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Abstract Background: Cervicitis is a prevalent gynecologic disease, which does not usually respond to conventional treatments. Long-term cervicitis can cause serious health problems such as inflammation, infertility, and cancer. Henna oil, an herbal product in Persian medicine, is recommended for uterine diseases like cervicitis. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Henna oil as a vaginal suppository in combination with an antibiotic regimen in the treatment of cervicitis. Materials and Methods: This randomized placebo-controlled trial, included 92 non-menopausal women with cervicitis at the Baqaipur Clinic of Shahid Sadoughi hospital in Yazd and the Persian Medicine Health Center in Ardakan, Yazd, Iran. Participants were further divided into either the Henna oil vaginal suppository group or the placebo group (n = 46/each group). During the study, the antibiotic treatment was administered to both groups. Cervicitis symptoms were compared between the groups and within each group. Results: Of 92 included individuals, 41 in each group completed the study. Results revealed that significant differences were observed in some outcomes, including vaginal discharge (p < 0.001), cervical ulcer size (p < 0.001), dyspareunia (p = 0.046), and postcoital bleeding (p < 0.001), indicating that the treatment was more effective in the henna group compared to the placebo group. Conclusion: Findings supported that the vaginal suppository of Henna oil in combination with antibiotic therapy could be effective in the improvement of clinical symptoms of cervicitis regardless of its pathology.

Background and purpose: In Persian medicine, it is believed that the creation of life and its continuation depends on Innate Moisture, and natural human death occurs when this moisture ends. Despite the use of this term in medical texts, there is no acceptable understanding of this concept. The purpose of this research was to provide a systematic summary of data about Innate Moisture from the perspective of traditional physicians in different centuries, to explain that and enable more use of this concept in clinical setting. Materials and methods: The keywords in this study were as follows: Innate Moisture, Original Moisture, Moisture, al-Rotuba al-Ghrizia, al-Rotuba al-Asliyyah, Innate Humidity, and Natural Moisture in both Persian and English. We used Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis which consists of a series of overlapping steps whose main goal is to clarify the concept. Results: In medical books, Moisture is considered from two perspectives: Moisture as an accident (quality) and Moisture as a substance (moist substance). Innate Moisture is present as a moist substance in the human body. The nature of Innate Moisture is less discussed in sources, but physicians are in agreement about its role as a main basis for the continuation of human life. Conclusion: Innate Moisture can be divided into two types; original (originated from zygote) and non-original (originated from nutrition). Non-original Innate Moistures are considered as alternative for original Innate Moisture so that the original Innate Moisture is reduced less and remains as long as the natural life of the person continues.

Introduction: The effect of Centaurea behen (Cb) on patients with systolic heart failure is not known academically. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Cb on improving the quality of life (QoL) and echocardiographic and biochemical blood parameters in patients with systolic heart failure. Methods: This study was a parallel double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of 60 patients with systolic heart failure, was conducted from May 2018 up to August 2019. Intervention group received 150 mg twice daily Cb capsules for two months + Guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT), and control group received GDMT + placebo capsules for two months. The main aim of the present study were to assess the QoL based on the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and the Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire (MLHFQ). Independent T-test, paired T-test, and ANOVA were used for the analysis. Results: At the beginning of the present study there were no significant differences between study groups in terms of QoL and clinical results. After treatment, the average values of QoL based on MLHFQ and 6MWT instruments were significantly improved 15.5 and 36.18, respectively (P

Abstract Background and aim Previous studies have shown that Rheum ribes (R. ribes) could be effective in controlling the blood glucose levels. This study was conducted to determine the effects of R. ribes supplementation on glycemic indices and apolipoproteins in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods In the present randomized double-blind controlled trial, 60 type 2 diabetic patients aged 30–60 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 20–30 kg/m2 and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 6–8% were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 450 mg of aqueous R. ribes extract (AG), 450 mg of ethanolic R. ribes extract (EG), or placebo (PG) three times daily for 6 weeks. At the baseline and at the end of the study, blood glucose levels, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the homeostatic model assessment of β-cell dysfunction (HOMA-B), as well as apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA1) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) were measured. Results There was a significant decrease in the serum levels of insulin in AG and EG groups (P = 0.003 and P = 0.001, respectively), HOMA-IR (P = 0.01 and P = 0.001, respectively), HOMA-B (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively), ApoB (P = 0.006 and P = 0.03, respectively), ApoB/ApoA1 ratio (P = 0.016 and P = 0.04, respectively). However, a significant increase in ApoA1 (P = 0.08 and P = 0.05, respectively) with no significant changes in blood glucose, at the end of study compared to beginning values, were observed. None of the variables showed a significant change in PG. At the end of the study; while there were significant differences in insulin (P = 0.04), HOMA-IR (P = 0.03), HOMA-B (P = 0.01), ApoB (P = 0.02), and ApoB/ApoA1 ratio (P = 0.03) among the groups but ApoA1 had no significant change. Conclusion Consumption of R. ribes intake could have beneficial effects on insulin resistance and apolipoproteins in type 2 diabetic patients. (Registered at en.irct.ir, identification number: IRCT201410142709N31).

Background and objectives: Hot flashes are one of the most predominant complaints of menopause among women. The main treatment is hormone replacement therapy, which has side effects. Therefore, the use of plants with phytoestrogen has been suggested as an adjunctive treatment. This study aimed to estimate the efficacy of processed rhubarb (Rheum ribes L.) on hot flashes in postmenopausal women. Methods: This double-blind placebo-controlled trial was performed on postmenopausal women who were referred to public health centers at Iran University of Medical Sciences. Ninety postmenopausal women aged over 45 years with menopausal hot flashes were randomly assigned to two groups. The treatment group received 500 mg of encapsulated processed R. ribes twice a day for eight weeks, and the control group received placebo (starch powder) in the same manner. Data were collected using Blatt–Kupperman index at the start of the study, fourth and eighth weeks after the intervention. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 74 patients completed the study (39 participants in the intervention group and 35 in the control group). The results showed that R. ribes significantly decreased the mean of flashing in Blatt–Kupperman index four and eight weeks post-intervention (p

