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Background and purpose: Cisplatin is one of the widely used chemotherapeutics, that directly affects the ovaries and uterus leading to infertility. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inositol and vitamin C on cisplatin-induced damage to ovarian follicles and uterine histopathology. Materials and methods: Fifty-six adult Wistar female rats were divided into eight equal groups (N=7) including negative control (oral normal saline/intraperitoneal normal saline), positive control (normal saline/cisplatin), T1 (vitamin C/cisplatin), T2 (inositol/cisplatin), T3 (vitamin C and inositol/cisplatin), T4 (vitamin C/normal saline), T5 (inositol/normal saline), and T6 (vitamin C and inositol/normal saline). The vitamin C and inositol were administered orally for 21 days. Cisplatin was injected intraperitoneally on the 15th day (7 mg/kg). On the day 22, the animals were euthanized, the uterus and ovaries removed, then the number of ovarian follicles and the uterine histopathology were examined. Results: After cisplatin treatment, the number of healthy ovarian follicles (primordial and antral) significantly decreased (P

Background and purpose: Cisplatin is one of the widely used chemotherapeutics, that directly affects the ovaries and uterus leading to infertility. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inositol and vitamin C on cisplatin-induced damage to ovarian follicles and uterine histopathology. Materials and methods: Fifty-six adult Wistar female rats were divided into eight equal groups (N=7) including negative control (oral normal saline/intraperitoneal normal saline), positive control (normal saline/cisplatin), T1 (vitamin C/cisplatin), T2 (inositol/cisplatin), T3 (vitamin C and inositol/cisplatin), T4 (vitamin C/normal saline), T5 (inositol/normal saline), and T6 (vitamin C and inositol/normal saline). The vitamin C and inositol were administered orally for 21 days. Cisplatin was injected intraperitoneally on the 15th day (7 mg/kg). On the day 22, the animals were euthanized, the uterus and ovaries removed, then the number of ovarian follicles and the uterine histopathology were examined. Results: After cisplatin treatment, the number of healthy ovarian follicles (primordial and antral) significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared to the negative control group. However, all of the atretic follicles increased compared to the negative control (P<0.05). Treatment with vitamin C and inositol increased the number of healthy follicles, effectively reduced the number of atretic follicles, and improved the damage induced by cisplatin in the uterine tissue. Conclusion: Treatment with vitamin C and inositol has a protective effect on the ovaries and uterus against the toxicity caused by cisplatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease that results in high mortality. Evidence suggests that micronutrients affect viral and bacterial infections. This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of micronutrients (vitamin D, vitamin C, and selenium) on the disease severity in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Materials and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out in patients with diagnosis of COVID-19 in Qaemshahr Razi Hospital, 2020. Medical records were reviewed and 42 were selected. Data of patients that received micronutrients including vitamin D, vitamin C, and selenium and those that did not receive these supplements were compared. Duration of hospitalization, respiratory support, oxygen therapy, requiring invasive/non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and incident of death were investigated. Statistical analysis was done in SPSS V25. Results: Survival rates in the groups receiving vitamin C, D, and selenium were not significantly different from the groups that did not receive these supplements (P= 0.42, 0.63, 0.084, respectively). The study showed no significant relationship between vitamin D, C, and selenium intake and the need for ventilation due to respiratory distress (P= 0.139, 0.2, and 0.8, respectively). Conclusion: No remarkable difference was seen between the recipients of vitamin C, D, and selenium and those who did not receive supplements in terms of survival and the need for mechanical ventilation. So, these supplements did not affect the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19.

Background and purpose: COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease that results in high mortality. Evidence suggests that micronutrients affect viral and bacterial infections. This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of micronutrients (vitamin D, vitamin C, and selenium) on the disease severity in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Materials and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out in patients with diagnosis of COVID-19 in Qaemshahr Razi Hospital, 2020. Medical records were reviewed and 42 were selected. Data of patients that received micronutrients including vitamin D, vitamin C, and selenium and those that did not receive these supplements were compared. Duration of hospitalization, respiratory support, oxygen therapy, requiring invasive/non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and incident of death were investigated. Statistical analysis was done in SPSS V25. Results: Survival rates in the groups receiving vitamin C, D, and selenium were not significantly different from the groups that did not receive these supplements (P= 0.42, 0.63, 0.084, respectively). The study showed no significant relationship between vitamin D, C, and selenium intake and the need for ventilation due to respiratory distress (P= 0.139, 0.2, and 0.8, respectively). Conclusion: No remarkable difference was seen between the recipients of vitamin C, D, and selenium and those who did not receive supplements in terms of survival and the need for mechanical ventilation. So, these supplements did not affect the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most disabling diseases with various physical and psychological consequences. One of the treatments of SCI is using agents that have neuroprotective effects such as Vitamin C and ubiquinone. This research aimed at investigating the effect of co-administration of these agents on rat experimental model of SCI. Materials and methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n=40) were divided into sham, lesion, AA, CO10, and AA+COQ10 groups. In sham group only laminectomy was performed and in other groups contusion model of SCI was done. After 24 hr, the animals in AA, COQ10, and AA+COQ10 groups received intraperitoneal injection of AA, COQ10 and AA+COQ10, respectively. Then, behavioral assessment and biochemical study were performed. Eight weeks after treatment, the brains were removed and 5µ sections were prepared. Finally, cresyl violet staining was done. Results: There was a significant difference in BBB score of AA, COQ10 groups compared to that of the AA+COQ10 group (P

