. The CRP included walking and performing push-ups and sit-ups for 8 weeks. The participants of the control groups received routine care. The functional indices of LV, including LV ejection fraction, systolic function, and diastolic function (i.e. the transmitral flow), the E/e' to left atrium peak strain ratio (as an estimation for LA stiffness), and NT-proBNP level were measured in all participants before starting and at the end of the CRP., Results: In the intervention group, the individuals performing the CRP in the evening had significantly higher E-wave (0.76±0.02 vs. 0.75±0.03; P =0.008), ejection fraction (52.5±5.64 vs. 55.5±3.59; P =0.011), and diastolic function velocity (E/A ratio, 1.03±0.06 vs. 1.05±0.03; P =0.014) and significantly lower A-wave (0.72±0.02 vs. 0.71±0.01; P =0.041), E/e' ratio (6.74±0.29 vs. 6.51±0.38; P =0.038), and NT-proBNP level (2007.9±214.24 vs. 1933.9±253.13; P =0.045) compared with those performing the program in the morning., Conclusions: A supervised CRP performed in the evening compared with morning was more effective in improving LV functional indices. Therefore, such home-based interventions are recommended to be performed in the evening during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: N/a., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Fever is the most common reason for children's visits to medical centers. Its management is an essential duty of a pediatric nurse. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of body wash with Marshmallow plant on children's fever., Methods: This parallel clinical trial was performed on 92 children aged 6 months to 10 years with a tympanic temperature above 38.3 °C. Participants were randomly assigned to groups. Simultaneously with receiving acetaminophen, body wash was performed in the control group with lukewarm water and in the intervention group with white Marshmallow extract. The children's temperature; from the beginning of the study was checked and recorded every 15 min in the first hour and in the 4th and 6th hours. The time duration to resolve fever, the frequency of afebrile children at different times of the study, and the value of temperature reduction were primary outcomes. Heart rate, the need to administer the next dose of acetaminophen, and the time of fever recurrence were recorded as secondary outcomes., Results: The mean time duration to resolve fever in the intervention group was shorter than in the control group (B = 8.181, 95% CI 3.778-12.584, p < 0.001). The frequency of the children without fever was higher in the intervention group during different times of the study (p < 0.001). The mean value of temperature reduction in the intervention group was higher than the control group (B = -0.27 °C, 95% CI: -0.347 to -0.193, P < 0.001), although, after adjusting the effect of confounding variables it was not significant (P = 0.127). The mean of adjusted heart rate change (p = 0.771), the time of fever recurrence (P = 0.397), and the frequency of children requiring the next dose of acetaminophen (p = 0.397) did not show a significant difference between the groups., Conclusion: Body wash with Marshmallow extract reduced children's fever in a shorter period of time and to some extent a greater extent than the control group without side effects. Therefore, it can be used as an effective and safe complementary method to help reduce fever. However, more studies are necessary for this field., Trial Registration: Registration in Iranian Clinical Trials (RCTs) on 31.08.2020 with registration code: IRCT20200809048345N1., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: Herpes simplex virus (HSV), as a common infection in healthy individuals, is treated symptomatically, but drug resistance and the side effects of drugs have drawn the attention of researchers to complementary medicine. Olive Leaf Extract (OLE) has antiviral effects that may treat HSV. The current study aimed to compare the clinical effects of OLE and Acyclovir on HSV-1., Methods: This randomized double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 66 patients who had already been diagnosed with HSV-1. The participants were randomized into two groups, receiving 2% OLE cream or 5% acyclovir cream five times a day for six days. The symptoms were evaluated before, and three and six days after the interventions. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software through the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, chi-squared, t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA., Results: The results showed clinical symptoms decreased in both groups during the study and both medications were effective in the treatment of HSV-1. However, the OLE group experienced less bleeding (P = 0.038), itching (P = 0.002), and pain (P = 0.001) on the third day as well as less irritation (P = 0.012), itching (P = 0.003) and color change (P = 0.001) on the sixth day compared to the acyclovir group. The treatment course for participants in the OLE group was shorter than in the acyclovir group (P = 0.001)., Conclusion: The evidence from these trials suggests the OLE cream is superior in the healing of episodes of HSV-1 over the acyclovir cream. Future studies are recommended to investigate if OLE could be an adjunct to acyclovir treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Thirty-one Cephalosporin compounds were modeled using the multivariate image analysis and applied to the quantitative structure activity relationship (MIA-QSAR) approach. The acid dissociation constants (pK a ) of cephalosporins play a fundamental role in the mechanism of activity of cephalosporins. The antimicrobial activity of cephalosporins was related to their first pK a by different models. Bidimensional molecular structures (images) were used to calculate some pixel descriptors. The selection of pixels by successive projections algorithm (SPA) was done to achieve simple MIA-QSAR models; based on a small subset of pixels. In the present study, the performance of pixel selection technique using SPA for partial least squares (PLS) model was evaluated. The obtained model showed nice prediction ability with root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) values of 0.402, 0.315, and 0.160 for principal component regression (PCR), PLS and SPA-PLS models respectively. Among the three methods, SPA-PLS was potentially useful in predicting the pK a of cephalosporins. The study showed the maximum structural efficacy is on pK a in a, b and c regions.