Introduction: Pimpinella anisum is a medicinal plant with antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-oxidative properties. Limited studies have assessed the antibacterial properties of Pimpinella anisum on oral and dental pathogens. Aim: This in vitro study aimed to assess the antibacterial effect of Pimpinella anisum essential oil on Enterococcus faecalis, Lactobacillus casei, Actinomyces naeslundii, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Materials and methods: After obtaining the essential oil of Pimpinella anisum, its antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the agar disc diffusion test. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of the essential oil were also determined; 0.2% chlorhexidine was used as the positive control. Results: The mean diameter of growth inhibition zone was 39 mm for Enterococcus faecalis, 40 mm for Lactobacillus casei, 42 mm for Actinomyces naeslundii, and 18.5 mm for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The mean diameter of the growth inhibition zones for Enterococcus faecalis, Lactobacillus casei, and Actinomyces naeslundii was significantly greater than that of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (p=0.001). Also, the mean diameter of the growth inhibition zone of Actinomyces naeslundii was significantly larger than that of Enterococcus faecalis (p=0.05). The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of the essential oil for Enterococcus faecalis were 4.88% and 4.88%, respectively. These values were 9.76% and 9.76% for Lactobacillus casei, 9.76% and 4.88% for Actinomyces naeslundii, and 9.76% and 9.76% for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, respectively. Conclusions: Pimpinella anisum essential oil was effective against all four microorganisms evaluated in this study. Since the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were recorded for Enterococcus faecalis, this essential oil has maximum effects on Enterococcus faecalis. Future clinical studies are required to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of Pimpinella anisum essential oil in clinical samples.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is recognized as a major global health problem, which is associated with numerous complications. This disease is characterized by kidney dysfunction and a reduced glomerular filtration rate. Among the main causes of this disease, we can refer to hypertension, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and polycystic kidney disease. Despite the recent treatments, we are witnessing a rise in the cases of disease progression and the need for renal replacement therapy. The present study aimed to assess the causes and symptoms, as well as prevention and treatment options for Hozal-e-Kolye (kidney atrophy) in Persian medical texts and compare it with CKD. To conduct this study, the terms related to "Hozal-e-Kolye" were searched in reliable and available books of Persian medicine such as Al-Qanoon fi al-Tibb, Sharh-ol-asbab va al alamat, Zakhire -e kharazmshahi, Teb-e-Akbari and other resources. To examine the CKD, all reliable medical books, such as Harrison and Brenner, as well as PubMed, Science direct, and Scopus databases were used. Following that, a comparison was made between the extracted data on Hozal-e-Kolye and those about CKD. According to the results of this study, common points were seen between the causes and symptoms of Hozal-e-Kolye and chronic kidney disease. In Persian medicine, the treatment of Hozal-e-Kolye includes removing the causes of the disease,and then performing treatments to hydrate kidneys. These treatments can be used in CKD patients, based on the similarities between these two diseases. Considering the similarities in the causes and symptoms of Hozal-e-Kolye and CKD, these two diseases can be deemed close in nature, and accordingly, research ideas can be designed and implemented to prevent and help treat CKD.

Abstract Background Epilepsy induces behavioral effects and histological changes in the hippocampus. Eugenol, the main component of clove essential oil, has modulatory effects on seizure. We aimed to investigate the effect of intraperitoneal (IP) and intranasal (IN) clove essential oil on cognitive and histological changes during the chronic phase of temporal lope epilepsy. Methods Male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups of seven including control, pilocarpine (PLC), clove oil (IP and IN), sesame oil (IP and IN), phenobarbital (positive control) and saline. Rats were injected with 350 mg/kg PLC to induce status epilepticus (SE). We evaluated the effects of 14 days IP (0.1 ml/kg) and IN (0.02 ml/kg) administration of clove essential oil on locomotor/explorative activity, anxiety-like behavior, spatial recognition memory, and hyperexcitability, as well as hippocampal cell survival in PLC-treated rats. Results Our findings indicated that clove oil could effectively ameliorate PLC-induced behavioral deficits, and also alleviate neuronal death in the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) region of the hippocampus. Behavioral results as in the Y-maze, Open field and elevated plus maze featured significant differences between control and treated groups. Post-seizure behavioral battery (PBSS) results explicated that behavioral hyperexcitability were less in clove oil groups (both IN and IP) compared to PLC-treated rats. Moreover, results of this study demonstrated that IN administration of clove oil was more potent in alleviating behavioral impairment at a lower dosage than by IP route. The results of this study, also demonstrated that intranasal administration of clove oil could reduce duration of recurrent seizures. Conclusion In summary, clove oil treatment ameliorated histopathological and behavioral consequences of PLC-induced SE.

Statement of the Problem: Every effort for increasing the calcium concentration in the saliva would be beneficial for prevention of dental caries. Regarding this issue, the natural products could be considered safer and more cost effective. Sesame is rich in calcium but the data about the effect of sesame on enamel roughness is inadequate. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of an experimental sesame gel on the surface roughness of human enamel by using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Materials and Method: In the current experimental study, fifteen enamel slices with 1mm thickness were prepared. They were polished and acid etched to produce a substantial rough surface prior to the first AFM analysis. The enamel blocks were randomly divided into three groups treated with distilled water, fluoride gel, and an experimental prepared sesame gel correspondingly. The treating agent was applied for 3minutes at 0, 8, 24, and 48h intervals and washed by distilled water after each cycles. Ultimately, the final AFM micrographs were prepared. The statistical analysis was performed using paired t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey Post Hoc tests (=0.05). Results: Statistical analysis revealed that the surface roughness was significantly reduced in both sesame and fluoride groups (p= 0.017 and 0.018, respectively) while the control group (distilled water) were not noticeably changed (p= 0.12). The control group had statistically significant difference with both the sesame and the fluoride groups (p= 0.007 and 0.007, respectively) while the there was no significance difference between sesame and fluoride groups (p= 0.997). Conclusion: Following demineralization by acid etched process, the sesame gel significantly reduced surface roughness of enamel and its effect was similar to fluoride gel.

Wide range of acute and chronic inflammatory ailments, side effects of their available therapies and incomplete treatment of such patients push the researches to find new and more effective drugs. To reach this aim, in the current study, we evaluate Urtica pilulifera L. (family Urticaceae) as an introduced traditional herb for treatment of inflammation in Persian Medicine (PM). In an animal study, Anti – inflammatory effects of U. pilulifera were surveyed in rats on the basis hind paw edema model which it’s inflammation induced with formalin. Sodium Salicylate (300mg/kg, ip, S.S) injection was used as a positive control group and compared with methanolic extract of U. pilulifera (20 mg/kg; i.p.) (MUP), three different doses of aqueous extract of U. pilulifera (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg; i.p.) (AUP) and a group of distilled water (6 mL/kg ; i.p.). As acute anti-inflammatory effect, AUP in doses 40 and 80mg/kg (i.p.) decreased edema significantly (p

Abstract Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common behavioral disorder in childhood and adolescence. A number of these patients do not respond to the current pharmacological treatments and there may also be drug side effects. This study aims to determine the efficacy and safety of two herbal medicine products, including Rosa canina L. (RC) and a polyherbal formulation (PHF) syrup, on the clinical manifestations of ADHD in children and adolescents. Methods Ninety ADHD patients based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria will be randomly assigned equally into three groups: (1) RC syrup + methylphenidate (MP), (2) PHF syrup + MP, and (3) placebo + MP according to the inclusion criteria (30 subjects in each group). The syrup dosage is 5cc every 8 h, and MP will have a stabilized dose for 8 weeks during the study. Moreover, Conner’s questionnaires will be completed by the teacher and parents before the intervention and then every 4 weeks. Also, the Child Symptom Inventory-fourth edition (CSI-4) and temperament questionnaires will be completed before the intervention and every 4 weeks until 2 months. Discussion This trial is the first experiment to determine the effects of RC and PHF syrups on the clinical manifestations of ADHD in children and adolescents. Our findings provide new insight into the effect of these herbal products on the clinical manifestations of ADHD. Trial registration Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20190923044855N1 . Registered on 14 January 2020. The trial was registered at https://www.irct.ir/ .

