Potent radioprotective effect of herbal immunomodulator drug [IMOD] on mouse bone marrow erythrocytes as assayed with the micronucleus test

Background: Although numerous natural or synthetic drugs have been tested for their radioprotective capacity, yet no suitable drug has been introduced for routine clinical use. In this study the radioprotective effect of "a new herbal immunomodulator" commercially known as IMOD, specifically made to decrease the side effects of HIV virus, was investigated on mouse bone marrow cells. Materials and Methods: Female NMRI mice [in a group of five] were exposed to 2 Gy gamma radiation following three days of intravenously injection [IV] of IMOD at various doses. Mice were sacrificed 48 and 72 h after irradiation. Bone marrow was flushed and slides for bone marrow smears were prepared according to standard method. After staining slides in May Grunwald and Giemsa, polychromatic erythrocytes [PCE] and normochromatic erythrocytes [NCE] were scored for presence of micronucleus [MN]. Results: The results showed that gamma irradiation increased the frequency of micronuclei dramatically and excreted cytotoxic effect of cell proliferation. Injection of various doses of IMOD before irradiation however, led to a considerable reduction in the frequency of micronuclei in bone marrow erythrocytes as well as cellular toxicity. Conclusion: Results indicated radioprotective capability of IMOD with a dose reduction factor [DRF] of about 2.3 at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. The considerably high DRF might be indicative that IMOD besides being an immunomodulator might also posses' antioxidant property

Co-infection of malara and crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever

Southeast of Iran is an endemic areas for Malaria and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever [CCHF]. In 1999, we faced with an outbreak of CCHF in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, in the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The most cases of Malaria in Iran are also reported from this area. This article presents a 17-year-old woman who admitted to our hospital because of acute fever, headache, epistaxis, hemorrhagic lesions on the skin and vaginal bleeding. Finally, she was recognized as a case that was co - infected with CCHF and malaria

[Effects of L-carnitine supplements on inflammatory cytokines, CRP and oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients]

Inflammation and oxidative stress are common in patients with chronic renal disease, including hemodialysis patients. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of L-carnitine supplements on inflammatory cytokines, CRP and oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients. The study was a randomized clinical trial. Thirty-six hemodialysis patients, [23 males and 13 females], were randomly assigned to either carnitine group or the control group. The patients in the carnitine group received 1000 mg/d oral L-carnitine for 12 weeks while the control group did not receive any L-carnitine supplement during the study. At the baseline and the end of 12th week of the study, 5 ml. blood was collected after a 12 to 14-hour fast from each patient before dialysis and then serum free carnitine, CRP, IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and ox-LDL were measured. Mean serum free carnitine concentration increased significantly, by 86%, in the carnitine group at the end of 12th week as compared to the baseline [P<0.001], while serum CRP and IL-6 decreased significantly, by 29% [P<0.05] and 61% [P<0.001], respectively. No significant changes were observed in the serum concentrations of free carnitine, CRP and IL-6 in the control group during the study. There were no significant differences between mean changes of serum IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and ox-LDL concentrations in the two groups. This study indicated that L-carnitine supplement could improve carnitine deficiency and decrease inflammatory markers of CRP and IL-6 in hemodialysis patients

Effects of L-carnitine supplementation on serum lipids and apoproteins in hemodialysis patients with LP[a] hyperlipoproteinemia

Lipid abnormalities, especially high serum Lp[a] concentrations, are one of the major causes of cardiovascular diseases in hemodialysis patients. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of L-carnitine supplementation on serum lipids and apoproteins in hemodialysis patients with Lp[a] hyperlipoproteinemia. The study was a randomized clinical trial in which 36 hyper Lp[a] hemodialysis patients [23 males and 13 females] with serum Lp[a] more than 30 mg/dl were randomly assigned to receive either a daily oral carnitine supplement of 1000mg [carnitine group] or no supplement [control group] for 12 weeks. At the baseline and the end of the period 5ml blood were collected after a 12 to 14-hour fast from each patient before dialysis and serum free carnitine, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, apoAI, apoB100, Lp[a], IL-6 and albumin were measured. As compared to the initial values, the mean serum free carnitine concentration increased significantly in the carnitine group at the end of the period [P<0.001], while serum triglyceride [P<0.05], total cholesterol [P<0.001] and IL-6 [P<0.001] decreased significantly. No significant changes were observed in the serum concentrations of free carnitine, triglyceride, total cholesterol and IL-6 in the control group. In addition, there were no significant differences between the 2groups as regards mean changes of the serum HDL-C, LDL-C, apoAI, apoB100, Lp[a], and albumin levels. The results of the present study indicate that an L-carnitine supplement has no effect on serum Lp[a] concentration in hemodialysis patients with Lp[a] hyperlipoproteinemia, but it may be effective in preventing cardiovascular diseases by reducing serum triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations in these patients