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Introduction Constipation can be one of the biggest health problems for the older people that has negative effects on their quality of life. Some studies have reported that new non-pharmacological interventions such auricular acupressure have promising results in the management of constipation. This study was performed to investigate the effect of auricular acupressure on constipation and health-related quality of life in the older people living in the residential care home. Methods Sample of this randomized clinical trial consisted of 53 older people with chronic constipation living in a residential care home in the southeast of Iran (Kerman city). The participants were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 27) and control (n = 26) groups. Auricular acupressure was applied to seven auricular acupoints (large intestine, rectum, San Jiao, spleen, lung, sympathetic, and subcortex) using Vaccaria seeds for the intervention group and for the control group, seedless auricular plasters were used at the seven auricular acupoints for 10 days. Data were collected before the intervention, end of the intervention, and 10-day follow-up using demographic and clinical, Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptom, and Patient Assessment of Constipation-Quality of Life questionnaires. The SPSS-22 software was used for data analysis. Results The difference between groups and times was significant in constipation and related quality of life and scores. The mean score of constipation at the end of intervention was 0.41 less in the intervention group than the control group (P P = 0.004), which indicates a decrease in the severity of constipation symptoms. In the intervention group, mean score of quality of life related to constipation at the end of intervention and the 10-day follow-up was 0.56 and 0.19 less than the control group (Decrease in the mean score of quality of life related to constipation indicates an improvement in the quality of life) (P Conclusion The results showed the positive effect of auricular acupressure on reducing the severity of constipation symptoms and improving the quality of life in old patients living in the residential care home. This non-pharmaceutical practice can be used by nurses as an inexpensive, safe, acceptable, and non-invasive nursing care for older people with constipation in homes, medical centers, or nursing homes.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common causes of disability in diabetic patients. Applying a method to achieve the highest therapeutic effect in patients is desirable. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of leech therapy on diabetic neuropathy of lower limbs in comparison to gabapentin as a standard method. This randomized controlled parallel-group clinical trial was conducted among 40 patients with type II diabetes who were diagnosed with lower limb diabetic neuropathy and referred to specialized outpatient clinics in Babol, Mazandaran province, Iran from 23 September 2020 to 17 March 2021. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group was treated with leech therapy and the other group was treated with gabapentin as the standard method. The severity of neuropathy was assessed every 15 days until the 45th day. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS), Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS), and Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV), and Electromyography (EMG) were used for assessing the study outcomes. The repeated measure and Friedman tests were used by SPSS.V.23. The results of our study indicated that pain (P value:0.03), numbness (P value˂0.0001), and paranesthesia (P value:0.01) significantly reduced in patients undergoing leech therapy versus patients taking gabapentin on the 45th day. The total NSS (P value˂0.0001) and total NDS (P value˂0.0001) improved significantly for patients with leech therapy over 45 days compared to the patients with gabapentin. The results of our study showed that using leech therapy for patients with diabetic neuropathy was more effective in improving clinical symptoms and the functions of lower limb muscles and nerves in comparison to gabapentin. The severity and symptoms of neuropathy greatly improved for the patients treated with leech therapy versus patients taking gabapentin.

Introduction: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder. Considering its unknown etiology, the aim of IBS treatment is to control symptoms, and most patients are dissatisfied with current treatments. The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized, in its latest announcement in this regard, on the safe and effective use of traditional and complementary medicine in the health structures of countries The aim of the present study was to investigate the lifestyle of IBS patients from the perspective of Persian Medicine. Methods: This is a library study. At first symptoms of IBS were first studied in databases and reference books of classical medicine and their Persian equivalents were extracted from PM sources. Then, we explained the total etiologies that were discussed for the occurrence of the causes, with respect to the principles of health care in PM. finally collected information was categorized and analyzed. Results: Iranian physicians have presented their views on health preservation and disease prevention in the form of the six core principles. The influence of diet and lifestyle, sleep disturbances, eating habits, and physical activity have been found to be effective in causing this disease. Discussion: Many of the guidelines given by PM for preservation and restoration of health are incorporated into lifestylerelated topics. Some of these recommendations and guidelines such as sleep, exercise, regular meals, and treatment of mental disorders have been supported with a number of new studies. Conclusion: Introducing PM strategies to control the symptoms or treatment of IBS may provide researchers with new clues.

Background Conscious patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) suffer from pain for various reasons, which can affect their recovery process. Objective The present study compared the effects of aromatherapy with Citrus aurantium and lavender essential oils against placebo for reducing pain in conscious intensive care patients. Design, setting, participants and interventions This study was a parallel randomized placebo-controlled trial. The ICUs of two educational hospitals in Kerman in Southeastern Iran were the study setting. One hundred and fifty conscious intensive care patients were randomly divided into three groups using a stratified block randomization method. Two groups received aromatherapy with essential oils: one with lavender and the other with C. aurantium; these patients received a 30-minute therapy session using their assigned essential oil on the second day of their intensive care stay. The placebo group used 5 drops of normal saline instead of essential oil during their session. Main outcome measures Patient’s pain was assessed using a visual analog scale before the aromatherapy intervention, as well as immediately after and one and three hours after intervention. Results The mean pain score of the lavender group was 40.01 before the aromatherapy intervention and fell to 39.40, 30.60 and 23.68 immediately after the intervention, and at hour one and three post-intervention, respectively. The mean pain score of the C. aurantium group was 45.48 before the intervention and was reduced to 32.34 at three hours after the intervention. The mean pain of the placebo group decreased from 42.80 before the intervention to 35.20 at three hours after the intervention. Pain scores of all groups decreased during the study (P Conclusion The results of this study showed that aromatherapy with lavender essential oil reduced pain in conscious ICU patients. Our data could not justify the use of C. aurantium for reducing pain in this population. Trial registration No. IRCT20170116031972N9 ( https://en.irct.ir/trial/40827 ).