Objectives: 35%-50% of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffer from anorexia, reducing the quality of life and increasing morbidity and mortality. Its causes and definitive treatment are not fully known. In this study, Avicenna’s management in his medical book "Canon of Medicine" was presented to help solve this problem. Materials and Methods: "Loss of appetite" and its MeSH heading term "anorexia," also "chronic kidney disease," were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, and UpToDate databases. In Iranian traditional medicine, loss of appetite by "Noghsan-e-shahvat-e-taam", renal weakness by "Zafe-e-kolye", and ascites by "Estesgha" were searched in "Canon of Medicine". Results: According to Avicenna and modern medicine, kidneys play an essential role in normal appetite, and both suggest treatment based on the stage of the disease. Avicenna has described the treatment in 4 principles: lifestyle modification, elimination of waste products accumulated in the body, non-oral therapies, and herbal medicine. He processed food in the diets, which reduces their side effects and improves their digestion, and in the studies conducted, it was in line with the nutritional recommendations of modern medicine. Conclusions: Given the importance of anorexia and no known causes and treatment, Avicenna’s perspective can help solve this problem. He has provided various natural, inexpensive, and accessible solutions that can be the basis for future clinical trials.

Background and purpose: Epilepsy is recognized as a chronic neurologic disease. Increasing evidence has addressed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory roles of olive leaf extract (OLE) in neurodegenerative diseases. So, the current study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective roles of OLE in epilepsy. Experimental approach: Forty rats were divided into 4 groups including a control group, sham group, kainic acid (KA) group, and KA + OLE group. KA (4 μg/rat) was injected intrahippocampal, and OLE (300 mg/kg) was orally administrated for 4 weeks. Animals were sacrificed, and their hippocampi were isolated. KA- induced seizure activity was recorded. Oxidative stress index was assessed by measuring its indicators including malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite, nitrate, and glutathione (GSH) as well as the catalase (CAT) activity. The supernatant concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and the apoptosis rate in neurons were measured. Findings/Results: Treatment with OLE significantly reduced the seizure score. OLE decreased oxidative stress index by reducing the concentration of MDA, nitrite, and nitrate as well as increasing the level of GSH. OLE had a significant anti-apoptotic effect on neurons. However, CAT activity and the level of TNF-α were not affected. Conclusion and implications: Our findings indicated neuroprotective properties of OLE, which is mainly mediated by its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects, therefore, could be considered as a valuable therapeutic supplement for epilepsy.

Background: COVID-19 caused a global pandemic problem. No confident management is introduced for it yet. This study aimed to propose a dietary protocol for hospitalized patients with the diagnosis of acute respiratory infectious disease caused by COVID-19 based on Persian Medicine. Methods: This study was conducted in three phases. In the first phase, any diseases that could be matched with the clinical features of infection with COVID-19 were searched in selected PM references. In the second phase, medicinal herbs and foods that were available and could be used in the hospital diet were extracted and summarized. In the third phase, the new documentation of these pharmaceutical and food items was conducted. Results: The signs and symptoms of infectious respiratory disease caused by COVID-19 can be categorized in the field of Zato al-rieh that can mainly be matched with pneumonia. Based on the described criteria, some nutrients and medicinal materia medica have been introduced for acute respiratory infection including Cydonia oblonga, Honey, Citrus sinensis, Malus domestica, Citrus medica, Crocus sativus, Raisin, Rosa Damas Cena, D.Carota, Camellia Sinensis, Anethum graveolens dhi, Punica granatum, Petroselinum Crispum, Coriandrum sativum, Urtica dioica, Allium sativum, Sesamum indicum Conclusion: Most materia medica has documents in current articles including anti-cough suppressants, antiviral properties, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory etc. A protocol of hospital diet for patients with infectious respiratory syndrome caused by COVID-19 has been introduced in this manuscript.

Abstract Background Depression has rapidly progressed worldwide, and the need for an efficient treatment with low side effect has risen. Melissa officinalis L and Lavandula angustifolia Mill have been traditionally used in Asia for the treatment of depression. Many textbooks of traditional Persian medicine refer to these herbs for the treatment of depression while there are no adequate clinical trials to support this claim. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of M. officinalis and L. angustifolia compared to fluoxetine for the treatment of mild to moderate depression in an 8-week randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Methods Forty-five adult outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) for major depression, were randomly assigned to 3 groups to daily receive either M. officinalis (2 g) or L. angustifolia (2 g) or fluoxetine (20 mg) and were assessed in weeks 0, 2, 4 and 8 by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) including 17 items. Results Our study showed that M. officinalis and L. angustifolia effect similar to fluoxetine in mild to moderate depression. (F = 0.131, df = 2,42, p = 0.877). Conclusion Due to some restrictions in this study including absence of placebo group, large-scale trials are needed to investigate the anti-depressant effect of these two herbs with more details. Trial registration IRCT2014061718126N1 . Registration date: 2015-06-04-“Retrospectively registered”.

Introduction: This study was designed to investigate the possible anticonvulsant effect of acute administration of an aqueous extract of flowers of Alcea aucheri (EFA) in two in vivo seizure models. Methods: Seizures were induced in male adult Swiss mice by administration of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) or Maximal Electroshock (MES). Mice were randomly subjected to receive saline, EFA (8.75-175 mg.kg-1), or diazepam intraperitoneally (i.p.) 15 or 30 min before PTZ injection. In another experiment, mice were treated (i.p.) with saline, EFA (8.75-350 mg.kg-1), or phenytoin 15 or 30 min before the MES test. Diazepam and phenytoin were used as reference drugs. Results: EFA (175 mg.kg-1) significantly increased the PTZ-induced seizure threshold compared with the saline control group 15 min after its administration. In the MES test, the extract (35 mg.kg-1) increased the latency to onset of tonic Hind Limb Extension (HLE) (seizure activity) compared with the saline group 15 min after treatment. Also, 30 min after treatment, EFA (35, 70, and 175 mg.kg-1) increased the latency to onset of the seizure, decreased the duration of the seizure (70 mg.kg-1), and decreased seizure occurrence (350 mg.kg-1) compared with those of the saline group. At both time points, the extract at all doses significantly reduced the mortality rate compared with the saline group. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence of a possible anticonvulsant effect of A. aucheri in PTZ and MES seizure models in mice

Background: Skin cancers are the most prevalent type among the white with an increasing trend of incidence around the world and Iran. Scientific developments in diagnosing these cancers and using screening methods and utilizing treatment methods have contributed to the relative control of the cancer. Hence, it is necessary to consider other suggested approaches of complementary and traditional medicine to prevent and treat these cancers. Objective: The purpose of this review is to investigate the alternative remedies from the Persian Medicine; as a pioneer medical approach with an old history. Methods: In this review study, the medical textbooks of the golden era of Persian Medicine (9th to 19th centuries AD), i.e., the times of Razes and Avicenna, were explored and interesting opinions on skin malignancies were found. In addition, the phrase “skin cancers” was searched in databases like PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The gleaned data were analyzed and compared. Results: The ancient Persian scholars knew the cancers and were forerunners in the description, classified, etiology and treatment of skin cancers. This study explored interesting opinions like nutrition and black bile clearance on skin malignancies treatment, also found no contradictory views between the Persian and modern medicine on the topic of skin cancers. Conclusion: Paying attention to the neglected areas can makes useful theories and hypotheses fore achievement to new more effective and safe remedies.

