Evaluation of the Quit and Win contest for smoking cessation in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Quit and Win is an international biannual smoking cessation contest. Although more than 70 countries participate, few are from the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This study evaluated 4 Quit and Win campaigns in Isfahan province, Islamic Republic of Iran, from 1998 to 2004, documenting participation rates, self-reported 1-month and 1-year abstinence rates and related factors. Participation rates among smokers ranged from 0.7%-2.4% of the smokers in Isfahan. One-month quit rates varied from 41.8% in 1998 to 92.8% in 2004. At 1-year follow-up, self-reported quit rates varied from 22.5% in 1998 to 91.2% in 2004. This model was found to be feasible and successful in our community, and can be implemented in other low-and middle-income countries

immunomedulatory effect of Ganoderma Lucidum polysachharide extract on BALB/c peritoneal macrophage function

Ganoderma Lucidum has been regarded as a natural immunomodulator. The exact carbohydrate epitope responsible for the immunomodulatory activity and its receptor have not been identified, but it seems likely that it is the receptor CR3 [complement receptor 3] which can bind to beta-glucan polysachharide. Because glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PD] activity has a critical role in the regulation of macrophage functions such as nitric oxide [NO] production, we assessed the immunomodulatory effect of GL-PS in BALB/c peritoneal macrophages. For this purpose, BALB/c mice peritoneal macrophages were isolated and treated with various concentrations of GL-PS [0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 microg/ml]. After 24 hours, the viability of treated macrophages was measured by MTT assay at 540 nm and the effective dose was determined to be 0.1 microg/ml. Then, macrophages were sonicated and special activity of G6PD was measured in the cell extracts by measuring the alterations in NADPH absorption at 339nm and protein concentration by Bradford method. Also, NO production was determined by use of Griess-reagent after 18 hours. Results of this study showed that 0.1 microg/ ml of GL-PS had the maximal effect on cell viability [stimulation Index] in comparison to other doses [0.05

effect of nicotine gum on blood pressure and heart rate

Smoking is an important risk factor of coronary artery disease. Nicotine replacement therapy [NRT] for smoking cessation should be considered, especially in coronary patients. Twenty-four healthy smokers, smoking 20 cigarettes a day on average for 15 years and with moderate cigarette dependence [according to the Fagershtrum questionnaire score] were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 8 and followed up for 5 days. The first group consisted only of cigarette smokers. The smokers in the second group were given a piece of nicotine gum every two hours. The smokers in the third group were given a piece of non-nicotine gum [placebo] every 2 hours. The subjects' blood pressure and heart rate were checked 12 times during four daily intervals [between 7 AM and 12 PM, 1 PM and 6 PM, 7 PM and 12 PM, 1 AM and 6 AM] and recorded in related forms. Systolic pressure was not significantly different in the three groups, but diastolic blood pressure of cigarette smokers was evidently higher than that of subjects who used nicotine and non-nicotine [placebo] gums. Heart rate in smokers was higher than in nicotine and placebo users [P<0.0001]. It seems that nicotine gum does not act as a cardiovascular disease risk factor. Hence in the context of smoking cessation efforts, its prescription to smokers with cardiovascular disease is recommended

[ cytotoxic effects a of ACA1 on human melanoma cell line]

Different methods such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy and immunotherapy are used for treatment of melanoma cancer. Unfortunately they don't always have desirable results and they may have unfavorable side effects. Researchers try to find new, more effective drugs with low side effects. In this study we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of ACA-1, a water extract of a traditional Iranian medicinal herbs on a melanoma cell line SKMEL-3. The SKMEL3 cell line was obtained from Pasture institute, Tehran, Iran and cultured in RPMI media supplemented with 10% FBS. Equal number of cells were added to a 96 well microplate and were incubated with various doses of ACA1 [5,2,1,0.2,0.1,0.05,0.02 and 0.01 mg/ml] for 24, 48 and 72 hours in parallel. The cytotoxic effects of the drug was evaluated using MTT assay. The Results showed that ACA1 has significant cytotoxic effects with dose and time dependent manner on SKMEL3. The optimum dose [5 mg/ml] showed 47% cytotoxicity in 24 h, 65% cytotoxicity in 48 h and 71% cytotoxicity in 72 h. Based on the results of this research, ACA1 is a suitable candidate for chemotherapy of melanoma patients. Further studies are necessary in order to find effective drugs, their effects on other cell lines and approved in vivo models and clinical trials

[Hyperthermia can accelerate the healing process of 2[nd] degree burn wounds]

The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of local hyperthermia on the healing of burn wounds. Right and Left flunks of 8 Balb-c mice [as treated and control wounds respectively] were burned. Local hyperthermia was applied only for the burn wounds of the right flunks [the treated wound]. Sampling was accomplished on the 6[th] day for half of the mice and on the 9[th] day for the other half. The treated wounds had significantly smaller sizes than control wounds on the 6[th] day [P=0.019] and the 9[th] day [P=0.007]. The number of hair follicles and sebaceous glands of the treated wounds were significantly more than those of control wounds both on the 6[th] day [P=0.025 and P=0.043, respectively] and on the 9[th] day [P=0.012 and P=0.033, respectively]. Regarding the neovascularization there was no significant difference between the treated and control wounds on the 6[th] day but on the 9[th] day the neovascularization of the treated wounds was significantly more comparing to the control wounds [P=0.025]. Acute inflammation of the treated wounds was significantly less than the control wounds [P=0.015]. Collagen formation and reepithelialization in the treated wounds were more than the control wounds both on the 6[th] and 9[th] days. It is concluded that local hyperthermia can accelerate the healing process of the second degree burn wounds