ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the possible involvement of programmed cell death strategy in hydatid cyst protoscolices following treatment with Myrtus communis (M. communis) as an herbal medicine.@*METHODS@#Protoscolices were aseptically collected from sheep liver hydatid cysts. Evaluating the effect of M. communis extract on programmed cell death and increased activity of caspases 3, 8, and 9 in hydatid cyst protoscolices was conducted by treating the protoscolices with different concentration (5, 50, and 100 mg/mL) of M. communis extract at 37 °C and 5% CO for 4 h by using the Bradford test and ELISA commercial kits.@*RESULTS@#The extract of M. communis at all concentrations led to initiation of programmed cell death in protoscolices and this effect, was only significant at 50 and 100 mg/mL concentrations, compared to the negative control (P < 0.05). Also, the activity of caspases 3, 8, and 9 in hydatid cyst protoscolices, was shown that the extract at all 3 concentrations could only increase the activity of caspases 3 and 9. Moreover, a significant increase in the activity of caspase 3 was only observed at concentrations 50 and 100 mg/mL by 37.00% and 66.19% while a significant increase in the activity of caspase 9 at the same concentrations was observed by 20.89% and 63.67%, respectively (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The extract of M. communis at different concentrations could increase the activity of caspases 3 and 9 and caused programmed cell death in hydatid cyst protoscolices however, this effect was significant at high concentrations of the extract.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the possible involvement of programmed cell death strategy in hydatid cyst protoscolices following treatment with Myrtus communis (M. communis) as an herbal medicine. Methods Protoscolices were aseptically collected from sheep liver hydatid cysts. Evaluating the effect of M. communis extract on programmed cell death and increased activity of caspases 3, 8, and 9 in hydatid cyst protoscolices was conducted by treating the protoscolices with different concentration (5, 50, and 100 mg/mL) of M. communis extract at 37 °C and 5% CO
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the scolicidal and immunomodulatory effect of the Ziziphora tenuior (Z. tenuior) extract and its fractions.@*METHODS@#Protoscolices were treated with six concentrations (3, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/mL) of Z. tenuior extract and its fractions (ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform) in periods of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min, and viability of protoscolices was evaluated using the 1.0% eosin. To examine the immunomodulatory effects of Ziziphora and its fractions on macrophage cells, the non-toxic concentration of extract and different fractions determined by MTT assay, and the Griess reaction was used to measure the level of nitrite as an indicator of nitric oxide by the macrophage cells in 10, 100 and 200 μg/mL in 24 h at 37 °C.@*RESULTS@#In this study, the Z. tenuior extract at 10 mg/mL concentration was able to kill all protoscolices during 20 min. By increasing the concentration to 25 mg/mL, the scolicidal time reduced to 10 min. Regarding the effect of different fractions of Z. tenuior, the ethanolic fraction showed the highest scolicidal activity. The extract demonstrated an inhibitory effect on the activity of macrophages and reduced nitric oxide production. Although the petroleum ether and ethanolic fractions of the extract reduced nitric oxide production, nevertheless, this effect was only significant at 10 and 100 μg/mL concentrations (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The Z. tenuior extract and its fractions were effective against protoscolices yet the effect of total extract was considerable. Our findings indicates that the extract and its ethanolic and petroleum ether fractions could have anti-inflammatory properties.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the scolicidal and immunomodulatory effect of the Ziziphora tenuior (Z. tenuior) extract and its fractions. Methods Protoscolices were treated with six concentrations (3, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/mL) of Z. tenuior extract and its fractions (ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform) in periods of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min, and viability of protoscolices was evaluated using the 1.0% eosin. To examine the immunomodulatory effects of Ziziphora and its fractions on macrophage cells, the non-toxic concentration of extract and different fractions determined by MTT assay, and the Griess reaction was used to measure the level of nitrite as an indicator of nitric oxide by the macrophage cells in 10, 100 and 200 μg/mL in 24 h at 37 °C. Results In this study, the Z. tenuior extract at 10 mg/mL concentration was able to kill all protoscolices during 20 min. By increasing the concentration to 25 mg/mL, the scolicidal time reduced to 10 min. Regarding the effect of different fractions of Z. tenuior, the ethanolic fraction showed the highest scolicidal activity. The extract demonstrated an inhibitory effect on the activity of macrophages and reduced nitric oxide production. Although the petroleum ether and ethanolic fractions of the extract reduced nitric oxide production, nevertheless, this effect was only significant at 10 and 100 μg/mL concentrations (P < 0.05). Conclusion The Z. tenuior extract and its fractions were effective against protoscolices yet the effect of total extract was considerable. Our findings indicates that the extract and its ethanolic and petroleum ether fractions could have anti-inflammatory properties.