Objective: The prevalence of primary hypothyroidism is increasing in adults (PHTA), and the reduction in the threshold for treatment and also the requirement to increase drug usage are major problems in approaching this disorder. Persian Medicine (PM) looks from a different view on etiology of diseases. Therefore, we tried to present the etiologies of PHTA according to an important book of PM i.e. “Zakhire Kharazmshahi”. Method: At first, the common symptoms and signs of PHTA were identified by investigating the Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane databases and their Persian equivalents were extracted from PM sources. These synonyms were searched as keywords in the book and the primary causes that were mentioned in association with the signs and symptoms were extracted. Then, we explained the total etiologies that were discussed for the occurrence of the causes, with respect to the principles of health care in PM. Results: "Cold distemperament", an increase in "Phlegmatic Humor ", an increase in "Melancholic Humor" and "Emtela" (repletion) were recognized as four main causes of PHTA. According to the book, the most important etiologies of these conditions are insufficient exercise, overeating, food intake before total stomach emptying and excessive amounts of cold temperament substances (foods, herbs, seeds, spices, etc.) in daily diet. Conclusion: From the viewpoint of PM, lifestyle spatially eating habits and physical activity play important causative roles in occurring and prognosis of PHTA. Hence, it is recommended to assess these results by more observations and clinical studies.

Acne vulgaris is a widespread skin disorder. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of wet cupping in the treatment of moderate to severe facial acne vulgaris.Between August 2018 and January 2020, eligible patients with moderate to severe facial acne were recruited in this single-blind, intervention-sham-controlled clinical trial in Iran. The intervention group received wet cupping twice and likewise the control group received sham cupping. Also, both groups received 500 mg azithromycin 3 times/week for 12 weeks. Acne grades were assessed 6 weeks and 12 weeks after beginning of the treatment by the dermatologist uninformed of group allocation and participant self-assessment. Quality of life was assessed with valid questionnaire before and after the treatment.Totally, 103 patients completed the trial. The patients in the intervention group had better improvement and grade of acne compared to the control group at the end of the trial. Patients showed a shorter time to removing facial lesions in the intervention group in contrast with the control group (p0.001). Quality of life significantly increased in the intervention group compared with the control group (p = 0.004).Wet cupping plus antibiotic therapy seems to be more effective than antibiotic therapy per se in patients with facial acne vulgaris.Einleitung: Akne vulgaris ist eine weit verbreitete Haut­erkrankung. Mit der vorliegenden Studie sollte die Wirksamkeit des feuchten Schröpfens bei der Behandlung von mittelschwerer bis schwerer Akne vulgaris im Gesicht untersucht werden. Methoden: Zwischen August 2018 und Januar 2020 wurden Patienten mit mittelschwerer bis schwerer Akne im Gesicht, die für die Teilnahme an dieser einfach blinden, Sham-kontrollierten klinischen Interventionsstudie infrage kamen, im Iran rekrutiert. Die Interventionsgruppe erhielt eine zweimalige blutige Schröpfbehandlung und bei der Kontrollgruppe erfolgte eine Schein-Schröpfbehandlung. Darüber hinaus erhielten beide Gruppen dreimal wöchentlich 500 mg Azithromycin für 12 Wochen. Ein Dermatologe, dem die Gruppenzuordnung nicht bekannt war, nahm 6 und 12 Wochen nach Therapiebeginn eine Beurteilung des Akne-Schweregrads vor und es erfolgte eine Selbsteinschätzung durch die Patienten. Die Lebensqualität wurde anhand eines validen Fragebogens vor und nach der Behandlung bewertet. Ergebnis: Insgesamt schlossen 103 Patienten die Studie ab. Die Patienten der Interventionsgruppe zeigten bei Studienende eine stärkere Verbesserung und einen niedrigeren Schweregrad der Akne als die Patienten der Kontrollgruppe. Bei den Patienten der Interventionsgruppe war die Zeit bis zur Abheilung der Gesichtsläsionen kürzer als in der Kontrollgruppe (p0,001). Die Lebensqualität stieg in der Interventionsgruppe im Vergleich zur Kon­trollgruppe signifikant an (p = 0,004). Schlussfolgerung: Blutiges Schröpfen plus Antibiotikatherapie scheint bei Patienten mit Akne vulgaris im Gesicht wirksamer zu sein als eine alleinige Antibiotikatherapie.

Background The concurrent usage of herbal medicines with conventional therapies is an important concern in cancer treatment which can lead to unexpected consequences like herb-drug interactions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of potential herb-drug interactions and to predict factors associated with herb-drug interactions for cancer patients. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of 315 cancer patients referring to the oncology clinics of Kerman city in 2018. Data were collected via comprehensive face-to-face interviews and medical chart reviews. A drug interaction checker was used to determine herb-drug interactions. The information of patients was compared based on herb-drug interactions using bivariable logistic regression models, and predictors were determined by the multivariable logistic regression model. All analyses were performed by Stata software version 16. Results Of 262 patients (83.2% of the patients) who used herbal medicines, 209 patients [79.8% (95% Confidence Intervals (CI): 75.2 – 85.1)] had potential herb-drug interactions. Chamomile was the most popular herbal medicine (n = 163, 78.0%), and minor and moderate herb-drug interactions were caused by green tea (n = 34, 16.3%) and peppermint (n = 78, 37.5%). The number of chemotherapeutic agents (OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.43–2.58; P-value P-value = 0.04) were some of the predictors of herb-drug interactions among cancer patients. Conclusion Herbal medicine use during chemotherapy was found prevalent among cancer patients; of them, the experience of potential herb-drug interactions was highly frequent. Oncologists and clinical pharmacologists are recommended to take into account challenges associated with herb-drug interactions in their routine practices, particularly during chemotherapy among these patients.

Background: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is one of the most prevalent liver diseases regarded as the primary cause of chronic liver disease, which may lead to hepatic failure. Despite the recent developments in the treatment of NAFLD, the necessity to find more efficient treatments has led to investigation on medicinal plants. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) is one of the oldest medical schools in the world. For treatment of NAFLD, different medicinal plants have been employed in TPM. Objective: Considering the public welcome for herbal medicines, the current evidence-based review study is conducted to investigate herbal remedies for NAFLD in TPM. Methods: Medicinal plants for treating NFALD were extracted according to three famous textbooks of Persian medicine. Then anti-obesity, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects of these medicinal plants were investigated according to modern medicine. For this purpose, databases including Scopus, web of sciences, Pubmed, Google scholar and science direct were searched. Results: Investigations of Persian medicine textbooks resulted in deriving 53 herbs, which are useful for treating NAFLD. Searching through aforesaid databases showed that most of these plants can help to treat this disease in at least 2 ways. 25 herbs are effective in all 5 mentioned effects. Conclusion: It should be considered that in Persian medicine, first-line treatment is correction of life style, then if necessary, herbs are prescribed. However, this study showed that many herbs mentioned in Persian medicine for treatment of NAFLD might have a potential to aid patient with this disease.