Abstract Liver injury is the most common complication of anti‐tuberculosis drugs that can cause significant problems. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Jujube syrup on the prevention of antituberculosis drug‐induced hepatotoxicity (DIH). This pilot randomized double‐blind study was conducted based on a placebo‐controlled design in patients with tuberculosis (TB). The patients were divided into two groups based on the block random allocation method and received 10 cc of jujube or placebo syrup per day. The liver enzyme levels were assessed as primary outcomes, and the severity of cough, anorexia, and nausea along with the quality of life (QOL) was assessed as secondary outcomes. Finally, eight and nine patients in the jujube and placebo groups completed the study, respectively. In the second week of the study, 27.3% of the patients in the placebo group developed hepatotoxicity. Moreover, there was no liver toxicity in the jujube group. This difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = .037). Furthermore, the severity of cough in patients in the jujube group decreased significantly during weeks 2 and 4. The QOL significantly improved in the jujube group, compared to the placebo group. This study suggested that Jujube syrup could prevent anti‐TB DIH. It can also improve the severity of cough and the QOL in pulmonary TB patients.

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia is a common problem in neonates that causes hospitalization. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of concentrated pomegranate juice (CPJ) consumption by breastfeeding mothers on neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Materials and Methods: In this open-labeled, add-on, randomized clinical trial, 86 breastfeeding mothers and their neonates were allocated into two groups. In the control group, neonates received phototherapy. Besides neonates' phototherapy in the intervention group, their mothers received CPJ (1 tablespoon [15 g] three times a day) up to discharge. The bilirubin level was the primary outcome. The duration of phototherapy, the duration of hospital stay, and the need for exchange transfusions were secondary outcomes. Results: CPJ reduced the bilirubin level of hospitalized neonates within 48 h after consumption (P = 0.048, standard mean difference = 0.648). It also resulted in reduced duration of hospital stay and faster discharge of the neonates. Furthermore, in 48 h after discharge, bilirubin was significantly lower in the CPJ group (P = 0.003, partial eta squared = 0.123). Conclusion: Compared to the control group, consumption of CPJ by lactating mothers whose infants underwent phototherapy resulted in lower bilirubin levels, shorter hospital stay, and faster discharge.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications impose a significant burden on patients and the health care system. In the Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM), barley is recommended for treatment of DM. This study sought to assess the effect of barley seed aqueous extract on hepatic, pancreatic, renal and cardiac tissues in normal (non-diabetic) and Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Twenty-one male Wistar rats were randomly divided into diabetic and non-diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin. After one week, the diabetic and non-diabetic groups were randomly divided into control and barley seed extract subgroups namely N group (non-diabetic control rats), S group (seed extract treated non-diabetic rats), D group (diabetic control rats) and DS group (seed extract treated diabetic rats). After 6 weeks, all rats were sacrificed for histopathological analysis and specimens were stained routinely for histological studies. The abnormal histological signs significantly decreased in the DS group compared to D group. Also, protective effects of barley seed extract against histopathological changes were seen in S group compared to N group.These findings suggest that barley seed extract exerts a protective effect on different tissues in diabetes.

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common sexual disorders worldwide without a satisfying treatment. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a topical formulation of clove oil in premature ejaculation patients. Eligible patients were randomly divided into two groups to use either Syzygium aromaticum (SA) 1% gel or placebo gel 10 minutes before the intercourse for a period of 8 weeks. Outcome measurement were Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires in addition to Intravaginal Ejaculation Latency Time (IELT). A total number of 22 (11 patients in each group) participants completed the study. At the end of the intervention, the IELT scores changed from 29.84 ± 18.59 to 97.09 ± 91.86 and 42.51 ± 13.98 to 52.45 ± 32.7 seconds in SA gel and placebo groups, respectively (p-value = 0.003). Also, the changes of PEDT scores in the SA gel group (from 14 ± 3.55 to 9.2 ± 4.56) comparing to that of placebo gel group (from 14.63 ± 3.61 to 13.5 ± 3.78) was significantly different (p-value =0.001). Moreover, results of IIEF questionnaire revealed significant improvement of “Intercourse Satisfaction” in SA gel group (p-value = 0.016). No adverse event was observed. It seems that SA gel could be beneficial in the treatment of premature ejaculation; however, it should be further evaluated in larger studies.

Aim of the study: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common cause of seeking advice from health care professionals; this includes information about benefiting from traditional medicine remedies. Substantial advertising and big business of herbal aphrodisiacs demands many studies about efficacy and safety of these various approaches. Unfortunately, nearly all remedies of aphrodisiac plants in Oriental Medicine (OM) are still unstudied; in addition, usually one pathway regarding the bioactivity of a specific plant is discussed while plants contain numerous bioactive ingredients, every one engages in various biological systems. Materials and Methods: In this investigation, all plants recommended for ED by OM in selected comprehensive pharmacopoeia text -The storehouse of medicaments- were recognized, its last scientific name identified; and finally, related Phytochemical and biologic activities of each extracted from Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethno botanical Databases. Results and Conclusions: From 210 plants suggested for treating ED in OM, only 76 plants were present in mentioned database; 64 (84%) of them have Phytochemical evidence to be effective on one or more pathways that affect the pathophysiology of ED; this paper provided first multi dimension prospective to herbal remedies for ED, and it may suggest better understanding of herbal combination formulations recommended by OM, and form new idea for future research.

Background: The present study aimed at determining the efficacy of applying Rhus coriaria (Sumac) solution for the treatment of Permethrin-resistant head louse in patients, who used permethrin for at least 2 consecutive periods, but have not been cured. Methods: This study is a before-after clinical trial performed on 100 patients with pediculosis aged between 2 and 50 years old and both sexes. All patients had used Permethrin at least twice consecutively (with at least 14 days interval) according to correct instructions (on the first and 7th day), but they have not been cured. Each patient received 60ml of Rhus coriaria solution for 3 consecutive days, and the treatment was repeated again for another 3 days; then, the patients were followed-up on the 4th, 10th, and14th days after the treatment. Results: The results showed a significant difference in the severity of head lice infection and itching before the treatment and 14 days after the treatment (P

Background and Objective: Chronic itching reduces the quality of life of patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study was done to determine the effect of chronic itching on the quality of life of patients under hemodialysis in north of Iran. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 111 patients with mean age of 58.36±12.7 years were randomly selected from hemodialysis centers of Golestan province from May to December 2017. Demographic data, quality of life (Itchy QOL questionnaire), Xerosis, pruritus intensity (Balaskas 1998), and laboratory tests including calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, hemoglobin and hematocrit were evaluated. Results: The mean score of itching severity and overall quality of life was 29.27±7.46 and 41.4±10.44, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the severity of itching and the overall score of patients' quality of life (P

Objective:Boswellia serrata oleo-gum resin (frankincense) exerted antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects against several diseases, such as; asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome. In the current study, the influences of B. serrata resin extracton motor dysfunction and oxidative stress markers were investigated in the intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Materials and Methods:The animals were randomly assigned to sham, lesion (6-OHDA), and three lesion groups treated with ethyl alcoholic extract of B. serrata at doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg for 3 weeks. The neurotoxin 6-OHDA (12.5 µg) was microinjected into the left striatum to induce PD in male rats. Motor behavior was assessed by rotational and elevated narrow beam tests. Oxidative stress markers were measured in striatal and midbrain homogenates. Results: There was a significant increase in contralateral rotations in 6-OHDA group versus sham group (p