Oleuropein, a well-known olive polyphenol, has been shown to mediate neuroprotection in Alzheimer's disease and cerebral ischemia. We investigated the effects of oleuropein on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in male NMRI mice, with diazepam as the standard drug. We also examined the possible involvement of opioidergic/nitrergic pathways in the probable effects of oleuropein. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of different doses of oleuropein (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg) significantly increased the seizure threshold 60 min prior to induction of seizure, in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of naltrexone (10 mg/kg, i.p.), an opioid receptor antagonist, completely reversed the anticonvulsant effects of oleuropein (10 mg/kg). On the other hand, the anticonvulsant effect of oleuropein (10 mg/kg) was blocked by a non-effective dose of nonspecific inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), L-NAME (1 and 10 mg/kg, i.p) and a selective inhibitor of neuronal NOS, 7-nitroindazole (30 mg/kg, i.p.). However, the nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine (30 and 60 mg/kg, i.p.) potentiated the anticonvulsant activity of oleuropein (10 mg/kg). A selective inducible NOS inhibitor, aminoguanidine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) did not change the anticonvulsant activity of oleuropein. It seems that the opioidergic system and constitutive neuronal NOS may be involved in the anticonvulsant properties of oleuropein.

Giardia lamblia is one of the common causes of worldwide diarrhea in children. Appropriate medicinal treatment for giardiasis is available but there are some evidences of drug resistance, insufficient efficacy, and unpleasant side effects. In order to reach a more natural drug with suitable efficacy and the lowest side effects, the effects of the hydroalcoholic extracts of olive leaf, Satureja khuzestanica , and Allium sativum on G. lamblia cysts were evaluated in vitro, as well as antigiardial effect of the extracts was compared with metronidazole as the drug of choice. 2 and 5 mg of the plants extracts and powder of metronidazole 250 mg pills were added to 1 ml of G. lamblia cysts suspension (containing 5,000 cyst/ml normal saline), and the percentages of bioavailability of G. lamblia cysts were examined at the 2nd and 4th h after exposure and in 4 and 37 °C temperatures using eosin 0.1 % and a haemocytometer. The data were analyzed by multiway ANOVA test, Tukey's test, and the SPSS software, version 18. The examinations demonstrated that olive leaf extract had the most fatality rate on G. lamblia cysts in vitro (37.90 ± 7.01 %), followed by the extract of S. khuzestanica (32.52 ± 9.07 %). Metronidazole 250 mg pills had relatively effective fatality rate on G. lamblia cysts in vitro (28.75 ± 10.30 %), whereas A. sativum (garlic) had the lowest fatality effect on G. lamblia cysts in vitro (22.65 ± 10.47 %). With respect to higher fatality effect of olive leaf and S. khuzestanica extracts compared with metronidazole in vitro, these plants can be used as suitable candidates to make new antigiardial drugs with low side effects and without drug resistance in the treatment of giardiasis in children.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with decline in memory. The role of oxidative stress is well known in the pathogenesis of the disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pretreatment effects of oleuropein on oxidative status and cognitive dysfunction induced by colchicine in the hippocampal CA1 area. Male Wistar rats were pretreated orally once daily for 10 days with oleuropein at doses of 10, 15 and 20 mg/kg. Thereafter, colchicine (15 μg/rat) was administered into the CA1 area of the hippocampus to induce cognitive dysfunction. The Morris water maze was used to assess learning and memory. Biochemical parameters such as glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities, nitric oxide and malondialdehyde concentrations were measured to evaluate the antioxidant status in the rat hippocampus. Our results indicated that colchicine significantly impaired spatial memory and induced oxidative stress; in contrast, oleuropein pretreatment significantly improved learning and memory retention, and attenuated the oxidative damage. The results clearly indicate that oleuropein has neuroprotective effects against colchicine-induced cognitive dysfunction and oxidative damage in rats.

