COVID-19 vaccine side effects on menstrual disturbances among Iranian women.

Background: Many studies reported of menstrual disturbances as possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccination. Our objective was to evaluate the association between vaccination and the occurrence of menstrual disturbances among Iranian women. Methods: We used to google form questionnaires to collect reports of menstrual disturbances from 455 women aged 15-55 years in Iran. We estimated the relative risk of menstrual disturbances according to vaccination in a self-controlled case-series design after vaccination. We examined the occurrence of such disorders after the first, second and third doses of vaccine. Results: Findings The prevalence of menstrual disturbance was more in latency and heavy bleeding than others disorder after vaccination, although Ö® %50 of women doesn't have any disturbance. We observed increased risks after vaccination also for other menstrual disturbances, in menopausal women too (>10%). Discussion: Menstrual disturbances were generally common regardless of vaccination. We found a significant increase in menstrual disturbances after vaccination, particularly for latency and heavier bleeding than usual, longer duration and for short interval between menstruations. Mechanisms underlying these findings may involve bleeding disturbances in general, as well as endocrine alterations of immune system stimulation and relation to hormonal secretion.

Inhibition of angiotensin pathway via valsartan reduces tumor growth in models of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of the angiotensin-II receptor and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been reported in several malignancies, including colorectal-cancer (CRC), indicating its potential value as a therapeutic target. Here we explored the impact of targeting the RAS using an angiotensin II receptor blocker, valsartan, alone and its combination with Fluorouracil (5-FU) in in vitro and in vivo models of CRC. METHODS: Anti-proliferative activity of valsartan was evaluated in 2-/3-dimensional in vitro and in vivo CRC mouse models. The anti-migratory effects of this agent was assessed by wound-healing assay, while apoptosis was studied using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole or DAPI staining, and staining with Annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate with analysis using FACS. Gene-expression was determined at mRNA and protein levels. We further evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties of valsartan by histological analysis and the measurement of oxidative/antioxidant markers. Gelatin zymography was used to measure matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 activity (MMP-2 and 9). RESULTS: Valsartan suppressed CRC cell-growth and synergistically enhanced the anti-tumor-activities of 5-FU by induction of apoptosis, BAX, BCL2, P53 and modulation of the cell cycle. Valsartan inhibited the cell migration by perturbation of MMP2/9. Furthermore, valsartan inhibited tumor-growth, and this was more pronounced when using the valsartan/5-FU combination. The plausible mechanism for this is via the induction of ROS and down-regulation of SOD, thiol/catalase as well as VEGF. Valsartan may protect cells against intestinal fibrosis by modulation of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory factors including interleukins and Col1A1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that targeting RAS pathway using Valsartan interferes with cell-proliferation, induces apoptosis, reduces migration and synergistically interacts with 5-FU, supporting further studies on this new therapeutic approach for colorectal cancer.

Therapeutic potential of active components of saffron in post-surgical adhesion band formation.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal adhesions are common and often develop after abdominal surgery. There are currently no useful targeted pharmacotherapies for adhesive disease. Saffron and its active constituents, Crocin and Crocetin, are wildly used in traditional medicine for alleviating the severity of inflammatory or malignant disease. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of the pharmacological active component of saffron in attenuating the formation of post-operative adhesion bands using different administration methods in a murine model. MATERIAL METHOD: saffron extract (100 mg/kg), Crocin (100 mg/kg), and Crocetin (100 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally and by gavage in various groups of male Wistar rat post-surgery. Also three groups were first treated intra-peritoneally by saffron extract, Crocin, and Crocetin (100 mg/kg) for 10 days and then had surgery. At the end of the experiments, animals sacrificed for biological assessment. RESULT: A hydro-alcoholic extract of saffron and crocin but not crocetin potently reduced the adhesion band frequency in treatment and pre-treatment groups in the mice given intra-peritoneal (i.p) injections. Following the saffron or crocin administration, histological evaluation and quantitative analysis represented less inflammatory cell infiltration and less collagen composition, compared to control group. Moreover, the oxidative stress was significantly reduced in treatment groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a hydro-alcoholic extract of saffron or its active compound, crocin, is a potentially novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention of adhesions formation and might be used as beneficial anti-inflammatory or anti-fibrosis agents in clinical trials. TAXONOMY: Abdominal surgeries/post-surgical adhesions.

Novel oral transforming growth factor-ß signaling inhibitor potently inhibits postsurgical adhesion band formation.

Here, we have investigated the therapeutic potency of EW-7197, a transforming growth factor-ß type I receptor kinase inhibitor, against postsurgical adhesion band formation. Our results showed that this pharmacological inhibitor prevented the frequency and the stability of adhesion bands in mice model. We have also shown that downregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, reduce submucosal edema, attenuation of proinflammatory cell infiltration, inhibition of oxidative stress, decrease in excessive collagen deposition, and suppression of profibrotic genes at the site of surgery are some of the mechanisms by which EW-7197 elicits its protective responses against adhesion band formation. These results clearly suggest that EW-7197 has novel therapeutic properties against postsurgical adhesion band formation with clinically translational potential of inhibiting key pathological responses of inflammation and fibrosis in postsurgery patients.