Introduction: This study investigated the effect of aromatherapy massage with lavender, chamomile, and rosemary oils on the depression and anxiety of elderly adults living in nursing homes. Methods: This randomized controlled trail was conducted on elderly adults living in nursing homes in Kerman, Iran. Through convenience sampling, 38 elderly adults were recruited and assessed using demographic questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. Then, elderly adults were randomly allocated to either a control (19) or an intervention (19) group through block randomization. Elderly adults in the intervention group received aromatherapy massage using lavender, chamomile, and rosemary. Each massage session lasted 20 min and was performed three times per week for two three-week periods with an intervening one-week break, while their counterparts in the control group solely received routine nursing homes care services. HADS Scale completed with repeated measurements before the intervention, at the end of the third week, at the beginning of the fifth week and at the end of the seventh week. Results: According to the results, mean anxiety in the intervention group went from 11.9 ± 4 to 6.26 ± 3.38 (p

Introduction. Blepharitis is a common and chronic form of eyelid inflammation. Blepharitis treatment aims to decrease symptoms through antibacterial effects. One of the most common treatments of eyelid diseases in traditional medicine is using kohl. This clinical trial aimed to investigate its efficacy as a complementary treatment in staphylococcal blepharitis through an open-label clinical trial. Materials and Methods. Thirty patients were randomized to receive kohl in one eye contralateral and erythromycin ointment in another eye for 90 days. At baseline and after 90 days of treatment, symptoms, clinical signs, and side effects of treatments were recorded. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS software, version 19. Results. Despite randomization, there was a significant difference between the intervention and control eyes in the baseline mean clinical score (intervention eye: 9.86 (2.95) and control eye: 4.30 (2.81), P < 0.001 ). The degree of reduction of related signs and symptoms in the eyes treated with kohl was significantly higher than that in the control group: (5.2 vs. 2.20, P < 0.001 ) for symptoms and (7.40 vs. 2.46, P < 0.001 ) for clinical signs. Cohen’s d statistic for mean difference of sign and symptom was 2.4 and 1.75, respectively, indicating a very strong effect. Conclusion. The present study results demonstrated a significant improvement in blepharitis-related signs and symptoms. The degree of improvement in the eyes treated with kohl was much higher than that in the control eyes.

Background Acne vulgaris is one of the most prevalent skin diseases, which also contributes to many psychological problems. Despite the recent progress in the treatment of acne vulgaris, the necessity for discovering more effective solutions has motivated many lines of research on natural and medicinal plants. The Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) introduced some plants and remedies for acne treatment. Given the universal welcome for herbal medicine, this review was performed to formally assess the evidence for herbal medicines for acne vulgaris in TPM. Methods The medicinal plants used in this study for treating acne vulgaris were selected based on common references to the plants in five famous textbooks of TPM from different time periods. Then, the anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects of these medicinal plants were investigated according to the recent literature available in five electronic databases including Scopus, Web of Sciences, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Results Twenty-one herbs were commonly references in traditional TPM texts as helpful for topical treatment of acne vulgaris. The data collected from the electronic databases demonstrated most of these plants (eg, Astragalus sarcocolla, Ficus carica, and Hordeum vulgare) have both anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial mechanisms, which may assist to treat acne vulgaris. Conclusion This scoping review demonstrated many medicinal plants recommended by TPM books have therapeutic potential for acne vulgaris via multiple mechanisms.

Fatigue is one of the most common complications of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. Several pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions have been recommended to control this complication. Lavender is one of the plants considered by Persian Medicine (PM) and recommended by scholars of past centuries in the treatment of neurological diseases. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of lavender capsule on improving fatigue symptoms in MS patients.In a double-blind, controlled trial, using a computer block randomization approach, 48 confirmed MS patients with eligibility criteria of being 18 years or older, Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) ≥25, relapsing-remitting MS patients, EDSS ≤6, not pregnant, not breastfeeding, and not suffering from other diseases that cause fatigue, were randomized to receive capsules containing 600mg of lavender flowers as the intervention group or capsules containing 600mg cornstarch as the control group. Patients were randomized after completing the MFIS and were asked to take one capsule three times daily for 60 days. The MFIS again checked to assess the impact of two interventions. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to assess the impact of two interventions.24 patients included in each group. The mean (standard deviation) of MFIS was 40.56 (7.63) in the intervention and 41.43 (7.89) in the control groups (p=0.706) before the intervention. However, there was a significant reduction (p0.001˂) in the intervention group, 7.04 (4.91) compared to the control group, 38.17 (9.78) after the intervention.In comparison to cornstarch capsules, consuming the capsules of lavender flowers decreased the MFIS in MS patients.

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of abdominal massage with and without Salvia officinalis on nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Methods. In this randomized clinical trial, 60 patients undergoing chemotherapy were placed in one of two intervention groups or in a control group. Abdominal massage with and without Salvia officinalis was performed for 15 minutes twice a day for 3 consecutive days by the patient’s companion. The rate of nausea and vomiting was measured with a Visual Analog Scale. Results. Findings showed that immediately after the intervention, the mean score of nausea in abdominal massage with Salvia officinalis group was lower than that of the control group. The mean score of nausea was not different between abdominal massage and control groups. One week after the intervention, the mean score of nausea was not different among the three groups. In addition, the frequency of vomiting was not different among the three groups. Conclusion. Abdominal massage with/without Salvia officinalis as a complementary medicine has not considerable effect on reducing nausea and vomiting in patient with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. More studies are needed to achieve better and more accurate results.

