Topical simvastatin enhances tissue regeneration in full-thickness skin wounds in rat models

Wounds and wound healing have always been one of the most important subjects that experimental researches were dedicated to. Simvastatin has been used for long as a common lipid lowering agent which was reported to have some pleiotropic effects such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation and immunomodulation. In this study we aimed to determine the effect of simvastatin on wound healing process in laboratory rats by means of stereological and histopathological analyses. 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats [220 +/- 20 g] with a 1 cm[2] circular full-thickness wound on their back were divided into three groups: SS group that received a gel with 2% concentration of simvastatin; UW group that received no treatment but daily irrigation with normal saline; Base group that was treated with the gel base. Duration of the study was 12 days and at the end, wound closure rate, grade of inflammation, granulation-tissue formation, ulceration, epithelization, fibroblast proliferation, collagen-bundles synthesis, and vascularization were determined. Outcome of this study revealed that Simvastatin improves the wound healing by its anti-inflammatory and epithelization induction effect as well as statistically significant induction of fibroblast proliferation and collagen bundle synthesis which were reported by our stereological and histopathological investigations. Results of the present study demonstrated that topical Simvastatin enhances the wound healing process through affecting different aspects of tissue regeneration; however, further researches are needed to find the exact mechanism, advantages and disadvantages of this chemical agent

effects of oltipraz on tissue regeneration in the process of wound healing: a stereological study

Objective: To determine the effects of topical administration of 20% oltipraz solution on histomorphometrical and stereological aspects of skin tissue in full thickness skin wounds in laboratory rats

Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar portion rats [220 +/- 20 g] were randomly divided into three groups [n=12]. On the first day of experimentation, a 1-cm2 circular wound was made on the posterior surface of neck in all rats by removing a full thickness skin piece immediately after induction of anesthesia with ether inhalation. One group was treated with vehicle solution [DMSO alone]. The second group was treated daily with 20% oltipraz solution, and the third group, the control group, received no treatment. The wound closure rate was estimated our previously described method. The volume density of collagen bundles, vessels, and hair follicles, the vessels' length density, mean diameter of vessels and also fibroblast population were estimated by using stereological methods

Results: The oltipraz group indicated a significantly higher improvement [6.26% of the wound surface per day] than control and the vehicle treated groups [p=0.032]; furthermore, there was inconsiderable difference between the rate of wound closure in the group treated with vehicle [4.93% per day] and the control group [4.43% per day]

Conclusion: Oltipraz has positive influence on fibroblast proliferation and re-epithelization. A noticeable observation in our study was absence of scar formation in wounds which were treated by oltipraz and can be mentioned as an advantage of this drug

Investigation of the relationship between retinol binding protein 4, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in Iranian obese 5-17 year old children

Retinol-binding protein 4 [RBP4] has recently been reported to be associated with insulin resistance [IR] and the metabolic syndrome by a number of researchers in various populations. However, controversies are present among different studies, which might be due to the differences between various ethnic, age, and sex groups. This study aimed to determine whether RBP4 can be assumed as a marker of IR and the metabolic syndrome in the Iranian obese children. In the present longitudinal cross-sectional study, 100 5-17 years old obese children were recruited from January 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012. The patients' information including the demographic variables, health status and behavior, and daily physical activity were collected. Moreover, serum RBP4 was measured and correlated with the homeostasis model assessment of IR index [HOMA-IR], components of the metabolic syndrome, and lipoprotein metabolism. The results revealed a positively significant correlation between RBP4 and the HOMA-IR index [P=0.02]. Partial Spearman test also revealed a significant correlation between RBP4 plasma concentrations and the components of the metabolic syndrome, including waist circumference, systolic [but not diastolic] blood-pressure, and fasting blood sugar [P<0.05]. However, no significant correlation was observed between RBP4 and HDL [P=0.3] as well as triglycerides concentration [P=0.1]. Moreover, plasma RBP4 level gradually increased with the increasing number of the metabolic syndrome components. Regarding the results of the present study and previous investigations, RBP4 seems to be a suggestible predictive marker for both insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in Iranian obese children; however, further studies are needed to be conducted among different ethnicities and age groups in order to determine the predictive value of this correlation

Investigating the efficacy of zizyphus jujuba on neonatal jaundice

Neonatal jaundice is a common clinical finding in newborns. The efficacy and safety of phototherapy for neonatal jaundice have been firmly established, but it has some side effects, thus herbal therapy has recently received special attention. Herein we investigated the efficacy of Zizyphus jujuba for treatment of jaundice in neonates compared to phototherapy. In this clinical-trial study, a total of 121 neonates aged 2-14 days hospitalized for jaundice, were randomly assigned into experimental group including 63 patients who received Zizyphus jujuba's fruit extract 1ml/Kg 3 times a day and phototherapy, and control group of 58 cases receiving phototherapy with distilled water. Bilirubin level during hospitalization in both groups was measured daily. Experimental group stayed in hospital for 3.47 +/- 0.3 days. None of the neonates in this group was hospitalized more than 7 days. In controls, hospitalization was 3.67 +/- 0.4 days. 2 cases stayed more than 7days. The bilirubin level had decreased in both groups. Decrease of serum bilirubin in experimental group after 12 hours was statistically significant compared to control group [P=0.026]. In experimental group, after taking the herb for 1-2 days, 3 children developed slight diarrhea which resolved spontaneously. The results indicate that Zizyphus jujuba was effective for the treatment of neonatal jaundice in first 12 hours of treatment compared to controls which could be due to higher effect of Z. jujuba extract to reduce bilirubin concentration with different mechanisms