Objective: This study strove to investigate the safety and effectiveness of Eryngo in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. Materials and methods: The researchers conducted a blinded, randomized, trial design on 169 women, 15–30 years of age, who had been diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea at Babol University of Medical Sciences. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive 5 ml syrup of Eryngo, placebo, or Ibuprofen (200 mg) three times a day (15 ml/day), from one day prior to the onset of bleeding for five days. The degree of dysmenorrhea was reported by two measures; Visual analogue scale (VAS), as a primary outcome, and the assessment of dysmenorrhea severity (VMS), as a secondary outcome at 4 menstrual cycles: at pretreatment phase, at the first menstrual cycle, at the second menstrual cycle, and the third menstrual cycle without drug. Results: The reduced peak-pain differed by the treatment length in women treated for two menstrual cycles: 4.2 (1.0) cm in the Eryngo group, 4.3 (0.0) cm in the Ibuprofen group, and 0.9 (0.1) cm in the placebo group (P

Several studies have supported the preventive and therapeutic values of phenolic compounds including chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, luteolin, rutin, catechin, kaempferol, and quercetin in mental disorders. Since these secondary metabolites are reported as the phenolic compounds of Artemisia dracunculus (A. dracunculus) and Stachys lavandulifolia (S. lavandulifolia), the main aim of this study was the evaluation and comparison of the phenolic contents, flavonoids, and antidepressant-like activity of Artemisia dracunculus with Stachys lavandulifolia. Antidepressant-like activity of the extracts was evaluated in the forced swimming test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST). Moreover, the open field test was conducted to evaluate the general locomotor activity of mice following treatment with the extracts. Since phenolic compounds and flavonoids play main roles in pharmacological effects, the phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts were measured. Though significant difference between the phenolic contents of the extracts was not observed, but S. lavandulifolia exhibited higher flavonoid contents. Animal treatment with extracts decreased the immobility times in both FST and TST compared to the vehicle group without any significant effect on the locomotor activity of animals. Also, S. lavandulifolia at 400 mg/kg showed higher potency in both tests compared to A. dracunculus. Our results provided promising evidence on the antidepressant-like activity of both extracts which could be related to flavonoids as the main components of the extracts, but more studies need to be conducted to specify the main compounds and the mechanisms involved in the observed effects.

Osteoarthritis (OA) as the most frequent form of knee arthritis is one of the most annoying complications amongst old peoples. There are different pharmacological and non-pharmacological remedies which could be applied for treatment of knee OA. It's while, significant side effects mostly in patients who are older are the dangerous limiting factors. Integrative, supplementary, traditional remedies have been applied from long time ago in treatment of such chronic diseases like OA. Various topical and oral remedies have been presented in treatment of OA worldwide. In spite of the fact there are multiple remedies for reduction symptoms of patients who suffer from disorders and related inabilities which could enhance their life quality. Remedies which have been applied for a long time for treatment of OA have newly discovered to induce injury to some patients. On the other side, additional knowledge about alternative and supplementary remedies is a main way for enhancing health of patients who suffer from OA disorders. Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbeton) is a kind of herb of the ginger family and is a natural compound with various biomedical characteristics like anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effect. However, Z. zerumbet could be applied for reduction of OA symptoms because of its circulatory stimulant and anti-inflammatory effects. Anyway, up to now there is not any methodical literature review for evaluating the Z. zerumbet clinical effectiveness productiveness in treatment of OA. The main aim of the current study is to review scientific resources around therapeutic effectiveness of Zingiber zerumbet in treatment of adverse symptoms of OA disorder.

The pandemics of respiratory diseases are the most common ones comparing to other diseases. The latest pandemic is caused by COVID-19, for which no definitive cure has been found. Therefore, at present, strengthening the immune system is the only way to protect humans against this virus. Food is one of the factors assisting the immune system to function properly. Moreover, food plays an important role in strengthening the immune system against various pathogens. However, many popular sources of human food including legumes, eggs, and nuts contain substances called anti-nutritional factors that can adversely affect the human immune system and increase inflammatory factors such as interleukin 4 and interleukin 6. A cytokine storm and increased secretion of interleukin 4 and 6 are among the most frequent causes of death in COVID-19 patients. Consequently, taking the COVID-19 patient's diets into account by considering the foods influencing their immune system can greatly reduce the severity of the disease and its mortality rate.

Objective: Cassia fistula L. fruit extract has been traditionally used in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) lesions in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of C. fistula fruit gel on healing time of PV lesions in a clinical setting.Materials and Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial that was performed in dermatology ward at Saadi hospital, affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Right- or left- sided lesions of PV patients on standard systemic treatment were randomized for treatment with either C. fistula fruit gel or placebo prescribed twice daily. The largest diameter of each lesion was measured at the baseline (day 0) and on days 10 and 20. Epithelialization Index (EI), as outcome measure was calculated and compared between the two groups.Results: The present study comprised 20 patients, with overall 82 cutaneous lesions including 41 lesions in the C. fistula fruit gel group and 41 lesions in the placebo group. The EI in the C. fistula fruit gel group was significantly higher than that of the placebo group both on day 10 (65±28vs 30±34; p=0.001) and at the end of the study (91±22 vs 69±49; p=0.003). Conclusion: Topical application of C. fistula fruit gel can be considered as an effective adjuvant therapy in treatment of PV.

Background: In our previous study, the extract of Trachyspermum copticum (L.) Link seeds on gene expression of IFN-γ and TGF-β1 in mouse model with irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), in comparison with cutaneous corticosteroids were evaluated. In that study, in addition to significantly increase of IFN-γ and TGF-β1 genes expression levels in skin samples of "mice with ICD" groups treated with extract in comparison to other groups, histopathologic findings showed substantial improvement of skin color, texture and thickness, and also significant increase in hair follicle number. Therefore, we have decided to study the levels of Interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene expression, which plays a major role in inflammation responses, and Keratinocyte Growth Factor/Fibroblast Growth Factor-7 (KGF/FGF-7), which has growth effect on cells and is an important endogenous mediator of hair follicle growth and development. Materials and Methods: We used autopsy samples of skin lesions obtained from "mice model with irritant contact dermatitis (ICD)" from the previous study. In that study, "mice with ICD" divided in 9 groups and were treated with three concentrations of Trachyspermum Copticum (L.) Link dried seeds, cutaneous hydrocortisone, and fluocinolone acetonide. Then from the first day until the 10th day of treatment, clinical signs and histopathologic investigations were investigated. In the present study, using Real-Time PCR, the levels of IL-1 and KGF/FGF-7 genes expression in skin samples of inflammation site in above mice groups were studied. Statistical analysis, using one -way ANOVA, were performed. Level of significance was set at 0.05.Results: The IL-1 gene expression showed a significant difference between groups: IL-1 gene expression levels in mice with ICD treated with extract and corticosteroids were higher than the other groups (p=0.0001). While in untreated "mice with ICD", no significant differences were observed. Also, during the treatment, there was a considerable increase in levels of IL-1 gene expression in groups treated with the extract at a rate of at least 2 to 3-fold in comparison with the "healthy untreated mice" group. The levels of KGF/FGF-7 gene expression in "mice with ICD" groups treated with the extract showed significance difference (p=0.014); also there was a meaningful difference in "mice with ICD" groups treated with cutaneous corticosteroids (p=0.004). While, in "untreated mice with ICD" group there were a significant decrease in the levels of KGF/FGF-7 gene expression in comparison with "healthy untreated mice" group (p=0.0001). Also, changes in the levels IL-1 and KGF/FGF-7 gene expressions in each group in different days were seen. Conclusion: In this study, significant changes in the IL-1 and KGF/FGF-7 genes expression levels in the skin samples with inflammation, were associated with an increase in the rate and speed of improvement of contact dermatitis, more favorable conditions of the healed skin (in terms of color, consistency, and thickness), and a remarkable increase in the number of hair grown on the site of dermatitis (compared with control groups, and even groups with corticosteroid therapy).