In modern medicine, some traditional remedies are introduced to be effective in treatment. Accordingly, the henna plant (Lawsonia inermis L.) is studied more than before. Previous studies have shown many medical properties for henna, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties.Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common mucocutaneous disease with chronic immunomodulatory disruptions. Topical corticosteroids are the first line of OLP treatment. Previous studies have suggested different adjunctive therapies for preventing the side effects of corticosteroids overuse. This study aimed to compare the effects of henna and chlorhexidine mouthwashes as adjunctive therapy.This parallel-group, double-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted on forty OLP patients. Luteolin content was determined in Henna mouthwash composed of 2% aqueous extract of henna, 2% ethanol, 10% glycerol, and 0.1% methylparaben distilled water. Henna or chlorhexidine mouthwashes were prescribed twice daily as an adjuvant to the topical corticosteroid treatment. Visual analog scale (VAS) index and Thongprasom rating were used to measure pain intensity and clinical signs of patients at days 0,7, and 14. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 26.0; SPSS). Ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate the effect of independent variables on Thongprasom and VAS scores.In this clinical trial, 82.6% of the participants were women. There was no difference between the two study groups in terms of VAS scores (p = 0.404) and clinical features (p = 0.305) in the second follow-up visit. All drug regimens caused clinical signs and symptoms relief.There was no significant difference between the groups receiving topical corticosteroid supplementation, neither henna mouthwash nor chlorhexidine mouthwash. The therapeutic effects of henna mouthwash in the main or adjuvant treatment of OLP need more evaluation in future research. Henna mouthwash can be a good alternative to chlorhexidine mouthwash if no side effects are reported.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal dysfunction characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, as well as changes in bowel movements and stool shape. Given the global trend towards the increased use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the high prevalence of IBS, the lack of a standard treatment for all IBS subtypes, and patients' willingness to use CAM treatments, investigations into CAM treatments are needed. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of a mix of two herbal medicines (Zataria-Trachyspermum, ZT) on the clinical symptoms of patients with IBS.The present study was performed on 3 groups including the positive control, experimental, and placebo groups. The sample size was calculated as 150 participants. Fifty patients were assigned to one of three parallel groups (ZT capsule, placebo, and mebeverine capsule) by block randomization. All three groups were treated for 4 weeks. The patients were monitored in the follow-up stage for 2 additional weeks.After the fourth week of intervention, symptoms of pain, bloating, and reflux showed a significant decrease in the ZT group compared to the placebo and mebeverine groups (P0.05). Moreover, the participants in the ZT group reported a significant decrease in fatigue compared to the other two groups (P0.05).This study confirmed the positive effect of ZT on IBS symptoms, especially pain, bloating, constipation, and bowel movements.

BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system which is the most common non-traumatic disabling disease affecting young adults and with a multifactorial etiology. Besides, a combination of genetic and environmental factors is involved in its development. Scientometric studies are extensively used for evaluating the executive performance of higher education institutions. These evaluations are especially important to show the effects of scientific products of medical and paramedical sciences in developing countries. OBJECTIVE This study aims to add to previous analyses and describe the trends in MS research from three decades, 2004 to 2019 through assessing the medical literature. Additionally, a collaboration network was analyzed to determine the most common process in development of MS research. METHODS This research was a descriptive survey with a scientometric approach. The data for the present study were collected from the Web of Science (WoS) and search strategy based on Medical Subject.Heading (MeSH) term. In this research, the data analysis was performed based on collaboration network and theme analysis. RESULTS In this study, 223 original articles were collected from 1954 to 2019. Meanwhile, a total of 6024 citations were reported and 27 were represented average h-index. The present study showed that the research conducted in these three periods has led to a more accurate understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with MS. Therapies used to control the MS symptoms are attempts to control the immune system's reactions to control patients' symptoms and to prevent inflammation, demyelination, and eventually neurodegeneration. Oligodendrocytes are myelin-producing cells and play a key role in the pathophysiology of MS. CONCLUSIONS Therefore, therapies that can increase the survival of these cells and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells can prevent oligodendrocyte apoptosis, and logically will be used as new therapeutic goals in the future. This trend of MS will be road map in research future.

Background Drug addiction is a major health problem for modern human communities. The earliest historical evidence of opium use can be found in the writings of Theophrastus in the 3rd century BC. Since then, opium use and abuse has spread to all corners of the world, specifically the Eastern countries. This study aimed to investigate the consequences of opium use and their treatments according to Persian medicine. Methods In this narrative review, primary sources of Persian medicine and modern medicine databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, the American Academy of Medical Sciences, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) were searched with relevant keywords. Findings In Persian medicine, the Persian equivalent of the word “Opium” is “Afioon”, which refers to the sap of “Khashkhaash” or Papaver somniferum, traditionally used as a recreational drug as well as a sedative. Opioid use can cause social and psychological anxiety, muscle and tissue degradation, irritability, stomach weakness, loss of skin softness, and change in facial features. Conclusion Opium addiction is generally harmful to the body’s faculties. The repeated use of opium, disregarding circumstances and dosage of use and without the simultaneous use of its modifiers, can harm the entire body and even lead to fatality.

Background: Migraine is the second most common type of headache after tension headaches. In Iranian traditional medicine several herbal drugs are used for the treatment of headache. Including, a product of Iranian traditional medicine, a combination of Viola odorata L. flowers, Rosa damascena L. flowers and Coriandrum sativum L. fruits. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a combination of Viola odorata flowers, Rosa damascene flowers and Coriandrum sativum fruits on severity, duration and frequency of migraine headaches. Methods: This randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 88 patients who had migraine and visited Besat Neurology Clinic No. 4 at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran, from September 2016 to march 2017. Patients were randomly divided into the intervention (n=44) or placebo group (n=44). The intervention group received a product of Iranian traditional medicine, a combination of Viola odorata L. flowers, Rosa damascena L. flowers and Coriandrum sativum L. fruits in 500 mg capsules three times a day and propranolol 20mg tablet twice a day, and the control group received placebo capsules (500mg) three times a day and propranolol 20mg tablet twice a day for four weeks. Patients were asked to report the frequency, duration and severity of their headaches in designed forms at home. Then at the end of the 2nd and 4th weeks of treatment, patients were followed for clinical efficacy. Results: In terms of duration, frequency and severity of headaches between the two groups of herbal medicine and placebo, the behavior of the two protocols was changed over time (p