Currently, there is no effective vaccine available, and chemotherapy is the main approach for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). During recent decades, studies have demonstrated that a number of plant-derived compounds may act as new therapeutic tools against leishmaniasis. This study was evaluated the antileishmanial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of Quercus infectoria Olivier (oak) extract. The total amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds was measured in oak extract. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was also performed to determine the amount of quercetin and gallic acid in this plant. This extract (0-80g/mL) was evaluated in vitro against promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of Leishmania major (MRHO/IR/75/ER) using MTT assay and in a macro-phage model, respectively. Then oak extract was tested on CL in infected male BALB/c mice with L. major in order to evaluate the antileishmanial activity topically. Moreover, cytotoxicity effects of oak in murine macrophage cells were tested by MTT assay. Antioxidative activity of oak was also determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1,1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging test. The amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the oak extract was 57.50 and 1.86%, respectively. The amount of quercetin and gallic acid in the oak extract was 0.0064 and 0.22%, respectively. The findings revealed that oak significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote of (IC50 12.65μg/mL) and amastigotes (IC50 10.31μg/mL) as a dose-dependent response. In the in vivo assay, after 4 weeks of treatment, 91.6, 66.66, and 50% recovery was observed in the infected mice treated with 20, 10, and 5mg/kg of oak extract, respectively. After treatment of the infected mice with the concentration of 10 and 20mg/kg of oak, the mean diameter of lesions, parasite load and mean number of parasites was significantly (P<0.05) reduced. Selectivity index of greater than 10 for oak revealed that oak extract had no cytotoxic effects on macrophage cells. Moreover, DPPH test demonstrated that radical inhibition occurred at greater power with increasing the concentration of oak. To conclude, the present study showed potent antileishmanial and antioxidant activity of oak extract; whereas this plant had no toxic effect on mammalian cells., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Aim: To investigate the impact of cirrhosis on retinal morphology and to evaluate the role of endogenous opioids as a mediator in cirrhosis induced retinal change., Methods: Thirty-six male rats were divided into 3 main groups; the common bile duct ligated (BDL) group, the sham-operated (Sham) group and the unoperated (Unop) group. Then each of these three main groups was divided into two subgroups; the first subgroup received daily injection of naltrexone hydrochloride (NTX) and the second group was injected with normal saline (Saline) daily. After 28d, rats were anesthetized and their right eyes were enucleated and assessed for histological changes. The thickness of the rod and cons layer, outer nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, inner plexiform layer and ganglion cell layer for each eye were measured in micrometers by light microscope., Results: Ganglion cell layer showed significant increase in thickness in the BDL group (P<0.05). This increase was eliminated in the group where BDL rats received daily intraperitoneal injection of naltrexone hydrochloride (20 mg/kg). No other histological changes were detected in the other 5 layers we measured., Conclusion: The morphological change we detected in the retina of cirrhotic rats is probably due to opioids increased tone in cirrhosis since the increase in thickness in the ganglion cell layer was almost eliminated when naltrexone hydrochloride was injected. These results suggest a possible role for endogenous opioids in the morphological retinal changes detected in cirrhotic rats.

