[Safety and efficacy of processed citrullus colocynthis L. fruit in treatment of hyperlipidemic type two diabetic patients: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial]

Due to high prevalence of diabetes with hyperlipidemia and associated high risk of cardiovascular disease, much interest exists for safe medications including medicinal plants. Considering traditional use of Citrullus colocynthis L. [C. colocynthis] for treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia despite toxicity, clinical evaluation of safety and efficacy of the processed C. colocynthis fruit is necessary. In this clinical trial the safety and efficacy of the processed C. colocynthis fruit in hyperlipidemic type II diabetic patients were evaluated. 60 hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients were randomly allocated to C. colocynthis and placebo groups, but only 28 patients in each group completed the study. The patients in C. colocynthis and placebo groups were treated with processed C. colocynthis [100 mg] and placebo capsules [100 mg] three times a day respectively for 1 month. The fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglyceride levels as primary outcome and aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and creatinine levels as secondary outcome were measured in both groups at the baseline and the endpoint. In the C. colocynthis group fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and LDL levels were significantly reduced at the endpoint compared with the baseline. There were no significant changes in any blood parameters in C. colocynthis group compared with placebo at the endpoint. There were no gastrointestinal, liver and kidney function adverse effects during the study in both groups. The results suggest that processed C. colocynthis fruit extract may be a safe anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypercholesterolemic agent in hyperlipidemic type II diabetic patients

Causes of new cases of major thalassemia in Sistan and Balouchistan province in South-East of Iran

Thalassemia is the most common monogenic disease in South-East of Iran. Despite the 70% reduction in Iranian thalassemia cases after thalassemia control comprehensive program, 601 affected babies were born in Sistan and Balouchistan Province, Iran from 2002 to 2010, so this study aims at investigating the causes of new thalassemia cases. Data from this retrospective cross-sectional study was collected through interviews and information in the patients' hospital records. Data revealed that 52.4% of fathers and 78.4% of mothers of thalassemic children had elementary education or less. In addition, 78.6% of the couples did not undergo premarital screening for thalassemia and 71.2% of the couples were not notified of their own minor thalassemia until a child was born with major thalassemia. Of the diagnosed minor couples, about 25% did PND and the others did not carry out because mothers were unaware of proper gestational age and of the importance of this issue, financial problems, and the husbands' disagreement to take the tests. Moreover, 16 mothers, in spite of being diagnosed of having a major fetus, refused to terminate the pregnancy. The most preventable causes for affected births include couples' unawareness of being minor and unawares of the PND importance and process

[Lack of knowledge of being minor thalasemic is the main cause of major thalassemia incidence in Zahedan, the South-East of Iran]

Introduction: In spite of providing prenatal diagnoses [PND] procedures for Thalassemia, 148 new patients were added to the Thalassemic population of Zahedan from 2002 to 2010. This study aimed at identifying the occurrence causes of newly arrived Thalassemic patients

Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was carried out on 148 couples whose Thalassemic children were born after establishment of the PND center at 2002. The required data were collected using interviews and hospital records of the patients

Results: The results indicated that 81.6% of the parents of major cases had not undergone pre-marriage Thalassemia screening test. Also, 70.2% of the couples were not aware of their minor Thalassemia before having a Thalassemic child. Moreover, 71% of parents who had been diagnosed with minor Thallasemia did not attend the PND center due to lack of knowledge, late gestational age, husband's unwillingness, and lack of awareness about the importance of the problem. In addition, from the referred couples in the first stage, 50% did not come to the centre for second stage of diagnosis [sampling of the fetus] due to religious beliefs, husband's unwillingness, and mothers' ignorance

Conclusion: The results showed that the most important causes of new occurrences of Thalassemia include couples' refraining from taking pre-marriage Thalassemia screening tests and lack of knowledge about being minor thalassemic. Therefore, appropriate programs may hopefully reduce the new cases

[Effect of aqueous extract of olive leaf on serum glucose and lipids in diabetic rats]

Diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects 6.6% of the population, approximately 3 million people, in Iran; for many years, the usage of therapeutic herbal medicine has been common in Iran. In the present study, the effects of an olive leaf liquid extract on blood levels of glucose and lipids have been studied in a rat model. Twenty-four adult male Wistar strain rats [200-250g] were divided randomly into three groups [experimental, diabetic and non diabetic controls], and housed in single cages. Diabetes was induced with injection of Stereptozocine [60 mg/kg, i.p.] and the control group was given an injection of normal saline. The experimental group received aqueous extract of olive leave [750 mg/kg] intra gastric for four weeks. Finally, blood samples were taken and measured for glucose and lipids levels. Administration of olive leaf extract caused a significant decrease in blood levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides [P<0.01], whereas an increase in HDL-C levels was seen [P<0.05], with no significant changes in LDL-C values in diabetic rats. It appears that olives plant extract can have significant effects on various blood glucose and lipids in diabetic rats, although further work is needed to elucidate the extent and mechanism of these changes