[Herbs from Iranian traditional medicine for reinforcement of kidney and prevention of renal atrophy]

Background: Renal disorders including renal failure are common complications which affect the whole body system. The treatment methods in modern medicine seem to be inadequate in a large number of cases. Regarding the increasing interest of the community towards traditional and complementary medicine, the potential of Persian medicine [PM] in management of renal diseases, could be put to test in research programs in order to find possible effective treatment. Objective: The aim of this study is to introduce materia medica which are commonly used in PM for the purpose of protection and functional empowerment of the kidneys against destructive factors

Methods: This research is a literature-based study on effective material medica used in the treatment of two significant renal disorders; renal weakness and renal atrophy [Hozal]. Six pharmaceutical references of Persian medicine from different historical periods were searched by certain keywords related to renal weakness and renal atrophy

Results: Fourteen materia medica related to the prevention or treatment of renal weakness and fifteen for renal atrophy were found. Poppy [Papaver somniferum]. Amber and shellac are the most repeated medicines in the treatment of renal weakness; whereas fig [ficus carica], banana [musa sapientum] and hazelnut [corynus avelana] are mostly_repeated for either prevention or treatment of renal atrophy

Conclusion: Medicinal plants represented by Persian medicine references could be a basis for experimental and clinical researches for drug development in the field of prevention or even treatment of acute or chronic renal failure

[Effect of Depo-Provera on depression rate in the women referring to the health center of Babol city]

In the recent century, rapid growth of population is a threat to human life. Family planning has been of great benefit to family health. Thirteen million women in the world use Depo-Provera as a contraceptive method. Different studies have reported development of depression in Depo-Provera users, and some articles reported that they are ineffective on mood. Therefore assessment of Depo-Provera effects on mood is important. Depression in women can lead to physical, psychological and social reactions. Therefore we decided to assess the effect of Depo-Provera on depression rate in the health center of Babol City. This study was a Quazi-experimental study. 64 women completed a questionnaire consisted of demographic data before Depo-Provera injection and also Beck Standard Questionnaire before and 3 months after Depo-Provera injection at the health center of Babol City. For data analysis we used Wilcoxon and Fisher's exact tests. Mean score of depression symptoms before Depo-Provera injection was 6.50 +/- 8.2 but three month after injection it was 4.50 +/- 6.6 which had a significant difference [p=0.001]. Age, education, satisfaction of husband's job, husband's literacy, husband's aid at home, satisfaction with the marital life, family class, family income, child abortion history, outcome of recent pregnancy, satisfaction in relationship with parents in childhood, satisfaction in relationship with family members, support from the family and relatives, satisfaction in relationship with friends and worrisome events during the last year showed no significant relationship with depression before and after Depo-Provea injections. But satisfaction with husband's family [p=0.034] and history of depression [p=0.026] had a significant relationship with depression before loss of independency and depression before and after Depo-Provera injection [p=0.024, p=0.001]. The results of this study showed lack of deterioration of depression by Depo-Provera injections. Therefore appropriate consultation can lead to increased use of Depo-Provera

Comparison of the efficacy of prednisolone versus prednisolone plus acyclovir in the treatment of Bell's palsy

Bell's palsy is the most common disorder of the facial nerve, developing some acute changes in the face. Considering its probable viral etiology, antiviral therapy is recently added to the classic regimen. This study has been conducted to compare the effectiveness of two regimens of prednisolone versus prednisolone plus acyclovir in the treatment of Bell's palsy. This clinical trial study was performed on 496 patients with Bell's palsy who divided into two groups; the first group was treated with oral prednisolone and the second group with oral prednisolone and acyclovir. The patients were evaluated at the end of the second week, first, third and sixth months after treatment. The outcome of therapy in two treated groups were compared. Two hundred and forty eight patients [108 males and 140 females] with average age of 20-39 and 248 patients [135 males and 113 females] with the same mean age were treated with prednisolone and prednisolone plus acyclovir, respectively. At the end of the study, the recovery rate in the combined regimen group was 95.06% [237 patients] and in the prednisolone regimen group was 91.2% [226 patients] [p= 0.035]. The result of this study shows that combination of prednisolone plus acyclovir is the preferred regimen of therapy in Bell's palsy

comparison on histopathological effects of myrtle extract and silver sulfadiazine 1% on healing of second degree burn wound in rats

Myrtle [Myrtus Communis] is an indigenous plant of northern parts of Iran and has been traditionally used for its healing effect on burn wounds. To compare the histopathological effect of Myrtle extract and 1% silver sulfadiazine on healing of second degree burn wound in rats. This was an experimental study performed on 100 adult male rats. The rats were divided into 4 groups [25 in each group]. Following nesdonal anaesthesia, a second degree burn wound of 4 cm2 was made on back of each rat. Methanolic extract of Myrtle; ointment base; 1% silver sulfadiazine and normal saline [control group] were used as treatment protocols for burn wounds. Revascularization, number of neutrophils and fibroblasts were parameters studied histopathologically. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, One way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD tests. Histopathological study was indicative of an increase of 9.87 +/- 1.48 in revascularization [p<0.001] in Myrtle extract group which was greater than those in other. There was also a higher number of fibroblasts [23.62 +/- 2.2] [p<0.001] in this group. Silver sulfadiazine [1%] was only showed to have increased the number of neutrophils [p<0.001] in epidermis of injured areas of rats. Extract of Myrtus Communis was found to have more healing potential on second-degree burn wound. Faster healing process, less complications and easy availability of Myrtle are among the reasons suggesting more clinical trails using this preparation..

[Risk factors for cerebrovascular disease, [Babol, 2000-02]]

Cerebrovascular disease [CVD] or stroke is the third cause of mortality and morbidity after CHD and cancer. Incidence of stroke has been decreasing because of identification and prevention of its risk factors. It is important to know the distribution of its risk factors because most of them are preventable and curable. This study was performed on 250 patients with diagnosis of CVD by neurologists and was hospitalized in Babol Yahyanejad hospital from autumn 2000-02. The type of stroke was defined by brain CT scan. The information including age, gender, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, history of IHD or CVD and smoking were gathered from the files and analyzed by Chi-square test and [P<0.05] was considered significant. Stroke happened more in people aged 65 to 74 years [42.4%] and in women [52%]. Hypertension as the most common risk factor significantly differed from the others [P=0.000]. The second and third risk factors were IHD and diabetes, respectively. Also the hemorrhagic type was significantly higher than ischemic type and lead to more death cases. It is recommended to do a screening program for detection and treatment of asymptomatic hypertension and also further studies on high prevalence of stroke in women and determining the cause of IHD being the second risk factor rather than diabetes in this region