Cold is a kind of mild and self-limiting viral illness that is considered as a prevalent disease with global occurrence and is caused by more than 200 types of viruses. Ethnobotanical studies and the use traditional experiences have increased the probability of detecting effective medicinal substances for cold by 40%. This study aimed to identify effective medicinal plants for cold in Lorestan province. Traditional medical information of this work was obtained from information from indigenous people in 8 cities of Lorestan province. A previously prepared questionnaire was given to trained health liaisons to record the people's beliefs about the plants. The results showed that 23 medicinal plants were used in Lorestan province for treating cold and its symptoms (cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny nose, etc). Plants studied in this article contained bioactive substances that are recommended as the most popular traditional treatments. More research studies should be done on the efficacy and the potential harms of medicinal plants used by people, and in the case of their positive pharmacological impacts, they can be used to produce natural and effective drugs for cold., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

The present study was designed to evaluate possible protective effects of purified histaminase from Lathyrus sativus L. seedling on the myocardial injuries upon isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in rats. In this regard, blood histamine concentration, creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) activity, antioxidant status, and histopathological changes of the hearts were measured. A total of 40 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five equal groups and treated in the following order: control (normal saline), isoprenaline (isoproterenol 110 mg/kg BW), Isopren.-H1 (isoprenaline plus histaminase 80 U/kg BW), Isopren.-H2 (isoprenaline plus histaminase 120 U/kg BW), and Isopren.-H3 (isoprenaline plus histaminase 160 U/kg BW). Myocardial infarction was manifested by a significant elevation in the level of CK-MB and histopathological findings in isoprenaline group when compared to controls. In contrast, histaminase pretreatment at dose of 160 U/kg prevented isoprenaline-induced histamine release and significantly decreased CK-MB activity as well as histopathological changes in Isopren.-H3 group. A significant increase in the catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities was also observed by histaminase treatment in Isopren.-H2 and Isopren.-H3 groups. Although the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) increased significantly to suppress oxidative stress in isoprenaline group, it was not able to prevent lipid peroxidation (as shown by TBARS concentration) in the heart of rats. In conclusion, the plant-originated histaminase presented as a promising enzyme with antioxidant properties against histamine release and myocardial infarction in rats, and it seems be a suitable therapeutic agent for future clinical trials in humans.

Objective: To identify medicinal plants witch are used for headaches and migraines treatment in Lorestan province of Iran., Methods: Traditional medical herbs information was acquired from indigenous people with the cooperation of health centers of Doroud, Borujerd, Khorramabad, Aleshtar Poldokhtar, Aligoodarz, Nourabad and Kouhdasht cities. The prepared questionnaires were given to trained health volunteers. They attended in the villages and recorded people beliefs in herbal therapy by the questionnaires., Results: The results of this study showed that people used 15 herbs traditionally to treat headaches. Because of the importance of the medicinal plants in the study area, it is neccessary to determine sociological studies the plenty of plant species., Conclusions: Because of the widespread use of traditional medicinal plants and high tendency to herbal medicine and traditional medicine, more extensive researches should be designed in several areas of pharmacy and pharmacology of medicinal plants to prepare proper information for pharmaceutical industries., (Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Parasites and parasitic diseases are widely spread in the world. Their adverse effects on health and social-economic society cause tremendous public health problems. Parasitic infections in different ways (water, soil, food and vegetables) can affect humans and induce other complications such as gastrointestinal disorders, malnutrition, anemia and allergies and sometimes even life threatening. Medicinal plants are being widely used, either as a single drug or in combination with synthetic drugs. These medicinal plants are considered as a valuable source of unique natural products and drugs for development of medicines against various disorders and diseases. In this article the recently published papers about medicinal plants and parasites were reviewed, using scientific sites such as Medline, PubMed and Google Scholar. The used terms included: herbal medicine, medicinal plants, and antihelmintic drugs, antinematoda, anticestoda, antitrematoda. From the above collected literature it might be concluded that these plants are promising potential sources for preparation of new drugs or for pharmacological and therapeutic applications., (Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the present study is to investigate the possible protective effect of dry olive leaf extract (OLE) against acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats, as well as the probable modulatory effect of nitrergic and opioidergic systems on this protective impact. Olive leaf extract was administered (250, 500 and 750 mg/kg) orally for two successive days, starting from the colitis induction. To assess the involvement of nitrergic and opioidergic systems in the possible protective effect of OLE, L-NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester (10 mg/kg) and naltrexone (5 mg/kg) intraperitoneal (i.p.) were applied 30 min before administration of the extract for two successive days, respectively. Colonic status was investigated 48 h following induction through macroscopic, histological and biochemical analyses. Olive leaf extract dose-dependently attenuated acetic acid-provoked chronic intestinal inflammation. The extract significantly reduces the severity of the ulcerative lesions and ameliorated macroscopic and microscopic scores. These observations were accompanied by a significant