Objectives:This study aimed at investigating the effect of Iranian traditional remedy prepared from Apium graveolens and Trachyspermum copticom (AT) on the severity and frequency of symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). Material and Methods:In total, 150 FD patients were included in this randomized double-blind trial, based on the ROME III diagnostic criteria, and they were divided into three intervention groups namely, AT, Placebo and omeprazole. Then, severity and frequency of symptoms during this eight-week trial were measured. Obtained information was analyzed using Chi-square test and repeated measures test. Result:In general, the severity and frequency of symptoms after the 4th week significantly decreased in the AT group as compared to the omeprazole and placebo groups, and continued to reduce by the end of the eighth week. General reduction of symptom severity and frequency in the omeprazole group was significantly different from the placebo group by the end of the 4th and 8th weeks. With respect to each individual symptom, AT markedly improved symptoms, such as burning, pain, early satiation, fullness, bloating, belching and nausea, as compared to placebo-treated group. Moreover, AT significantly improved symptoms, like vomiting, and nausea, except for pain, as compared to omeprazole-treated subjects. Conclusion:According to the results, AT, as Iranian traditional remedy, was more effective than omeprazole and placebo in reducing the symptoms in FD patients.

Background: Mummy is a mineral substance which according to Persian medicine texts, may be useful in treatment of chronic ulcers. Objective: The present study was performed with the aim of determining the effect of mummy on healing of pressure in male patients who had been hospitalized due to cerebrospinal injury in the Intensive Care Unit. Methods: This randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 75 patients who had pressure ulcer at Shahid Bahonar Hospital in Kerman, Iran, from September 2016 to March 2017. The control group received normal saline and routine wound dressing, while the intervention group received mummy water solution 20% in addition to normal saline and routine wound dressing on a daily basis. Data was recorded based on the PUSH method. In both groups, ulcers were evaluated on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 for the variables of ulcer surface area, the amount of exudate and type of tissue. Data analysis was done through SPSS 21 and using t-test, Repeated Measure Analysis, Cox Regression and Chi-square. Results: Both groups showed reduction in the average ulcer surface area (3.26 to 0.53 in the intervention group and 5.1 to 3.46 in the control group), the average exudate amount (1.26 to 0.26 in the intervention group and 1.83 to 1.06 in the control group) and the average tissue score (1.36 to 0.23 in the intervention group and 2.13 to 1.26 in the control group). Over the entire study period, the intervention group showed more acceptable signs of healing compared to the control group (p

Background Alcohol use has always been prevalent in human societies, but in many Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, national laws prohibit the consumption of this substance. Methods In this study, reference books on traditional Iranian medicine and electronic documents from Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus were searched for entries about the consequences and treatments of alcohol abuse. Findings Seminal books of traditional Iranian medicine refer to alcoholic beverages using two terms, namely, “khamr” and “sharâb” (wine). These sources indicate that the temperament of “sharâb” is generally warm but may vary depending on color, taste, concentration, and age. Traditional Iranian medicine views wine as a cause of multiple adverse effects on health. Conclusion Traditional Iranian medicine advocates the beliefs that no level of alcohol use is beneficial for health and that physicians should advise against alcohol consumption even in small amounts. Scholars of indigenous medical practices have long been opposed to the adoption of wine as a remedy or otherwise, as they believe that the benefits of alcohol are dwarfed by its harmful effects.

Headache is one of the most common public health problems in the world, which causes patients to see a doctor. Migraine is the second most common cause of headaches after tension headaches. This study is a randomized, double blinded, placebo - controlled clinical trial, using SF36 questionnaire, to evaluate the effect of combination of Viola odorata L., Rosa damascena Mill. and Coriandrum sativum L. on the quality of life, in patients with migraine after 4 weeks. In all domains of the SF36 questionnaire, the scores after intervention in the drug group were significantly higher than the control group after 4 weeks. This study showed that, combination of V. odorata, R. damascena and C. sativum, improves the quality of life of patients with migraine.

Background and Aim. Migraine is a common form of headache that affects patients quality of life negatively. In addition to pharmacologic treatment, there are a variety of nonpharmacologic treatments for migraine headache. In present study, we examined the effect of prayer on intensity of migraine pain. Methods. In a prospective, randomized, controlled trial from October 2013 to June 2014, this study has been conducted in Kerman, Iran. We randomly assigned 92 patients in 2 groups to receive either 40 mg of propranolol twice a day for 2 month (group “A”) or 40 mg of propranolol twice a day for 2 months with prayer (group “B”). At the beginning of study and 3 months after intervention, patients’ pain was measured using the visual analogue scale. Results. At the beginning of study and before intervention, the mean score of pain in patients in groups A and B were 5.7 ± 1.6 and 6.5 ± 1.9, respectively. According to results of independent t test, mean score of pain intensity at the beginning of study were similar between patients in 2 groups ( P > .05). Three month after intervention, mean score of pain intensity decreased in patients in both groups. At this time, the mean scores of pain intensity were 5.4 ± 1.1 and 4.2 ± 2.3 in patients in groups A and B, respectively. This difference between groups was statistically significant ( P < .001). Conclusions. The present study revealed that prayer can be used as a nonpharmacologic pain coping strategy in addition to pharmacologic intervention for this group of patients.

