[ effect of oral and intraperitoneal administration of acorus calamus l. extract on learning and memory in male rats]

Learning and memory impairment during aging mind have a disturbance role in human life. Regarding to the defect mechanisms for prevention or treatment of memory loss, the new strategies were recommended for study on it. Importance of herbal medicine treatment encouraged us to examine the effect of a candidate plant Acorus calamus for improvement of learning and memory. Male rats were randomly divided to control and treatment groups. In treatment group the plant were applied to animals in oral [plant/ food ratio =% 6.25] for two weeks and in injected groups the plant extract were applied [i.p] to rat in 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg]. Finally, all experimental animal groups were conducted to Y maze and shuttle box tests in order to obtain spatial recognition and acquisition - recalling data, respectively. The step through latency [STL] time resulted from oral and 100 mg/kg injected dose groups show a significant difference with control animals. Also, alternation behavior [%] obtained from Y maze test data was marked than control rats. The present study show that oral and intraperitoneal administration of the extract in higher dose could have increase spatial recognition and recalling the data

[Effect of barley [Hordeum vulgare l.] seed extract on fasting serum glucose level in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats]

diabetes mellitus and its related disorders are associated with significant burden on individuals and health care system. In Traditional Iranian Medicine [TIM] the consumption of barley products has been recommended for treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of oral barley seed aqueous extract on fasting serum glucose level and body weight of normal [non-diabetic] and Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Forty male wistar rats were randomly divided in to diabetic and non-diabetic group. Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg/kg Streptozotocin. After one week the diabetic group [fasting blood glucose more than 200 mg/dL] and non-diabetic group were randomly divided in to control group and barley seed extract group. Body weight and fasting serum glucose level were measured and compared among groups at 1[st], 3[rd] and 4[th] weeks of study. Significant reduction [p<0.05] of fasting serum glucose level was seen at 4[th] week of treatment with aqueous extract of barley seed in diabetic rats in comparison with diabetic control group. In non-diabetic group, significant reduction [p<0.05] of fasting serum glucose level was seen after one week treatment comparing to non-diabetic control group. No significant effect was detected on the body weight of diabetic and non-diabetic groups. The aqueous extract of barley seed significantly reduced serum glucose level after 4 weeks in diabetic and after 1 week in non-diabetic group. In non-diabetic rats this reduction was not continued after first week

Dose Trifolium pratense L. protect against development of fatty Streak in Coronary Arteries?

Phytoestrogens with a biological activity like estradiol are naturally found in many plants. This study was designed to investigate the effect of red clover [RC], a phytoestrogen-rich member of the legume family [Trifolium pratense L.] on the development of atherosclerosis in male hyperlipidemic rabbits. Twenty rabbits were semi-randomly distributed into four groups of five each. Two groups received either normal diet or normal diet supplemented with RC. Two other groups received similar diets to both of which 1% cholesterol was added. Dietary use of RC in hyperlipidemic rabbits significantly decreased C-reactive protein [CRP], triglyceride [TG], total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol [LDL-C] whereas, HDL - cholesterol [HDL-C] was significantly increased in those animals [p<0.05]. Fatty streak formation was also significantly lower in aorta and left and right coronary arteries in the same animals due to use of dietary RC supplementation. These findings suggest that dietary RC may reduce cardiovascular risk factors

effect citrullus colocynthis [L.] schrad. fruit on oxidative stress parameters in type II diabetic patients

Increased production of oxidative stress intamediates in chronic diabetic patients has been reported in several studies. A close relation between the treatment of diabetes and intensity intermediates of oxidative stress has been demonstrated. In the present study effects of Citrullus colocynthis fruit on oxidative stress intermediates in type II diabetic patients is investigated. 44 male and female type II diabetic patients were randomly allocated in two groups of 22 patients each. One group received 100 mg Citrullus colocynthis capsule and the other group received placebo 3 times a day plus standard therapy. The biochemical parameters such as glycosylated hemoglobin [HbAlc], fasting blood glucose, levels as well as oxidative parameters such as glutathione, superoxid dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde were determined at the beginning and the end of the study after two months. Result indicated a significant decrease in HbAlc and fasting blood glucose level in Citrullus colocynthis fruit treated patients after two months as compared to beginning of the treatment and also as compare to placebo group. The oxidative stress indicators such as glutathione, superoxid dismotase, catalase and malondialdehyde were not changed significantly in either group after two months of treatment. In type II diabetic patients Citrullus colocynthis fruit treatment improved glycemic profile but did not affect oxidative stress parameters

Antioxidant effect of Turmeric and saffron on the oxidation of hepatocytes, LDL and non-enzymatic glycation of hemoglobin

Free radicals especially reactive oxygen species are known as important factors, which by damage to biomolecules like DNA, proteins, membrane, enzymes and lipids produce pathological disorders. Lipid peroxidation of LDL particles and membranes of hepatocytes may be involved in the process of atherosclerosis and liver dysfunction respectively. Also non-enzymatic glycosylation of proteins is involved in the complication of diabetic patients. Due to oxidant/antioxidant imbalance, destructive effects of free radicals may appear over time. Therefore, an investigation about the antioxidant effects of some popular spices including curcuma longa and crocus sativus zeylanicum on three oxidative systems [LDL oxidation, oxidation of cell membranes of liver hepatocytes and non-enzymatic gly cation of hemoglobin] was done. Total extracts of the above-mentioned plants were obtained. Hepatocyte membranes of rat liver were selected as a sensitive system to peroxidation and in the vicinity of tert-butyl hydroperoxide [TBH] [1.5mM] as an oxidant agent, the amount of malondialdehyde [MDA] was measured in the presence and absence of plant extract as a lipid peroxidation marker. Also released Alanine Aspartate Aminofransterase [AST] was measured as a cell membrane damage marker due to peroxidation. Glycosylation changes of hemoglobin and LDL oxidation were evaluated in the presence and absence of extracts. The results showed that curcuma at a concentration of 10microg/ml inhibited MDA formation by 28.8% and AST released by 25.53%. Curcuma at a concentration of Ijug/ml inhibited hemoglobin glycosylation by 25.85%. It has a dose dependent effect at all concentration. Also the plant showed the most antioxidant effect on LDL oxidation at the concentration of microg/ml. Crocus at applied doses has no definite inhibitory effect on MDA and AST formation, [results not shown] but crocus has a minimal inhibitory effect on hemoglobin glycosylation and LDL oxidation. This study showed that curcuma at applied doses has an inhibitory effect on all three oxidative systems in mentioned diseases and probably would be important for prevention of atherosclerosis, diabetes and liver dysfunction. Crocus at the used concentration had not any effect on these oxidative systems