reduction in the elevated amounts of TNF-α and interlukin-2 markers. Moreover, both systems blockage reversed protective effects of OLE in the rat inflammatory bowel disease model. These finding demonstrated, for the first time, a possible role for nitrergic and opioidergic systems in the aforementioned protective effect, and the extract probably exerted its impact increasing nitric oxide and opioid tones., (Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: To determine the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and antibacterial properties of essential oils of the aerial parts of Salvia sclareoides (S. sclareoides)., Methods: The essential oil of the areal parts of S. sclareoides was obtained by using hydrodistillation method and the composition of the volatile components analyzed by gas chromatography method coupled with mass spectrometry detector. The antimicrobial capacity of the essential oil of S. sclareoides was investigated by microdilution technique. The antioxidant activities were determined employing inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate radical method., Results: Mass spectra were searched against mass spectrometry databases and sixty components were recognized. Non-terpenoids (41.6%) and sesquiterpenes (39.7%) were determined as the main components of the essential oil. The main identified components were, linalool (27.6%), trans-caryophyllene (16.6%), beta.-trans-ocimene (11.831%), germacrene-D (10%), bicyclogermacrene (3.3%) and caryophyllene oxide (2.8%). Two monoterpens (13.2%) and three oxygenated sesquiterpenes (5.5%) were also obtained from the essential oil of the S. sclareoides, Conclusions: Results indicated that essential oil of S. sclareoides includes rather higher proportions of non-terpenoid and sesquiterpenes compounds with good antioxidant and antibacterial properties., (Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The mechanism of action of sweet substance-induced analgesia is thought to involve activation of the endogenous opioid system. The nitric oxide (NO) pathway has a pivotal role in pain modulation of analgesic compounds such as opioids., Objectives: We investigated the role of NO and the opioid receptor-mediated system in the analgesic effect of sucrose ingestion in mice., Materials and Methods: We evaluated the effect of intraperitoneal administration of 10 mg/kg of NO synthase inhibitor, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and 20 mg/kg of opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone on the tail flick response in sucrose ingesting mice., Results: Sucrose ingestion for 12 days induced a statistically significant increase in the latency of tail flick response which was unmodified by L-NAME, but partially inhibited by naltrexone administration., Conclusions: Sucrose-induced nociception may be explained by facilitating the release of endogenous opioid peptides. Contrary to some previously studied pain models, the NO/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway had no role in thermal hyperalgesia in our study. We recommend further studies on the involvement of NO in other animals and pain models.

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is a water channel that is highly expressed on the apical side of the choroid plexus epithelium (CP) and thought to be one of the major pathways for the high water permeability of this structure. Blockade of AQP1 in the CP reduce the production of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Downregulation of AQP1 might be protective against some neurological disorders correlated with increased intracranial pressure and/or poor drainage of CSF. Curcumin, the major constituent of the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been shown to inhibit potassium channels, Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase, as well as AQP3 in some cells. We therefore speculated that curcumin might be a useful tool to inhibit and/or decrease AQP1, and thus might be useful in the regulation of CSF production in pathophysiological conditions, including traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, stroke, systemic hyponatremia, acute cerebral edema, and hypertension. Choroidal epithelial cells of the lateral ventricle of Wistar rats were isolated and grown in in-vitro cultures for 24 h. Curcumin was then added to the medium at different concentrations, and the cell viability tested by the (3,4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2-5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Additional wells of cells were tested for AQP1 protein expression using immunocytochemistry, immunoblotting, and flow cytometry. Our results showed that curcumin treatment decreases AQP1 expression in rat choroid epithelium cells in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that curcumin may be a useful tool to regulate CSF production in pathophysiological conditions such as hydrocephalus, systemic hyponatremia, hypertension, and other neurological conditions.

A carbon-based nanoporous sorbent was first used for microextraction in a packed syringe (MEPS) before HPLC/UV analysis of some biophenols in rat plasma. A laboratory-made programmable apparatus was designed and used for automation of the extraction procedure. The MEPS syringe was packed with 2 mg of CMK-3 sorbent, between the barrel and the injection needle, and mounted on an apparatus for programming of the conditioning, sampling, washing, elution and cleaning steps. All steps of the microextraction procedure were carefully optimized on the system. For optimization of important factors, such as the number of adsorption and elution cycles, elution volume and pH, a multivariate central composite design method was used. The highest recoveries were obtained for 24 and 10 times of adsorption and elution cycles, respectively, using 100 μL of acetonitrile as the eluent and a sample pH of 2. Good results were obtained in terms of the precision (RSD 1.6, 2.5 and 2.3%) and detection limit (0.7, 4.7 and 0.25 μM) for caffeic acid, tyrsol and oleuropein, respectively. The method was simple, efficient and appropriate for sample clean up before analysis by HPLC, and was successfully applied to the determination of biophenols in the plasma of several rats that received an olive leaves extract either by a gavage or an intraperitoneal injection method. A positive correlation was found between the amount of olive extract's feeding of the rats and the level of their plasma biophenols.