Introduction: Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the major causes of maternal mortality, especially in the developing countries. Some studies have shown the positive effects of Plantago on postpartum hemorrhage. We conducted this study to determine the effects of Plantago syrup on postpartum hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in low-risk women in terms of postpartum hemorrhage. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, clinical trial was carried out on all the women who had gone through normal vaginal delivery in Ganjavian Maternity Clinic of Dezful, Iran, in 2017. The participants were randomly assigned to intervention and placebo group (n=50 per group). Immediately after placental expulsion, the intervention group received 100 cc of Plantago extract 20% and infusion of 20 U of oxytocin in 1 L of Ringer’s solution, and the control group was given 100 cc of placebo syrup and infusion of 20 U of oxytocin in 1 L of Ringer’s solution. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were measured in all the participants 6 h postpartum. To analyze the data, independent t-test, Fischer’s Exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kendall rank correlation coefficient, Chi-squared test, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were run in SPSS, version 17. Results: There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of hemoglobin and hematocrit reduction. Before the intervention, the mean levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit in the intervention group were 12.60±3.8 g/dl and 36.69±3.3%, respectively, and in the control group, they were 12.25±1.1 g/dl and 38.06±3.4%, respectively (P>0.005). After the intervention, the mean reduction in hemoglobin level in the intervention and control groups was 1.17±0.4 and 2.19±0.6 g/dl, respectively (P=0.001). Conclusion: Oral Plantago syrup played a significant role in lowering the mean reduction in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels after delivery. The use of this syrup could help prevent the complications of postpartum anemia.

Background & Aim: The most common complication of peripheral intravenous catheter use is phlebitis. This study aimed to determine the effect of Arnebia Euchroma on the prevention of peripheral intravenous catheter-related phlebitis. Methods & Materials: A double-blind randomized clinical trial done on 120 patients hospitalized in CCU and heart wards of Shariaty hospital in Tehran in 2017. The convenience samples were allocated into the two groups of control and intervention. After the insertion of an IV catheter (by sterile technique, in the site of upper limb without any signs of phlebitis), Arnebia Euchroma poultice for the intervention group and placebo poultice for the control group, was applied to the skin in the distal portion of IV catheter at 3×3 cm from the catheter insertion site. Then, this site was covered by sterile dressing. The patient was monitored every 12 hours by removing the dressing, and the poultice was applied again. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using the SPSS software. Results: The two groups were homogeneous in terms of age and sex, but were different in the number of hospitalization days. While no phlebitis was observed in the baseline, there was a significant difference between the two groups (42.37% for intervention group vs 0% for control group) at the hour of 12. By adjusting the effect of hospitalization days, the difference was still significant (P

Abstract Background Asthma is one of the important chronic diseases. The asthma prevalence is increasing in last decades. Despite the presence of good controller drugs like corticosteroids, about 60% of asthmatic patients use alternative medicine. This study was done to determine the effectiveness of Tregonella foenum graceum (fenugreek) seeds in mild asthma. Methods It is a double blind trial with placebo effect. One of the ancient prescriptions from Persian Medicine was selected. The participants were divided to three groups randomly. On group received fenugreek syrup one received honey syrup and the third received placebo. Duration of treatment was 4 weeks. Quality of life, Lung function tests and IL-4 levels were evaluated before and after treatment. Results From 90 participants to study 79 completed the process. After study there was significant increase in quality of the life and lung function tests and IL-4 levels in fenugreek and honey groups. Conclusion FEV1 level was improved more than 10% in fenugreek group. Treatment was well tolerated. No serious side effects were reported during the study. The aqueous extract of fenugreek seeds appears to be effective and safe in treatment of mild asthma. Trial registration The study was recorded with the Iranian Registry of Clinical trials [http://www.irci.ir], registration code: IRCT2016011325991N1

Background: Globally, female sexual dysfunction is a serious concern based on negative family and social consequences, high side effects of medications and lack of effective treatment. Thus, the evaluation of treatment approach for this problem is an important priority for healthcare systems. Sexual life and its related disorders are considered the main aspects of a healthy lifestyle in traditional Persian medicine (TPM). Objective: The present study aimed to determine and compare the effects of food products containing Daucus carota, TPM-based training program, and a combination of these two interventions on the improvement of female sexual dysfunction. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 96 women with sexual dysfunction based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5®), aged 18-35 years who referred to the Gynecology Clinic of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, during 2016 and 2017. The patients were randomly divided into three groups (n=32) and received the intervention over an eight-week period. The first group was provided with TPM-based sexual health training, the second group received 30 g of a traditional food product (wild carrot halva: mixed Daucus carota and several herbs with honey) on a daily basis, and the third group received a combination of this traditional food product plus education. Data analysis was http://www.ephysician.ir Page 6578 performed using Chi square test, repeated measures ANOVA, two-way ANOVA, ANCOVA, post hoc Bonferroni, Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank test in SPSS version 11.5. Results: According to the results of this study, there was a significant difference in terms of sexual desire (p=0.002), lubrication (p=0.002), orgasm (p=0.004) and pain (p

Objective: As a rare autoimmune disease, pemphigus vulgaris has a poor prognosis especially in lack of proper medical support. This blistering disease involves both the skin and mucus membranes. The challenge is improving the healing process of skin lesions of which, superimposed infections are among the main causes of the disease mortality. Accordingly, we aimed to assess the treatment options suggested by traditional Persian medicine (TPM) and compare them with current findings. Materials and Methods: We studied the main clinical and pharmaceutical textbooks of TPM (Kitāb al-hāwīfī al-tibb, the Canon of Medicine, Eksir-e-Aazam, Tuhfat al-mu'minīn, Makhzan al-adviyah (focusing on the skin chapter and respective herbal remedies for the inflamed skin and ulcers. Additionally, scientific databases such as PubMed, Science direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched for the current pharmacological evidence. In the studied books, the term “hot ulcers” was found close to what is known as “Pemphigus vulgaris”. Results: Reported medicinal herbs possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, wound healing, and antibacterial activities reported by recent studies. Therefore, they could be introduced as novel natural remedies for pemphigoid wounds. Conclusion: Taken as a whole, the review of traditional remedies for hot ulcers in Persian medical and pharmaceutical literature may open a new window toward developing new topical treatments for this disease.