Proper and regular sweating plays a significant thermoregulatory role. It is a common perception that, sweating has other important homeostatic functions such as clearance of excessive micronutrients, waste products of metabolic processes, and toxins from the body, which helps to maintain human good health. In addition, sweating, thermotherapy, and sauna are commonly used to treat various diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory and joint diseases. In traditional Persian medicine (PM) textbooks, sweating is considered a preventive care and treatment strategy as well. In this study, we aim to explain the beneficial effects of sweating in human health and its role in the management of various diseases, as well as introducing the therapeutic applications of some diaphoretic plants from the viewpoint of PM. We reviewed the most famous PM textbooks such as Kamil al-Sinaa al-Tibbiya, Al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb, Zakhireye Kharazmshahi, Kholasat al-Hikmat, Exir-e-Azam, and Hifzos-sihhat-e Naseri. Also, current evidence was searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and other relevant databases related to the topic. The results of this study revealed that PM scientists believed proper sweating removes waste products and maintains the body’s health, thus, any disturbances in the excretion of these waste products can cause diseases. They recommended the induction of sweating through hot and dry baths, sun bath, sand bath and also the use of diaphoretic herbs for the management of various diseases. Therefore, further researches are recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of these diaphoretic plants. [GMJ.2020;9:e2003]

One of the most important problems of women in their reproductive age is menstrual disorders and vaginal bleedings. The prevalence rate of these bleedings among women referring to gynecology clinics has been reported to be 19.1%. Treatment of these disorders in modern medicine includes hormone therapy accompanied with medicinal supplements. Iranian medicine, as a humor-based medicine school, has a specific view about the classification of causing factors of these disorders. This library study was done to investigate the causes of abnormal vaginal bleedings from the perspective of Iranian medicine through reviewing the available texts and references of Iranian traditional medicine. In Iranian medicine books, efrat-e tams (hypermenorrhea) has been classified to two general types of normal and abnormal. In normal type, due to the great amount of blood, the nature decides to exit that from a natural exit such as uterine. The abnormal type is divided into two subtypes; the first, is related to the problems in the quantity or quality of the patient's blood and the second type is due to the problem in the uterine that causes blood loss. It seems that attention to the causes of diseases from the perspective of Iranian medicine opens a new perspective in the treatment of menstrual disorders for modern physicians. Studying these causes, beside whatever is known in modern medicine about control of menstrual disorders, can help us for a better treatment with fewer complications.

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a very common debility in gynecology clinics. Despite access to several antifungal agents, VVC is still a challenge; therefore, presenting a novel antifungal agent, especially with a traditional origin, is of interest and demand. Objectives: The current study aimed at comparing the efficacy of Anethum graveolens L. (dill) vaginal cream with that of 1% Clotrimazole vaginal cream to treat VVC. Methods: A prospective, single-center, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was performed. In the current study, married females aged 18 - 65 years, with probable vulvovaginal candidiasis were enrolled for primary evaluation. After VVC confirmation by the sniff test, the patients were allocated into three groups with regard to blocked randomization, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. The first group (n = 59) was treated with 1% Clotrimazole vaginal cream; the second (n = 60) with a combination of dill seed essential oil and dried aqueous extract vaginal cream (TEE); and the last (n = 56) with dill seed essential oil vaginal cream (EO) for seven nights. After 10 days, the therapeutic effects were assessed. Results: After the intervention, itching decreased to 30.5%, 3.3%, and 12.5% in the Clotrimazole, TEE, and EO groups, respectively; the sniff test also decreased to 33.9%, 13.3%, and 12.5%, respectively. Although a statistically significant difference, according to itching and sniff test, was observed among the three groups (P < 0.001, P = 0.005), there was no significant difference between TEE and EO (P = 0.06). Conclusions: The current study showed that the herbal preparation could be used as an alternative antifungal agent for vulvovaginal Candidiasis.

and Purpose: Using of herbal medicines is common for cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, reasons, and predicting factors for the use of herbal medicines by Iranian cancer patients.We conducted this cross-sectional study on 315 cancer patients through face-to-face interview in Kerman, Southeast of Iran, 2017.In total, 267 (84.1%) patients used at least one herbal medicine during chemotherapy courses, while only 42 (16.1%) patients discussed the use of herbal medicines with physicians. Living in urban regions (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.30-5.05; P0.0001) and the experience of constipation and diarrhea (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.09-4.05; P = 0.02) were determined as some predicting factors for the use of herbal medicines.Our findings indicate that as herbal medicines are common among cancer patients and their use is often overlooked, physicians should pay particular attention to herbal medicines during chemotherapy.

Epilepsy is a relatively common neurological disease classified as a chronic disease in modern medicine. Different treatments have been suggested for this disease, but they have failed in complete treatment of some types of epilepsy. Since Traditional Persian Medicine is one of the medical schools with special perspectives on epilepsy, we aimed to review the etiology and symptoms of epilepsy from the perspective of Dr. Ahmadieh, the contemporary physician, and some well-known traditional medicine practitioners [hakims] in order to obtain a new pattern in recognition and classification of epilepsy. Valid texts of traditional medicine in different historical periods including: The Canon of Medicine (Avicenna, 980-1037AD), Sharhe Asbab va Alamat (Nafis ibn Avaz Kermani), Zakhireye Kharazmshahi (Jorjani), Exire Aazam (Nazem Jahan), Moalejate Aghili (Aghili Alavai Khorasani Shirazi), Kholasat al-Hekma (Aghili Alavai Khorasani Shirazi), Tebe Akbari (Shah Arzani Dehlavi) and Mizan Al-Teb (Hakim Arzani) with focus on opinions of Dr. Ahmadieh (Abdollah Ahmadieh), were investigated. Relevant issues to epilepsy and its etiology and symptoms were reviewed and the common points and differences of various perspectives were gathered. According to traditional practitioners, epilepsy is a partial obstruction occurred in brain paths and ventricles preventing organs to perform their natural function. Familiarity with perspectives of traditional medicine from etiology and symptoms of epilepsy would help to suggest a new and practical classification of the disease. Thus, it seems that attention to these perspectives could provide a new approach for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.

Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is one of the most common problems around the world. Pistacia atlantica has beneficial effects in gastrointestinal disorders and is used for treating functional dyspepsia in Persian Medicine. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of “Pistacia atlantica” (Baneh) on functional dyspepsia. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out on 119 patients (18 to 60 years old) with functional dyspepsia based on Rome III criteria. Subjects were randomly divided to intervention (n = 61) and placebo (n = 58) groups. Participants received capsules twice daily (500 mg capsules containing 350 mg Pistacia atlantica resin plus 150 mg sugar in the intervention group, and 500 mg capsules containing 350 mg starch powder plus 150 mg sugar in the placebo group) for four weeks and they were followed up for one month. The intensity and frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as fullness, bloating, nausea, pain, and burning were assessed using the questionnaire on arrival, two and four weeks, and one month after the intervention. Results: Fifty-three patients in the Pistacia atlantica group and 48 patients in the placebo group completed the study. The severity and frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as early satiation nausea, pain, and burning were significantly decreased in the Pistacia atlantica group. For example, severity of early satiation was 1.67 ± 0.13 in pistacia and 2.54 ± 0.17 in placebo groups in eight weeks (P > 0.001) and frequency of this symptom was 2.39 ± 0.27 and 4.41 ± 0.34 in Pistacia and placebo groups, respectively, in eight weeks (P > 0.001), which was significantly decreased in the Pistacia group. No serious adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: This study revealed that Pistacia atlantica is significantly effective in functional dyspepsia symptoms.

Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the effect of Iranian traditional remedy prepared from Apium graveolens and Trachyspermum copticom (AT) on the severity and frequency of symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). Material and Methods: In total, 150 FD patients were included in this randomized double-blind trial, based on the ROME III diagnostic criteria, and they were divided into three intervention groups namely, AT, Placebo and omeprazole. Then, severity and frequency of symptoms during this eight-week trial were measured. Obtained information was analyzed using Chi-square test and repeated measures test. Result: In general, the severity and frequency of symptoms after the 4th week significantly decreased in the AT group as compared to the omeprazole and placebo groups, and continued to reduce by the end of the eighth week. General reduction of symptom severity and frequency in the omeprazole group was significantly different from the placebo group by the end of the 4th and 8th weeks. With respect to each individual symptom, AT markedly improved symptoms, such as burning, pain, early satiation, fullness, bloating, belching and nausea, as compared to placebo-treated group. Moreover, AT significantly improved symptoms, like vomiting, and nausea, except for pain, as compared to omeprazole-treated subjects. Conclusion: According to the results, AT, as Iranian traditional remedy, was more effective than omeprazole and placebo in reducing the symptoms in FD patients.

In traditional texts on herbal medicines, various medicinal plants have been noted to have beneficial effects on dementia and Alzheimer's disease. According to the traditional books Herbal medicine Davaie Loban (DL) has beneficial effects in Alzheimer's disease. The study aim was to determine the clinical efficacy of DL in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.Double blind randomized clinical trial.Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.This included patients older than 50 years with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease according to ADAS-cog (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale; ADAS≥12) and the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB; CDR≤2). Twenty-four patients completed the study in DL group and 20 in placebo group.ADAS-cog and CDR-SOB were filled out for patients to define the improvement in memory over the study period.At 4 weeks and 12 weeks there was significant difference in mean (SEM) ADAS-cog scores between DL and placebo groups and it was lower in DL group (p0.001). At baseline, no significant difference was seen regarding mean (SEM) scores of CDR-SOB between DL and placebo groups (p=0.096). However, at 4 and 12 weeks there was significant difference in mean (SE) CDR-SOB scores between DL and placebo groups and it was lower in DL group (p0.001).Our findings suggest that DL may be effective in improvement of memory in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Leiomyoma is the most common benign tumor of the pelvic that is associated with reproductive problems such as infertility, frequent abortions, and undesirable prenatal outcomes. High prevalence of leiomyoma and its relation with important gynecological complications, especially during reproductive ages, on the one hand, and high medical expenses and significant complications of common treatments, on the other, made us search traditional Persian medicine texts for a similar disease. In traditional Persian medicine, a condition has been introduced similar to leiomyoma ( Oram-e-rahem). In this article, by collecting materials from traditional medicine texts on leiomyoma, we aim to provide theories for further studies on this topic, as there is an obvious difference between traditional Persian medicine and modern medicine with regard to leiomyoma. When modern medicine has not found a suitable response to treatment, reviewing of traditional Persian medicine for finding better treatment strategies is wise.

The most common cognitive disorder that is disabling is dementia. During the medieval period, traditional Persian medicine was an outstanding source of medicine that was used as standard references in medical schools of in the West and Middle East. In ancient manuscripts of traditional Persian medicine, a condition has been introduced similar to dementi ( raoonat and homgh). In this article, by collecting materials of traditional medicine texts on dementia, we aim to provide theories for further studies on this topics, as there is an obvious difference between traditional Persian medicine and modern medicine with regard to dementia; however, since modern medicine has not found a suitable response to treatment for all diseases, reviewing traditional Persian medicine for finding better treatment strategies is wise. Use of all medical potentials approved by the World Health Organization beside classic medicine like traditional medicine and considering the availability and acceptability among people is recommended.

Background and Aim. Migraine is a common form of headache that affects patients quality of life negatively. In addition to pharmacologic treatment, there are a variety of nonpharmacologic treatments for migraine headache. In present study, we examined the effect of prayer on intensity of migraine pain. Methods. In a prospective, randomized, controlled trial from October 2013 to June 2014, this study has been conducted in Kerman, Iran. We randomly assigned 92 patients in 2 groups to receive either 40 mg of propranolol twice a day for 2 month (group “A”) or 40 mg of propranolol twice a day for 2 months with prayer (group “B”). At the beginning of study and 3 months after intervention, patients’ pain was measured using the visual analogue scale. Results. At the beginning of study and before intervention, the mean score of pain in patients in groups A and B were 5.7 ± 1.6 and 6.5 ± 1.9, respectively. According to results of independent t test, mean score of pain intensity at the beginning of study were similar between patients in 2 groups ( P > .05). Three month after intervention, mean score of pain intensity decreased in patients in both groups. At this time, the mean scores of pain intensity were 5.4 ± 1.1 and 4.2 ± 2.3 in patients in groups A and B, respectively. This difference between groups was statistically significant ( P < .001). Conclusions. The present study revealed that prayer can be used as a nonpharmacologic pain coping strategy in addition to pharmacologic intervention for this group of patients.

Alzheimer’s disease is considered as a major problem for society health since it affects interpersonal and social relationships. With regard to the global attention toward complementary medicine, search for preventive, diagnostic, and treatment strategies in complementary medicine schools such as the old dynamic doctrine of traditional Persian medicine seems to be necessary. In this type of medicine, description and analysis of the disease and preventive and treatment methods have great importance. The present study provides a useful classification of recommendations for prevention and control of Alzheimer’s disease. Prevention is prior to the treatment and is easier and less costly. Recommendations mentioned in traditional Persian medicine texts for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease provide fields of clinical and complementary studies for researches.

