ABSTRACT
Objective: Exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has a positive effect on respiratory diseases. Oleo-gum of Ferula assa-foetida contains this compound. This study assessed the effects of Ferula assa-foetida L. oleo gum resin and tragacanth (Phytopaj) on patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial (RCT) phase 2 was conducted in Mashhad on hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In this RCT, 122 patients were randomly assigned to either receive a 14-day oral phytopaj plus ordinary treatment or ordinary treatment only. Changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte count (LC) and blood oxygen saturation (PO2) were the endpoints. Results: Mean±SD of PO2 in Phytopaj comparison ordinary treatment before intervention was 91.86±4.62 and 91.41±9.18, after the intervention it was 93.22±4.26 and 91.91±5.92 mmHg; before intervention, mean±SD of peripheral blood lymphocyte count was 1015.90±500.55, and 1104.28±543.61, and after intervention, it was 1652.27±921.38 and 1326.12±719.28/µL respectively. Conclusion: Phyopaj is most useful in moderate stages of Covid19, and it is not recommended for elderly patients and patients with comorbidity until more insight is gained.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since the Coronavirus disease 19 (Covid-19) rampaged in Iran, three waves of the epidemic occurred. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, two issues are considered. First: What proportion of the people adhere to the mitigation approaches towards the disease? Second: Which are the reasons to disobey these rules? METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based phone survey was applied among the population aged over 16 years in Mashhad between November 5 and December 1, 2020. A valid and reliable knowledge, attitude, and performance (KAP (designed questionnaire was used and logistic regression was performed with STATA 14. RESULTS: The final sample size was 776; 90.59, 89.8 and 48.1% of the participants had sufficient reliable knowledge, attitude, and practice, respectively; 20.1% of the participants did not wear masks; nearly half of them visited traditional healers for the prevention and cure; 97.8% of them believed the efficiency of the vaccine and stated that they will consume it if it is distributed. Among the sociodemographic factors, only the unemployed had low adherence to the preventive approach; 51.7% of the main worry was the weak economic situation and 69% of jobs and expenditures were poorly affected. The odds ratio (OR) for optimising attitude reduced from 4.64 to 3.22, and for good performance from 5.64 to 5.43 after adjusting for the economic, knowledge and perception factors. CONCLUSION: Despite all the health rules and probably COVID-19 vaccines global access (COVAX), it seems that the most effective way to reverse this horrific wave and its economic consequences is the improvement of the economy and livelihood of the society.