Cardiotoxicity is a life-threatening side effect of doxorubicin (DOX). Although the responsible mechanisms are largely unknown, it is demonstrated that DOX induces an elevation in the level of creatine kinase isoenzyme, lactic dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, and troponin T in serum and reduces body/heart weight. In addition, cardiotoxicity is further confirmed by changes in ECG parameters and papillary muscle contractile force. Tropisetron is an effective antiemetic drug for chemotherapy-induced emesis. There is ample evidence that tropisetron exerts immune modulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of tropisetron pretreatment against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. In this study, DOX toxicity was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection (15 mg/kg), and in treated group, tropisetron (3 mg/kg; i.p) was administered 1 h prior to DOX injection. Our results indicated that tropisetron potently decreased body/heart weight loss and mortality rate and also improved ECG changes as well as heart contractility. In addition, tropisetron robustly counteracted the increase in the levels of serum biomarkers and alleviated the histopathological changes in rats' hearts as compared with the DOX group. Taken together, these results demonstrate that tropisetron has potent cardioprotective effects against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Stress amelioration can improve its metabolic as well as other side effects. In the present study, the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Papver rhoeas (L.) on formalin-induced pain and inflammation were investigated in male Swiss-Webster mice (20-25 g). Formalin injects in the plantar portion of mice hind paw and pain was studied for 60 min. The plant extract and other drugs were administered intraperitoneally 30 min before formalin. Experiments showed that administration of extract (25, 50 and 100 mg kg(-1)) could induced analgesia in a dose-response manner in both phases of formalin test. More over, the extract inhibits inflammation induced by formalin injection. Naloxone (4 mg kg(-1)), dextromethorphan (20 mg kg(-1)) and NG-nitro-L-arginine-methylester (L-NAME; 10 mg kg(-1)) reduced the extract analgesia in first but not late phase. Extract administration also increased plasma corticosterone level in dose-dependent manner. It could be concluded that Papaver rhoeas (L.) extract could inhibits acute phase of formalin test in mice by opioidergic, glutamatergic and nitricergic mechanisms. In addition, the extract can induce corticosterone plasma level which may be responsible for inhibition of inflammation and chronic phase of pain induced by formalin.

Unlabelled: Besides the receptor-mediated effects of pioglitazone, the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) has been previously demonstrated in some pioglitazone-induced central and peripheral effects. In the present study, the effects of acutely administered pioglitazone on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures and involvement of NO were evaluated in mice. To determine the threshold for clonic seizures, PTZ was administered intravenously. A single dose of pioglitazone (10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered either 2 or 4h prior to induction of seizures. For determination of possible role of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and nitric oxide pathway in this effect, the effects of a PPAR-γ antagonist, GW9662 (2 mg/kg); a non-specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 0.3, 1, 3, and 10 mg/kg); a specific iNOS inhibitor, aminoguanidine (100mg/kg, i.p.) or a nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine (30, 60, 100 and 200mg/kg, i.p.); each administered 15 min prior to pioglitazone, were investigated on the anticonvulsant effect of this drug. Administration of pioglitazone (40 and 80 mg/kg) increased the threshold of PTZ-induced seizure in a dose-dependent, and time-dependent manner. GW9662 reversed the anticonvulsant effect of pioglitazone (40 mg/kg). Acute administration of L-NAME (1, 3 and 10mg/kg) inhibited the anticonvulsant effect of pioglitazone (40 mg/kg), the same result was detected with aminoguanidine (100mg/kg); whereas L-arginine, in the noneffective dose (100mg/kg), potentiated the seizure threshold when co-administered with a subeffective dose of pioglitazone (20mg/kg)., Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the anticonvulsant effect of acute pioglitazone on PTZ-induced seizures in mice. This effect was reversed by PPAR-γ antagonist, and both a specific- and a non-specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, and augmented by nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine. These results support that the anticonvulsant effect of pioglitazone is mediated through PPAR-γ receptor-mediated pathway and also, at least partly, through the nitric oxide pathway., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Previous studies have reported that oleuropein, the major constituent of olive leaves, has cardioprotective effects. There is no report related to oleuropein and ischemic-reperfusion injuries (cardiac dysfunction and myocardial infarction) as well as preconditioning in rat hearts. 