Background: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 2 signaling pathways and their receptors exert a pivotal role in behavior and fate of tumor cells. Therefore, these pathways are target of drug discovery researches. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the aqueous extract of Trachyspermum copticum (L.) link (carum) seeds on TGF-beta receptor 1 and 2 genes coding the heterodimer complex of receptor in MCF-7 cell line of human breast cancer. Methods: Non-cytotoxic concentrations of the extract determined by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and cells treated with non-cytotoxic concentrations (5 and 40 µg/ml) of extract for 24 hours. Then, to evaluate the expression of TGF-beta receptors 1 and 2 genes at the level of transcription, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed (comparing the control group). Data were analyzed using REST® software and analysis of variance test. Level of significance was set at 0.05. Findings: Cells treated with concentration of 5 µg/ml of extract showed reduction in gene transcription levels to almost half (0.52) (P = 0.015); and in cells treated with concentration of 40 µg/ml of extract, gene transcription levels increased to 1.34 times (P = 0.066) comparing to control group. Treatment of cells with extract showed no meaningful changes in TGF-beta receptor 2 gene expression at the level of transcription (P = 0.148). Conclusion: Results suggest that treatment of MCF-7 cells with low concentration of aqueous extract of Trachyspermum copticum (L.) link seeds can affect the TGF-beta receptor 1 gene transcription, but not the TGF-beta receptor 2; and alter the microenvironment of tumor cell. Further studies have to be performed for conclusive evidence.

Objective: To investigate the effect of Iranian honey, cinnamon and their combination against Streptococcus mutans bacteria. Methods: Nine experimental solutions were examined in this study, including two types of honey (pasteurized and sterilized), two types of cinnamon extract (dissolved in distilled water or dimethyl sulfoxide) and five different mixtures of cinnamon in honey (prepared by admixing 1%–5% w/w of cinnamon extract into 99%–95% w/w of honey, respectively). Meanwhile, each of mentioned agent was considered as the first solution while it was diluted into seven serially two-fold dilutions (from 1:2 to 1:128 v/v). Therefore, eight different concentrations of each agent were tested. The antibacterial tests were performed through blood agar well diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. Ultimately, the data were subjected to statistical analysis incorporating Two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests (α = 0.01). Results: The highest zone of inhibition was recorded for the mixtures of honey and cinnamon while all the subgroups containing 95%–99% v/v of honey were in the same range (P

Objective: Pemphigus is a rare autoimmune disease that may be fatal without proper medical intervention. It is a blistering disease that involves both the skin and mucus membranes, in which the most important causes of death comprise superimposed opportunistic infections and complications of long-term high-dose corticosteroid therapy or prolonged consumption of immune suppressant drugs. Skin lesions are the most important sources of infection, and any local treatment decreasing the healing time of lesions and reducing the total dosage of drugs is favorable. Materials and Methods: Here, we review the probable mechanism of action of a traditional formulary of Cassia fistula (C. fistula) fruit extract in almond oil as a new topical medication for reducing the duration of treatment of pemphigus vulgaris erosions. Result: C. fistula fruit oil has lupeol, anthraquinone compounds as rhein and flavonoids. Previous in vitro and animal studies on C. fistula fruit have demonstrated wound healing, antioxidative, anti-leukotrienes, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal effects of this plant. Conclusion: It is hypothesized that C. fistula L. can be a botanical therapeutic choice for treatment of pemphigus erosions.

Male infertility is one of the most important subjects in medical sciences. It can cause private, social, and economic problems. Idiopathic male infertility is a situation where abnormal sperm parameters are created due to no specific cause and without definite standard treatment. Some herbal antioxidants can improve semen quality and assist infertile patients. We here report a case with idiopathic infertility who had been trying to have a child for 4 years, but he failed. A 33-year-old non-smoker, overweight man referral from urologist due to idiopathic infertility to the traditional medicine clinic. He had been trying to have a child for 4 years, and the first three years received antioxidant supplements but he was unsuccessful. Alpinia officinarum (Lesser galangal) rhizome in powder form was prepared and administered to the patient for three months. After the intervention, all the semen parameters were improved. A. officinarum has a high amount of galangin that has antioxidant effects. In this study, we showed that the spouse of an idiopathic infertile male becomes pregnant after receiving A. officinarum rhizome

Research is considered axis of each progressing and scientific development. Scattered studies without any logical plan won’t lead to the desired results. Research prioritization in Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) is more necessary because of limited resources and manpower.This study was conducted in four phases with Delphi’s pattern of study. At the first stage, it was consulted from TIM departments at universities in Iran about research priorities. Conclusion of these priorities due to scoring to them was sent for 160 experts and assistants of traditional medicine, in two phases. For the last step, results of previous steps and conclusion of two phases of scoring were reviewed by the outstanding masters of TIM. The result was categorized, concluded and then presented in table form.81 topics were determined as research priorities after the conclusion of all comments. These topics are categorized in 4 areas. 3 topics in the area of “Hefz-al-Sehhah” (Maintaining the health), 12 subject in the area of “effective factors on sustainable development of Traditional Medicine”, 3 topics in “Basics of TIM “ and 65 subjects in the field of “diseases”.It is proposed that the arrangement of research priorities be considered in “Hefz-al-Sehhah”, “effective factors on sustainable development of Traditional Medicine”, “Basics of TIM” and “diseases” consequently. We recommend that research groups in the proposed areas to be formed, designing a research strategy for each area by sequential studies to achieve definite goals. It is suggested that research policy-making entities in the field of TIM and also related scientific associations, use these research priorities as the basis for moral and financial support.

The information about herbs’ medicinal properties is ample in traditional manuscripts, some of which are of value even in modern medicine. However, it is not usually easy to put it into practice. Identifying traditional herbs and determining their scientific names are very challenging, calling for many ethnopharmacological studies. One significant herb in traditional medicine is stoechas. Its medical properties are found in traditional manuscripts, but the true origin of the herb is not yet known. This study followed the origin of stoechas through history, from ancient Rome to the conquered lands of Islam in Spain, from North Africa to India, to find its trace in various civilizations, including their traditional medicines. The results showed that the stoechas mentioned in Dioscorides and Pliny’s books was referred to as Lavandula stoechas. This herb was prescribed in Persia for centuries as an imported drug, and the Arabicized/Persianized name, osṭoḵūdūs, was used for it. Several herbs have been used as stoechas due to a variety of reasons: mistranslation, miscategorization, and substitution/adulteration; the herbs were Woodfordia fruticosa (India, 11th cent.), Rosmarinus officialis (North Africa, 13th cent. Northern Iran, 17th cent.). Around 100 years ago, L. stoechas was substituted by L. dentata and around 50 years ago, it was substituted by Nepeta menthoides in herbal markets of Iran. All of these herbs were sold as stoechas because of its similar medicinal effects as well as its similar appearance. Some information about its effects is documented in various manuscripts; yet few proper studies have conducted to test them.

