[The effect of Althaea officinalis.L root alcoholic extract on blood sugar level and lipid profiles of streptozotocin induced-diabetic rats]

Introduction: Althaea officinalis is listed among potential anti-diabetic herbal medicines. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the alcoholic extract of Althaea officinalis root on lowering blood sugar and lipid profiles in the treatment of type I diabetes

Materials and Methods: Seventy male Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups [n=10 each] as follows: Non-diabetic control, sham receiving normal saline [NS], and the diabetic control groups, which received extract of Althaea officinalis at doses of 200, 400, 800 mg/kg body weight respectively through gastric gavage and glibenclamide 5 mg/kg, for a period of 4 weeks. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin [STZ] [60 mg/kg body weight]

Results: The hydroalcoholic extract of Althaea officinalis significantly decreased blood glucose levels [P<0.05] in diabetic rats treated, at all doses [200, 400, 800 mg/kg]. Significant improvement was also observed in dyslipidemia [p<0.05], caused by diabetes mellitus, as confirmed by reduced levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and significantly elevated levels of HDL. Fasting blood glucose levels of glibenclamide treated rats 200 mg/kg doses of the extract were significantly lower than those in the diabetic control group [P<0.05]. However levels of fasting blood glucose in the group treated with 400, 800 mg/kg doses of the extract had no significant difference, as compared to the group treated with glibenclamide [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Results of this study discovered significant hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects for the extract of Althaea officinalis in Wistar rats

[ effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis .L on the level of renal function and liver enzymes in diabetic rats]

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is associated with a wide range of kidney and liver disorders. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of alcoholic extract of aerial parts of Melissa officinalis on indicators of liver function and kidney in diabetic rats

Materials and Methods:Thirtyfive wistar rats were divided into 5 groups [n=7 each] as follows: Control, diabetic control and three diabetic groups, which received alcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis at doses of 100, 200 mg/kg body weight respectively through gastric gavage and glibenclamide 10 mg/ kg, for a period of 3 weeks. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin [STZ]. At the end of this period [21 days], blood samples were collected for measurement of liver enzymes and factors for data analysis

Results: Amounts of enzyme levels of alanine transaminase [ALT] and aspartate aminotransferase [AST] in the group treated with the extract, compared to the diabetic control group showed no significant changes, whereas serum levels of alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and gamma glutamyl transferase [GGT] were significantly reduced [P<0.05], which declined most in the group receiving the minimum dose of the extract. Serum creatinine and urea in the group receiving the highest dose showed a significant decrease compared to other groups [P<0.05]

Conclusion: The extract Melissa officinalis with lower levels of liver enzymes, particularly ALP and GGT and renal markers, urea and creatinine was effective in improving liver function and treatment of diseases of the liver and kidneys

comparative study of hypolipidemic activities of the extracts of Melissa officinalis and Berberis vulgaris in rats

Hyperlipidemia is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by an excess of lipids in the bloodstream. Given previous studies on barberry and Melissa officinalis extracts, this study aims at comparing hypolipidemic activities of Melissa officiizalis extract and Berberis vulgaris. For the purpose of this study, 64 Wistar rats were selected and divided into 8 groups [n=8]. The control group was administered with ordinary diet; the sham group was administered with high-fat diet and intraperitoneally 0.2 ml/dl of the extract solvent [normal saline]; and similarly, experimental groups received minimal, moderate and maximum dosages of barberry and Melissa officinalis extracts. The treatment groups was given high-fat diet for 21 days. After this period, blood samples were taken and the gathered data were analyzed using SPSS software. The amount of cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL were increased in the model group compared to the control group, whereas the same substances were decreased significantly in the group receiving the extract compared to the model group [p<0.05]. Hypolipidemic properties of alcohol extracts of Melissa officinalis are more effective than those of Berberis vulgaris. Moreover, it should be noted that it is rather the antioxidant properties of Melissa officinalis and their effects on the increase in thyroid hormones as well as the presence of alkaloid compounds, such as berberine in Berberis vulgaris, that inhibits cholesterol synthesis and enables its excretion

[ experimental study of the effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of Chelidonium majus on liver function tests and renal in rats with hypercholesterolemia]

The People believe that herbal medicines are not toxic, but the toxicity of these drugs are reported to be seen. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate hepatic and renal toxicity is Chelidonium majus hydroalcoholic extract. In this study, 35 male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups [n=7], control group with normal diet and sham group with fat diet and experimental groups of animals hpercholesterolemia that received the minimum dose of 100, averaged 200 and maximum dose of 300 mg/kg hydroalcoholic extract Chelidonium majus [that collected from farms in the North of the country] by gavage. After this Period [21 days], blood samples were drawn and levels of liver alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline Phosphatase [ALP], albumin and total Protein as well as renal creatinine and blood urea nitrogen [BUN] were measured. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 17. The ALT was not seen any significant changes between the groups treated with the extract. AST, albumin, total Protein and creatinine increased, but the amount of ALP decreased significantly in high dose of extract. BUN in groups receiving the at least extract dose was not any significant changes compared to the control group but Cholesterol had a decreased significant changes at same dose compared to the control group [p<0.05]. Since the amount of AST, albumin and creatinine extract the maximum dose is increased, especially at doses appear to extract Chelidonium majus have high toxic effects on the liver and kidneys

Rhazes' prescriptions in treatment of Gout

Among the diseases that clinicians deal with, few do have a documented medical history that can be traced back to several centuries ago. A careful study of Rhazes' Treatments on Gout reveals a lot about the nature and therapy of gout. We managed to study the perceptions about pathogenesis, symptomatology, diagnosis, and treatment of gout that have changed over time. We also discussed some of the past and present fallacies regarding this disease. Rhazes provided a detailed description on the vital role of genetics and the relationship between the development of gout, an indulgent way of living, and tophi at a period of time between 1st and 6th centuries AD. This study showed that the findings of Rhazes about treatments of gout were consonant with modern medical theories

Total phenol, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of the essential oil and extracts of ferulago angulata ssp. angulata

In recent years, plants natural products have gained considerable attention as natural preservers for use in different industries. Due to their free radical scavenging activities, phenolic compounds can prevent a wide range of diseases such as cancers and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. For a long time, different Ferulago species have been in use as medicinal plants worldwide. The aim of this research was to investigate total phenolics and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of essential oil and different extracts from F. angulata growing wild in Iran. Antioxidant activity of our samples was examined by DPPH assay and their phenolic content was determined using the Folin - Ciocalteau method. Moreover, their inhibitory effects against five gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria including Shigella boidii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis were tested by using the disk diffusion method. Ethyl acetate fraction and methanol extract contained the highest levels of phenolic compounds [229.2 and 202.9 micro g/mg galic acid] in this study. Also, essential oil of this plant exhibited low free radical scavenging activity [IC[50]= 36129.43micro g/ml]. On the other hand, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions had the highest antioxidant activity [IC[50] values of 20.153 and 28.28 micro g/ml, respectively]. Finally, studied samples had no significant antibacterial activities against tested organisms. The essential oil of this plant can be used as a flavoring agent while extracts prepared from it have the potential to be used as natural antioxidants in relevant industries