56 male Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups (n=8). Group 1 as the control group and groups 2 to 7 as the treatment groups that received a single dose of oleuropein (100 mg/kg, i.p.) 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours before the excision of the heart, respectively. After these times, their hearts were excised and subjected to 30 min regional ischemia and 120 min reperfusion under Langendorff apparatus. Electrocardiogram and intraventricular pressures were monitored and recorded throughout the procedure. Finally, infarct size was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Compared to the control group, oleuropein significantly reduced infarct size and reperfusion-induced cardiac dysfunction in groups 2 and 3. Oleuropein markedly attenuated both ischemic and reperfusion arrhythmias in groups 2 and 3. There was no significant difference between other groups (4 to 7) than the control group. Heart rate had no significant difference among all of the groups. These results indicate that pretreatment of rats with a single dose of intraperitoneal oleuropein could protect their heart against ischemic-reperfusion injury for at least 3 hours. However, it has no preconditioning effect, since oleuropein had not cardioprotective effects 24 hour later.

Treatment of hydatid disease is mainly surgical, with medical treatment being reserved as a coadjuvant treatment. Use of effective scolicidal agents during surgery of cystic echinococcosis is essential to reduce the recurrence rate. The goal of this study was to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Satureja khuzestanica leaves and aqueous extracts of Olea europaea leaves on hydatid cyst protoscolices. Echinococcus granulosus protoscolices were collected from the liver of sheep infected with the hydatid cyst. Various concentrations of plant extracts were used in different exposure times for viability assay of protoscolices. Among the olive leaf extracts tested, 0.1% and 0.01% concentrations had strong scolicidal effects in 120 min. S. khuzestanica 0.1% had very strong scolicidal effects in 30, 60, and 120 min of exposure times and the mortality rate decreased with the lower concentration. The finding have shown that the scolicidal activity of S. khuzestanica against cystic echinococosis protoscolices were more effective, while the O. europaea extract showed less effects.

Diabetic nephropathy is the common cause of leading to end stage of renal disease (ESRD). Satureja khozestanica essential oil (SKEO) was used as an antioxidant and antidiabetic for the inhibition of diabetic nephropathy. Forty male rats were uninephrectomized and divided in four groups randomly; group one as control, group two diabetic untreatment, groups three and four treatment with SKEO by 250 or 500 ppm in drinking water, respectively. Diabetes was induced in the second, third and fourth groups by alloxan injection subcutaneously. After eight weeks treatment, serum malondialdehyde, serum creatinine and serum urea were measured. The kidney paraffin sections were stained by periodic acid Schiff method. Glomerular volume and glomerular number were estimated by stereological rules. Glomerular sclerosis was studied semi-quantitatively. The means were compared by SPSS 13 software and Mann-Whitney test at p<0.05. Satureja khozestanica essential oil (250 or 500 ppm) significantly inhibited the progression of glomerular hypertrophy, glomerular number loss, glomerulosclerosis, lipid peroxidation, serum urea and creatinine compared with the diabetic untreated group. The level of glomerular number, serum malondialdehyde, serum creatinine and urea in the treated groups was significantly maintained at the same level as that of the control group. In conclusion, satureja essential oil significantly can ameliorate glomerular hypertrophy, loss of glomerular number, glomerulosclerosis and attenuated serum urea and serum creatinine in diabetic rats., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of intralesional injection of verapamil in Peyronie's plaque with confirmed lesion., Methods: This randomized clinical trial was carried out between March 2005 and March 2006 on 16 patients with Peyronie's disease who were referred to the Urology Clinic of Shohadaye Ashayer Hospital in Khorram Abad, Iran. Performing a comprehensive physical exam, the genitalia of the patients were checked to confirm the diagnosis and reject other sexual disorders. Besides, parameters such as penis curving, lesion size were measured. Then, based on the 10-point visual analogue scale, sexual satisfaction of patients and their wives were recorded in a questionnaire. Patients got intralesional verapamil every 14 days and were treated for 6 months. After that, the parameters were assessed and data collected was analyzed using paired t-test. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: On average, lesion size and penis curving decreased 30%. Almost 20% of patients and their wives were satisfied with the outcome of the treatment. No significant side effect was seen during the treatment., Conclusion: Injection of calcium channel blockers are effective for treatment of the Peyronie's disease; however, more studies with more patients are needed

