The healing effects of herbal preparations from Sambucus ebulus and Urtica dioica in full-thickness wound models

Objective To investigate the healing effects of two herbal preparations. Methods For this purpose, 106 wistar rats were divided into 9 groups including a control, eucerine, phenytoin, Urtica dioica (U. dioica) (2%), U. dioica (5%), Sambucus ebulus (S. ebulus) (2%), S. ebulus (5%), combination (2%), and combination (5%) groups. The control group remained untreated, the eucerin and phenytoin groups were considered as the negative and positive controls respectively, and the remaining groups received different concentrations of the ointments. Full thickness wounds were made. The healing process of the wounds was investigated on day 7, 14 and 21 of the experiment. Several factors including the number of fibroblasts, new vessel formation (angiogenesis), thickness of the granulomatous tissues (GT), and the overlying epithelium were analyzed. Results Among the studied groups, all of the treatment groups were significantly different from the control, eucerin, and phenytoin groups in a positive manner with regard to all studied factors (P ≤ 0.05). However, the best results were observed with the S. ebulus (2%) and the combination 2% groups (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions Topical ointments prepared from the extracts of U. dioica and S. ebulus and their combination possess strong wound healing properties. It is postulated that a synergistic effect may exist between the two extracts since the combination 2% showed better results than the sole extracts.

Comparison of post-operative neurological complications between on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery

To assess neurological impairment after the off-pump and On-pump techniques in patients with first-time isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery. One hundred twenty patients undergoing first-time isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery prospectively at Baqiatallah University Hospital, Tehran, Iran were randomised to the off-pump or on-pump technique. Change in NIHSS score was measured at 30 days postoperatively. The on-pump group showed a significantly greater deterioration in scores than the off-pump group. The incidence of TIA at 30 days postoperatively was 15.3% [9 out of 60] in the on-pump group and 5% [3 out of 60] in the off-pump group. [P=0.05]. The incidence of Stroke at 30 days postoperatively was 3.4% [2 out of 60] in the off-pump group, while no one from off-pump group suffered from stroke. [P=0.05] Off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery results in less neurological impairment than the on-pump technique

Detection of surviving gene expression in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of human osteosarcoma: its potential usefulness in diagnosis and prognosis of bone tumors

Osteosarcoma is a relatively uncommon malignancy; however, it is the most common form of primary malignant bone tumors in human. Diagnosis and prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma is limited to clinico-radiopathological parameters, whereas molecular markers of tumor aggression have been poorly identified. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis [IAP], is unique for its expression in human tumors and fetal tissues but not in non-dividing normal adult cells. It mediates suppression of apoptosis in many cancers including bone tumors, and plays a role in tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance. In the present study, the expression of survivin was evaluated by hemi-nested RT-PCR for amplifiable mRNA extracted from 23 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded [FFPE] specimens of high-grade osteosarcoma as well as 8 non-tumoral bone tissues. Beta2-microglobulin [Beta2m] gene expression was also evaluated, and used as an internal control. Survivin gene expression was detected in 82.6% [19/23] of high-grade osteosarcomas. In contrast, there was no gene expression in non-tumoral bone samples as well as the normal tissues obtained from the margin of some osteosarcoma samples. In conclusion, our data revealed that the expression of survivin is limited to osteosarcoma cells and associated with high-grade malignancies. Therefore, evaluating surviving gene expression might have a potential usefulness in diagnosis and prognosis of bone tumors