Introduction: Oxidative stress and carbonyl stress have essential mediatory roles in the development of diabetes and its related complications through increasing free radicals production and impairing antioxidant defense systems. Different chemical and natural compounds have been suggested for decreasing such disorders associated with diabetes. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the protective effects of Cucumis sativus (C. sativus) fruit (cucumber) in oxidative and carbonyl stress models. These diabetes-related models with overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive carbonyl species (RCS) simulate conditions observed in chronic hyperglycemia. Methods: Cytotoxicity induced by cumene hydroperoxide (oxidative stress model) or glyoxal (carbonyl stress model) were measured and the protective effects of C. sativus were evaluated using freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. Results: Aqueous extract of C. sativus fruit (40 μg/mL) prevented all cytotoxicity markers in both the oxidative and carbonyl stress models including cell lysis, ROS formation, membrane lipid peroxidation, depletion of glutathione, mitochondrial membrane potential decline, lysosomal labialization, and proteolysis. The extract also protected hepatocytes from protein carbonylation induced by glyoxal. Our results indicated that C. sativus is able to prevent oxidative stress and carbonyl stress in the isolated hepatocytes. Conclusion: It can be concluded that C. sativus has protective effects in diabetes complications and can be considered a safe and suitable candidate for decreasing the oxidative stress and carbonyl stress that is typically observed in diabetes mellitus.

Objective: One of the most common global disorders is related to gastrointestinal system. Functional dyspepsia (FD) defined as upper abdominal pain and discomfort in the absence of organic ailments is a prevalent disease without any confirmed medication. The purpose of this study was to find gastric disorders which might be coincidental to FD based on traditional Persian medicine (TPM). Materials and Methods: We searched the main textbooks of TPM including Al-Havi (by Rhazes), Canon of medicine (by Avicenna), ZakhireKhawrazmshahi (by Ismail Jorjani), Moalijat-e Aghili and Makhzan Al-adviya (by Mohammad Hosein AghiliShirazi), and ExirAzam (by Hakim Azam Khan). Also, we searched Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Medline, scientific information database (SID), Iranmedex and Google Scholar from 1980 to 1 August 2014 for dyspepsia, gastrointestinal disease, traditional Persian medicine, and gastric dystemperaments. Results: There is no equivalent term for FD in traditional Persian medicine although similar signs and symptoms are visible in terms like simple cold dystemperament of stomach, indigestion, and digestion debility in TPM sources. Some treatments mentioned in TPM have shown promising results in the current experimental tests. Conclusion: Finding these similarities in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) textbooks may lead to discovering new remedies for this widespread disease.

Abstract Introduction: human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) throughout the world. The incidence of HPV has been increasing over recent years. Since scant information has been reported on the prevalence of HPV and its related risk factors in Yazd province, the present study aimed to evaluate effects of demographic characteristics as well as the risk factors associated with HPV in Yazd province, Iran. Materials & Methods: A total of 119 patients with genital warts entered this case series, who referred to Shahid Sadoughi hospital. Demographic information and productivity factors were collected using some questionnaires. Results: The mean age of the patients was (32.9) that most of the infected were between the ages of 31 to 35. Approximately, 58.8% of the patients started sex under the age of 20, and only 5% of the patients had more than one sex partner. Besides, almost 8 .4% of the participants were infected with other STDs. In 87.4% of cases, the diagnosis of genital warts is first appear in woman then their sex partner, and % 61.3 of the patients chose vaccination. Conclusion: The findings of the current study revealed that HPV is more prevalent within young adults, in particular those who are sexually active. As a result, further research seems to be demanded in regard with sexual health, relationship training, as well as HPV vaccines such as Gardasil for high-risk people.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs driven by T cell activation. Viola tricolor L. as a traditional medical herb could suppress activated T lymphocytes and has been used empirically for asthma remedy. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of Viola tricolor and its underlying mechanism on asthma characteristics induced by ovalbumin (OVA) in mice. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups: normal control, Ovalbumin (OVA) control, OVA mice treated with Viola tricolor (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (3 mg/kg). All mice except normal controls were sensitized and challenged with OVA. Asthmatic mice were treated orally in the last 7 days of OVA challenge. The total and differential leukocyte counts, Interleukin (IL)-4 and interferon (IFN)-γ levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined. H and E staining for lung inflammation was performed. Viola tricolor treatment at 200 mg/kg significantly decreased IL-4 level but did not considerably affect the IFN-γ level. Therefore, it effectively reduced asthma characteristics including infiltration of leukocytes particularly eosinophil and peribronchial inflammation as compared to dexamethasone. However, Viola tricolor at 100 mg/kg had the most prominent inhibitory effect on the IL-4 level and also markedly increased IFN-γ level. As result, it prevented further reduction of inflammatory parameters in this group compared to the Viola tricolor-treated group at 200 mg/kg. Our study demonstrated that Viola tricolor has anti-inflammatory effects via inhibition of T-helper type 2 (Th2) cytokine production and validated its empirical usage in traditional medicine.

Hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP) caused by resistant microorganisms is one of the common reasons of mortality in hospitalized patients, which causes many complications and costs. In addition, nutritional support of a patient with pneumonia is very important. In this article, we present a case of pneumonia in which the therapeutic and nutritional instructions of Persian Medicine (PM) saved a patient’s life. The patient suffered from multiple trauma, affected by HAP during hospitalization. He was treated with a variety of broad-spectrum antibiotics for 9 days, but no improvement in the fever and respiratory state was observed, and eventually he was intubated and transferred to the ICU. Due to lack of improvement, he was treated with PM. One day after starting the treatment with PM, fever was reduced and was discontinued the following day. Three days later, the respiratory state improved and the chest X-ray was normal. Eventually, after 6 days the patient was discharged from the ICU. Before starting the PM orders, despite the administration of multiple antibiotics, due to the lack of proper diet, there was no satisfactory response to treatment. The therapeutic approach of PM began with diet modification and improvement of the patient's digestive system and simultaneously benefited from herbal medicines to improve the patient's pulmonary status. The therapeutic methods of PM with special attention to temperament and the individual type of treatment and nutrition can be useful in many cases where conventional therapies do not improve the complications of the disease.

Background: Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is potentially a sight-threatening infection and its treatment is challenging. This is mainly due to presence of resistant cyst form. Indeed, cysts are highly resistant to current available drugs. Chemical drugs are toxic to human keratocytes. It should also be mentioned that most available anti-Acanthamoeba drugs are poorly cysticidal, In Iran and worldwide, AK cases continue to rise and therefore, novel effective drugs are urgently needed for the treatment of AK.Materials and Methods: In the present study, the in vitro activity of serial dilutions (10, 15, 20 and 25 mg/mL) of chloroformic fractions including primary chloroformic fraction (minimum amount of chloroform), middle chloroformic fraction and remaining chloroformic fraction (most amount of chloroform) of Trigonella foenum graecum seed were evaluated against Acanthamoeba trophozoites and cysts. Cytotoxic assay of fractions at different concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 mg/ml) of test material was identified on mice Macrophage cells using MTT method.Results: The obtained results revealed that the tested fractions presented anti-amoebic activities in a time and dose dependent cycle. Anti-Acanthamoeba activity of remaining chloroformic fraction was more than other fractions. Trophozoites/cysts were eliminated when incubated with 15 and 20 mg/ml concentrations of remaining chloroformic fraction after 24 hours. Viability of macrophage cells was noted 100 % with 25 and 50 mg/ml concentration of remaining chloroformic fraction. Our results indicate that the plant fractions are safe for mammalian cells.Conclusion: Further studies should be performed in order to detect the active chemical compounds which could be used for the development of novel therapeutic approaches against Acanthamoeba infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the activity of chloroformic fractions of Trigonella foenum graecum (seed) against Acanthamoeba spp.