ABSTRACT
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
ABSTRACT
Rhizobacteria are specific group of soil microorganisms that aggressively colonize the rhizosphere and rhizoplane, and substantially improve plant growth and efficiency via direct or indirect mechanisms. To investigate the growth promoting effects of rhizobacteria strains on cuttings growth and variations of essential oils content and yield in Salvia officinalis. In this research, different rhizobacteria including Pseudomonas putida [strains 41 and 159] and fluorescence [strain 23] with different growth promoting characteristics was used first on stem cuttings and later on aerial parts of S. officinalis L. [with final concentration of 109 CFU/ml]. The essential oils were isolated from aerial parts of the plants by hydro-distillation method and then subjected to GC and GC-MS apparatus to determine the oil constituents. Results showed that the dry weight of above and below ground parts of plants were increased in response to employed rhizobacteria inoculation. The highest root and leaf dry weight were observed in plants treated with Putida strain 159 which is caused increase of 45% and 33% compared to control untreated plants, respectively. Also, the highest essential oil yield was obtained in plants treated with putida strains, and the lowest of that was gained in control plants and also plants treated with fluorescence strain. The most abundant essential oil components were cis-Thujone, camphor, 1,8-cineol, camphene, alpha-pinene, viridiflorol, alpha-humulene, borneol and trans-meta-mentha-2,8-diene. Results from the current research indicate the plants inoculation with rhizobacteria had positive impact only on the major constituents of the essential oil compared to controls
ABSTRACT
Sound of motorcycles plays an important role in noise pollution in big cities. This is due to the lack of national law or standards to control the noise of domestic and also imported motorcycles. This study tries to introduce a practical limit value in different stage of motorcycle life cycle by assessing their noise pollution. First the motorcycles noise standards at different countries were studied and they were compared with the results from noise level of 622 motorcycles in 3 different groups. The sample volume in each group corresponds to the amount of their annual production rate. Then using statistical tests, a limit was determined in which 90% of the domestic motorcycles can be covered. The limit is proposed as the standard for domestic motorcycle noise. The limit for motorcycles of groups 1, 2 and 3were 84, 86 and 87 dB [A], respectively in the TA stage. For the COP stage [Conformity of Production], the limit increases according to certain formula. In the end, a flowchart was proposed as a standard method for measuring the sound of motorcycles in the TA and COP stages was proposed. Noise level of the domestic motorcycles is at least 9 dB [A] higher than the noise limit value of European motorcycle. If European limit value is considered for producing the national motorcycle, 90% of them will get out of production cycle and this would not be practical
Subject(s)
Noise, Transportation , Reference Standards , Life Cycle Stages , JurisprudenceABSTRACT
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
ABSTRACT
Glycoprotein 96 is the primary chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum. Immunization with it induced potent Cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to intracellular bacteria. S. typhimurium is a facultative intracellular bacterium and acquired resistance against this bacterium mainly depends on activity of Cytotoxic T cells. This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of Glycoprotein 96 rich lysate as a vaccine candidate to induce a protective immune response in mice against a lethal dose challenge with Salmonella typhimurium. Mice were infected with S. typhimurium. Then their spleens and livers were harvested and homogenized and the protein content of whole crude lysate was enriched using ammonium sulfate precipitation. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis transfer method was used for enrichment of the protein from crude sample. Immunoblotting was conducted to detect Glycoprotein 96. Isoelectric point was achieved through the use of isoelectric focusing. PBS and whole crude lysate [from uninfected and infected mice] were injected to mice of test group, mice of control-1 group and mice of control-2 group, respectively, on days 0 and 14. Twenty-one days after the last immunization, the LD50 and bacterial loads of livers and spleens were determined. Immunization with Glycoprotein 96 rich lysate isolated from livers and spleens of S. typhimurium-infected mice induced protection against infection by S. typhimurium. Also, the bacterial burden of livers and spleens in mice that received gp96 rich lysate significantly decreased when compared to that of mice in the control groups
ABSTRACT
Poorly educated people in some parts of Iran use burned mantles as a wound healing medicine. To perform surface area measurement, twenty rats were divided randomly into two groups of 10 animals each. The first group received topical burned radioactive lantern mantle powder on the first to third days after making excision wounds. The second group received non-radioactive lantern mantle powder. For histological study, 36 male rats were randomly divided into two groups of 18 animals each. Full thickness excision wound [314 +/- 31.4 mm[2]] was made on the dorsal neck in all animals after inducing general anesthesia. For the first three days, cases had received topical application of the radioactive lantern mantle powder. Finally, to measure the tensile strength, an incision was made on the dorsal neck of the rats. Surface area measurement of the wounds showed a progressive surface reduction in both groups. Histological study showed a significant statistically difference between cases and controls with respect to fibrinoid necrosis and neutrophilic exudate on days 3 and 14. Considering the existence of granulated tissue, a significant difference was observed between case and control groups on days 3 and 7. Tensile strength study showed no significant difference between the cases and controls. Topical use of radioactive mantle powder can accelerate the healing process of the wound in rats