Context: Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. In regards to the world’s aging population, control and treatment of AD will be one of the major concerns of global public health in the next century. Alzheimer disease was not mentioned with the same phrase or its equivalent in traditional medical texts. The main of present paper was to investigate symptoms and causes of alzheimer disease from the view point of Iranian traditional medicine. Evidence Acquisition: In this qualitative study, we searched reliable sources of Iranian traditional medicine such as Canon of Medicide by Avicenna (Al-Quanon fi- tibb), Aghili cure by Aghili’s (Molajat-E-aghili), Tib-E-Akbari, Exire -E-Aazam and Sharh-E-Asbab and some reliable resources of neurology were probed base on keywords to find a disease that had the most overlap in terms of symptoms with alzheimer disease. By taking from the relevant materials, the extracted texts were compared and analyzed. Results: Findings showed that alzheimer disease has the most overlap with Nesyan (fisad-e-zekr, fisad-e-fekr and fisad-e-takhayol) symptoms in Iranian traditional medicine. Although this is not a perfect overlap and there are causes, including coldness and dryness of the brain or coldness and wetness that could also lead to alzheimer disease according to Iranian traditional medicine. Conclusions: According to Iranian traditional medicine, The brain dystemperement is considered the main causes of alzheimer disease. By correcting the brain dystemperement, alzheimer can be well managed. This study helps to suggest a better strategy for preventing and treating alzheimer in the future.

The rapid improvements in medical sciences and the ever-increasing related data, however, require novel methods of instruction. One such method, which has been given less than due attention in Iran, is problem-based learning (PBL). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of study skills and the PBL methods on short and long-term retention of information provided for medical students in the course of respiratory physiology and compare it with traditional learning method. In this study, 39 medical students from Medical School of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (2006–2010) were enrolled in the study and allocated randomly in three equal groups (13 in each group). All groups underwent a pre-test to be assessed for their basic information regarding respiratory physiology. Two groups were instructed using the traditional method, and one group used PBL. Among the two groups of the traditional method, one was instructed about study skills and the other was not. Once the PBL group took the study skill workshop, they were aided by tutors for their education. In the final term test, those students who had learned study skills and were instructed with the traditional method scored higher compared to other groups (p

Problem statement: Diabetes mellitus occurs mainly with chronic polyneuropathy, and oxidative stress plays an important role in emergence of most neurologic and behavioral changes in diabetic patients. Many studies have focused on the beneficial effects of various antioxidants such as melatonin on diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of melatonin in prevention of neuropathy in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. After prescribing Streptozotocin (STZ), treatment rats received melatonin (10 mg kg day-1) or DMSO for a period of 6 weeks. Approach: At the end of the sixth week, non diabetic control group, diabetic control group (sham) and treated rats were examined by thermal pain response tests (hot plate and tail flick). The horizontal and vertical activities of rats were measured in an open field test. After that, Motor Nerve Conduction Velocity (MNCV) of sciatic-tibial nerve recorded. Also, to study morphological alterations resulting from diabetic neuropathy of sciatic nerve, Myelinated Fiber Diameter (MFD), Axon Diameter (AD) and Myelin Sheath Diameter (MSD) were evaluated by light microscope. Results: According to hot plate results, response time to thermal pain at the end of sixth week in sham group showed a significant decrease in comparison with the control group (p

Introduction. The use of medicinal plants has dramatically increased in recent years. Given the increasing rate of hypertension and medical plants usage by these patients and considering drug interactions due to concomitant use with drugs, the present study aims to evaluate the rate of medicinal plants usage in hypertensive patients. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study (descriptive–analytical) in which 650 hypertensive patients referring to the subspecialty clinic of Kerman were questioned about medicinal plants usage by a medicinal plants questionnaire. Among these patients, there were 612 who consented to participate. After the variables were described, the data were finally analyzed using Stata 12. Results. The average age of those using these drugs in the past year was 58.8 ± 10 years. Of the total number of participants using medicinal plants, there were 58 males (23.5%) and 122 females (33.4%). There were 129 participants (72.5%) using medicinal plants through self-administration, 17 participants (9.5%) on experienced users’ advice, 16 participants (9%) as administered by herbalists, and 11 participants (6%) as administered by doctors. However, the most important resources for using a drug that prevents hypertension were family and friends (74 participants; 41.5%) and doctors (13 participants; 7.3%). According to the results, there was no significant difference between the level of education and medicinal plants usage ( P = .95); however, there was a significant difference between gender and medicinal plants usage ( P = .009). Discussion. According to the results indicating the relatively high prevalence of medicinal plants usage and their arbitrary use by hypertensive patients without consulting a specialist, it seems necessary to plan for more effective and secure public education and train people to provide herbal drug services for various diseases with hypertension being the most common one.

To investigate the effect of estrogen exerted through the autonomic system in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) on increasing the sensitivity of the baroreflex under conditions of acute hypertension in ovariectomized rats.In this experimental study, conducted in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran from March 2010 to October 2010, 36 female rats were ovariectomized and then estrogen capsules were implanted beneath their skin. After 2 weeks, the left femoral vein and artery were cannulated for phenylephrine infusion and recording of mean arterial pressure and heart rate. Subsequently, atropine, propranolol, and saline were injected into the NTS, followed by measurements of changes in heart rate and changes in mean arterial pressure just prior to phenylephrine infusion.Estrogen increased the bradycardia response and inhibited the rise of mean arterial pressure; namely, after phenylephrine infusion, the change in heart rate was significantly lower in the estrogen-receiving group compared with the control group (p0.05). Baroreflex sensitivity was significantly increased in the estrogen-receiving group compared with the control group (p0.01). Baroreflex sensitivity was significantly attenuated in both groups (estrogen-receiving and control) after atropine injection, compared with after propranolol or saline injection (p0.01).It is probable that under conditions of acute hypertension, estrogen affects the NTS through the parasympathetic system and enhances baroreflex sensitivity.