Tolerance to most of the cannabinoid effects has been reported, either in humans or in other species. Pharmacodynamic properties of these agents are perceived to be responsible for this phenomenon. The effect of lithium was examined on tolerance to WIN 55,212-2, a synthetic cannabinoid, in guinea pig ileum, a functional model to examine the mode of action of cannabinoids. Ileum strips were mounted in bath containing 37 degrees C Tyrode, under 0.5 g resting tension. The pulses were delivered, via platinum electrode, to the tissue and subsequent twitches were recorded using PowerLab system. WIN 55,212-2 could inhibit electrically stimulated twitches of guinea pig ileum in a dose dependent manner (pD(2)=8.56+/-0.41). Tolerance to this effect could be induced by incubating isolated ileum for 4h with WIN 55,212-2 (3 x IC(50)) (pD(2)=6.36+/-0.26, degree of tolerance: 159.32) (P<0.01). Lithium (1mM) could interfere with the development of this cannabinoid-induced tolerance and restores the sensitivity of ileum to inhibitory action of WIN 55,212-2 either when strips were exposed to lithium chloride during 4h incubation period (pD(2)=7.26+/-0.39) (P>0.05 versus non-tolerant group) (degree of tolerance: 20.28), or when lithium was added immediately before examining the inhibitory action of WIN 55,212-2 (pD(2)=8.09+/-0.33) (P<0.05 versus corresponding tolerant group) (degree of tolerance: 2.96). Upon these results, it appears reasonable to consider an interventional role for lithium which may be able to break the chain of development and/or expression of tolerance to WIN 55,212-2 in this experimental model., (Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: We conducted this study to determine the effects of saffron (Crocus sativus) on the results of semen analysis in men with idiopathic infertility., Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 52 nonsmoker infertile men whose problem could not be solved surgically were enrolled. They were treated by saffron for 3 months. Saffron, 50 mg, was solved in drinking milk and administered 3 times a week during the study course. Semen analysis was done before and after the treatment and the results were compared., Results: The mean percentage of sperm with normal morphology was 26.50 +/- 6.44% before the treatment which increased to 33.90 +/- 10.45%, thereafter (P < .001). The mean percentage of sperm with Class A motility was 5.32 +/- 4.57% before and 11.77 +/- 6.07% after the treatment (P < .001). Class B and C motilities were initially 10.09 +/- 4.20% and 19.79 +/- 9.11% which increased to 17.92 +/- 6.50% (P < .001) and 25.35 +/- 10.22% (P < .001), respectively. No significant increase was detected in sperm count; the mean sperm count was 43.45 +/- 31.29 x 106/mL at baseline and 44.92 +/- 28.36x 106/mL after the treatment period (P = .30)., Conclusion: Saffron, as an antioxidant, is positively effective on sperm morphology and motility in infertile men, while it does not increase sperm count. We believe further studies on larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the potential role and mechanism of action of saffron and its ingredient in the treatment of male infertility.

Objectives. Atypical anti-psychotic drugs are new medications proposed for treating psychotic disorders. This study was designed to investigate the metabolic (blood sugar and lipid) and adverse effects of olanzapine and risperidone in psychotic patients. Methods. In this randomized double-blinded clinical trial, psychotic patients were randomly categorized to be treated with olanzapine or risperidone. All the subjects were initially assessed for blood sugar and lipids, and, where normal, were included. Blood sugar and lipids measurements were performed for all subjects at 1 week and after 3 months the initiation of therapy, and they were assessed for other complications as well. The data were subsequently analyzed using SPSS software. Results. The levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride rose significantly after 1 week and 3 months of therapy (P<0.001); the difference in rise of cholesterol and triglyceride in the olanzapine and the risperidone groups was significant (P<0.001), whereas the difference in blood sugar rise was not significant (P>0.05). Other complications including restlessness, impotence, weight gain, edema and drowsiness were significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion. According to the study findings, we recommend more caution in the application of atypical antipsychotic drugs in high risk patients.