Subject(s)
Male , Animals, Laboratory , Powders , Rats , Tensile Strength , ThoriumABSTRACT
P. aeruginosa is one of the causes of nosocomial infections with an unusual resistance to antibiotics. The source of resistance in this bacterium may be chromosomal or plasmid. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial susceptibility patterns with the presence of plasmids in P. aeruginosa isolates. In this study, 140 P. aeruginosa isolates were collected from hospitals in Urmia/Iran. The susceptibility patterns were determined against antibiotics. Plasmids were extracted by alkaline lysis method, electrophoresed and investigated by a UV transilluminator. Single digestion of plasmids with EcoR1 and HincII were performed and the restriction patterns were compared using a ladder. The rates of resistances to antibiotics were as follows: gentamicin 49.3%, cephalothin 99.3%, ticarcillin 100%, ceftizoxime 79.3%, co-trimoxazole 97.7%, amikacin 35%, carbenicillin 67.1%, ceftriaxone 65.7%, ciprofloxacin 58.6%, piperacillin 52.8%, imipenem 1.4%, kanamycin 65.7%, ofloxacin 72.1% and ampicillin 100%. In Whole, 65.7% of isolates harbored plasmids. Restriction enzyme analysis of plasmids showed unique pattern for all of plasmid positive isolates. All the plasmid positive isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone and kanamycin. The plasmid source of resistance to ceftriaxone was proved by plasmid elimination and transformation in E. coli DHS alpha and the plastid source of resistance to kanamycin was proved by plasmid elimination. Also there was a significant correlation between the presence of plasmid in isolates and resistance to some of antibiotics. There was a high frequency of plasmids in P. aeruginosa isolates, indicating that plasmids have an important role in transferring of resistance genes in this bacterium
Subject(s)
Plasmids , Drug Resistance, Microbial , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/drug effects , Cross Infection , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , HospitalsABSTRACT
In developed countries diagnosis of gastric cancer is performed in early stages through screening and the 5 year survival rate has risen to 86%. Although the patients in developing countries have digestive symptoms for quite a while, they do not undergo early endoscopy. The patients refer to the physicians in developed stages. This research was conducted to determine the median time of delay from the beginning of symptoms to surgery. In this research 63 patients suffering from gastric cancer were investigated during 2004-2005. Research questionnaire was completed from patient's admission to endoscopy until surgery through interview with the patients. Mann- Whitney statistical test and SPSS software were used for data analysis. Out of 63 patients 48 [76.2%] were male and 43 [68.3%] rural esidents. The most common cancer area was cardia [31 patients] and the most common symptom was abdominal pain [28 patients]. The results showed of median total delay from the beginning of symptoms until surgery was 96 days, which the patient delays 8 days, from the first referring to endoscopy [General practitioner delay] 57 days, from endoscopy to pathology affirmation 12 days, and from pathology affirmation to surgery performance 7 days. Factors like place of residence, education, income and gender had no significant effect on the time of delay. Delay from referring to endoscopy performance and from performance of endoscopy to pathologic confirmation was higher than expected. Screening plan for timely referring of patients and performance of endoscopy seems essential. To reduce the time of delay cooperation of different units like medical education, hospital units, pathology and supply of necessary hospital equipment is highly recommended
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Diagnosis , Stomach Neoplasms/surgery , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative non facultative bacterium and one of the members of normal flora in different sites of body in healthy humans. This bacterium can resist in fluids and hospital environments for a long time. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has two systems for glucose uptake: a low affinity oxidative pathway and a high affinity phosphorylative pathway. The orfBCD genes are located over two million base pair upstream of the genes involved in the high affinity uptake system. Although the role of these genes are unknown by now, they may have a role in regulation of glucose uptake. In the present study, the role of orfD gene in glucose uptake in P.aeruginosa has been investigated. orfD fragment were cloned in pUCP20 as vector and the recombinant plasmid transferred into WMA200 strain of P.aeruginosa, a mutant strain of P.aeruginosa with a chromosomal deletion of orfBCD. So we compared the rate of glucose uptake by P.aeruginosaWMA200, P.aeruginosaWMA200/pUCP20/orfD and P.aeruginosa H103 as wild type strain of P.aeruginosa by using labeled glucose under conditions at low substrate concentration and low cell density. Carbohydrate uptake patterns differed considerably among three strains. The wild type is able to uptake glucose at a faster rate than the mutant; however, the mutant complemented with orfD shows an intermediate uptake comparing to the wild type and the mutant.orfD gene has an important role in carbohydrate uptake in P.aeruginosa strains however further studies are required to determine the involved mechanism