Background and purpose: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most disabling diseases with various physical and psychological consequences. One of the treatments of SCI is using agents that have neuroprotective effects such as Vitamin C and ubiquinone. This research aimed at investigating the effect of co-administration of these agents on rat experimental model of SCI. Materials and methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n=40) were divided into sham, lesion, AA, CO10, and AA+COQ10 groups. In sham group only laminectomy was performed and in other groups contusion model of SCI was done. After 24 hr, the animals in AA, COQ10, and AA+COQ10 groups received intraperitoneal injection of AA, COQ10 and AA+COQ10, respectively. Then, behavioral assessment and biochemical study were performed. Eight weeks after treatment, the brains were removed and 5μ sections were prepared. Finally, cresyl violet staining was done. Results: There was a significant difference in BBB score of AA, COQ10 groups compared to that of the AA+COQ10 group (P<0.001). A Significant difference was also seen in MDA level in AA+COQ10 group compared to that in lesion group (P=0.017). Compared with the lesion group, the serum GR level in AA+COQ10 group significantly increased (P=0.018). The average number of normal motor neurons in anterior spinal horn significantly increased in treatment groups compared to that in lesion group (P<0.001) Conclusion: Co-administration of AA and COQ10 in contusion model of SCI led to functional recovery, reduction of MDA, increase of GR level in serum and increase of motor neurons survival in anterior spinal horn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose:Epidemiological evidence has suggested that consumption of fruits reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. These benefits are often attributed to their high antioxidant components such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Citrus species are extremely rich sources for this vitamin, therefore we decided to determine the amount of vitamin C in some citrus fruits.Materials and methods : 13 species of commonly used citrus fruits were collected at the ripening stage. All the trees were cultivated in the experimental fields, Fajr citrus experimental institute. The vitamin C contents in fresh juice were determined by a two step oxidation-reduction titration. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by tukey, multiple range test.Results : Mean ascorbic acid contents of commonly used citrus were 85.4±18.3 mg/100 of juice (ranging from 57.9 to 131.6). The highest amount of vitamin C were found in Shahsavari orange 131.6 ± 4.2 and Sanguinello 100.7 ± 2.2 and the lowest amounts were in Tangelo 57.9 ± 2.3 and Unshiu 70.2 ± 2.2 mg/100 of juice. There was no correlation between Ascorbic acid contents and amount of citric acid in juice.Conclusion : Significant differences were found in vitamin C contents of citrus fruits. In order to increase the intake of vitamin C in daily diet, consuming fruits with higher contents of vitamin C is recommended.

Background and purpose: Rhamnus cornifolia is one of the species belonging to the rhamnaceae family that is abundantly found in different parts of Iran. Rhamnus frangula is one of the most important species of this family which contains anthraquinones that act as stimulant laxative. In this study we investigated Rhamnus cornifolia Boiss which to the best of our knowledge, no phytochemical study has been done on this plant yet. Materials and methods: The plants were collected from Sisakht, Iran and morphological and microscopical characters of the plant were examined. An Antrakinon compound was isolated from the bark of the plant by column and thin-layer chromatography and identified by infrared, ultraviolet and mass spectrometry. Quantitative determination of total ash, water-soluble ash, acid-insoluble ash and sulphated ash were performed in the bark of Rhamnus cornifolia. Vitamin C concentrations in leaves were determined by titrimetric method. Results: The structure of the isolated anthraquinone compound was identified to be 1-Hydroxy-3-methyl-6-vinyl-8-glycoside anthraquinone. Total ash, water-soluble ash, acid-insoluble ash and sulphated ash in the bark of Rhamnus cornifolia was 1.67%, 0.4%, 1.56% and 4.35%, respectively. Conclusion: Rhamnus cornifolia is believed to be a species that contains valuable active ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]