ABSTRACT
Diabetes is a common metabolic disease in the world that has many adverse effects. Olibanum gum resin [from trees of the genus Boswellia] has traditionally been used in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes. The aim of this study was the comparison of Olibanum gum resin effect with placebo on the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Inclusion criteria was diabetic patients with fasting blood sugar [FBS] =140-200 mg/dL. This study has been designed as double-blined clinical trial on 71 patients with type 2 diabetes and the patients randomly were divided to interventional and placebo groups. The patients on standard anti-diabetic therapy [metformin] treated with Olibanum gum resin [400 mg caps] and placebo tow times per day for 12 weeks, respectively. At the end of 12 weeks the FBS, HbA1c, Insulin, total Cholesterol [Chol], LDL, Triglyceride [TG], HDL and other parameters were measured. The Olibanum gum resin lowered the FBS, HbA1c, Insulin, Chol, LDL and TG levels significantly [p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.003, p 0.05] compared with the placebo at the endpoint. Moreover, this plant showed anti-oxidant effect and also no adverse effects were reported. The results suggest that Olibanum gum resin could be used as a safe anti-oxidant, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic agent for type 2 diabetic patients
ABSTRACT
Many species belonging to the Scrophularia genus have been used since ancient times as folk remedies for many medical conditions such as scrofulas, scabies, tumors, eczema, psoriasis, inflammations. The aim of this study was to characterize the matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs] inhibitor compounds of the Scrophularia striata extract by bio-guide fractionation. The aerial parts of S. striata were collected and different extracts were sequentially prepared with increasingly polar solvents. The MMPs inhibitory activity of the crude extract and its fractions were evaluated by the Zymoanalysis method. The pure compounds were purified from the active fraction by chromatography methods. Chemical structures were deduced by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Two active compounds [acteoside and nepitrin] were identified by bio-guide fractionation. The inhibitory effects of nepitrin and acteoside at 20 Micro g/ml were about 56 and 18 percent, respectivly. The inhibitory effects of acteoside at 80 Micro g/ml were increased to about 73 percent. In summary, the results suggest that nepitrin effectively inhibited MMPs inhibitory activity at low concentrations, whereas acteoside showed inhibition at high concentrations
ABSTRACT
The essential oils and aromatic water, known as Arak in traditional Iranian medicine, comes from the aerial part of Teucrium persicum Boiss., which is grown in Fars Province located in Iran. The samples were collected in summer and the oils and aromatic water were obtained through steam distillation. The chemical composition of the oils was analyzed using GC-MS. An analysis of the chemical profile of the isolated oils revealed the presence of more than 80 compounds, mainly oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The principal components of essential oil were alpha-cadinene [9.7%], 1,4-cadinadiene [9.2%] and alpha-terpinyl acetate [7.9%]. The major constituents in the Arak were determined to be linalool [10.4%], alpha-cadinene [7.5%] and gamma-terpineol [7.3%]. Most of the compounds identified from different oils were similar, but their amounts differed. The oil revealed a higher content of total phenolics than the Arak [1.71 +/- 0.12 mg GAE/g DW and 1.36 +/- 0.11 mg GAE/g DW, respectively]. The antioxidant activity of the oils was calculated by using a ferric reducing antioxidant power assay [FRAP], DPPH radical scavenging activity, and a reducing power assay [RP]. The FRAP value points to a considerably higher reducing power of essential oil [220 +/- 7.2 micromol Fe[2+]/g DW] compared to that of Arak [113 +/- 5.4 micromol Fe[2+]/g DW]. Essential oil exhibited higher radical scavenging potential [IC[50] = 0.29 mg/mL] than Arak [IC[50] = 4.19 mg/mL]. The reducing power of essential oil [51.7 +/- 4.3 microg BHA/g DW] was higher than that of Arak [34.1 +/- 2.7 microg BHA/g DW]. The studied essential oils showed good antioxidant activities, which were higher than those of Arak
ABSTRACT
A recent randomized clinical trial showed buspirone efficacy in the treatment of attentiondeficit/ hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] in children. However, results from a recent multi-site controlled clinical trial of transdermal buspirone failed to separate it from placebo in a large sample of children with ADHD. Therefore, due to these inconsistent findings, this study was designed to assess the efficacy of buspirone in the treatment of children with ADHD compared to methylphenidate in a double blind randomized clinical trial. Forty outpatients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ADHD were study population of this trial. Subjects were recruited from an outpatient child and adolescent clinic for a 6 week double blind, randomized clinical trial. All study subjects were randomly assigned to receive treatment using tablet of buspirone at a dose of 20-30 mg/day depending on weight [20 mg/day for < 30kg and 30 mg/day for > 30kg] [group 1] or methylphenidate at a dose of 20-30 mg/day depending on weight [20 mg/day for < 30kg and 30 mg/day for > 30kg [group 2] for a 6 week double blind, randomized clinical trial. The principal measure of outcome was the Teacher and Parent ADHD Rating Scale IV. Patients were assessed at baseline and at 21 and 42 days after the medication started. Significant differences were observed between the two groups on the Parent and Teacher Rating Scale scores. The changes at the endpoint compared to baseline were: -8.95 +/- 8.73 [mean +/- SD] and -15.60 +/- 7.81 [mean +/- SD] for buspirone and methyphenidate, for Parent ADHD Rating Scale. The changes at the endpoint compared to baseline were: -9.80 +/- 7.06 [mean +/- SD] and -22.40 +/- 9.90 [mean +/- SD] for buspirone and methyphenidate, respectively for Teacher ADHD Rating Scale. The difference between the buspirone and methylphenidate groups in the frequency of side effects was not significant except for decreased appetite, headache and insomnia that were observed more frequently in the methylphenidate group. The results of this study suggest that administration of buspirone was less effective than methylphenidate in the treatment of ADHD