ABSTRACT
Introduction: The internal septum of J.regia is traditionally used to control diabetes, and its effectiveness has been shown in animal studies. Accordingly, human clinical trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood insulin level, and insulin resistance as a complementary for better control of type 2 diabetes. Methods: This study was a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial. The lyophilized powder of extract of the internal septum of J.regia was used to fill the capsules. Sixty type 2 diabetic patients were randomly divided into two groups. 500 mg capsules three times daily before meal was added to their routine drug regimen, and HbA1c, FBS, and blood insulin level were checked at the baseline and after three months. Results: Sixty patients completed the study. The mean(±SD) age of patients was 49.1(10.2) and 50.9(12.7) years in the placebo and J.regia groups, respectively. We observed that J.regia internal septum increases the level of HbA1c by about 0.02 units, but this effect was not significant (MD=0.02,95%CI=-0.36 to 0.40, P=0.93). Regarding the impact of capsules on insulin level, it seems that J.regia-containing capsules can raise insulin level by one unit. However, it was not significant (MD=1.01,95%CI=-0.86 to 2.88, P=0.28). As for FBS, it can cause a decrease of four units, but this effect is also not significant (MD=-3.98,95%CI=-18.33 to 10.37, P=0.58). Conclusion: Based on our study, the internal septum of J.regia has no significant effect on HbA1c, FBS, and insulin resistance. Moreover, no specific adverse reaction was observed in any of the patients.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Optimal treatment of dyslipidemia is a top priority in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. For this purpose, clinicians in Iran usually refer to four current international guidelines. The aim of this study was to assess the approach of Iranian clinical pharmacists in the treatment of dyslipidemia based on international guidelines. Methods: A structured questionnaire was prepared. Questions (n=24) included the demographics (n=7), dyslipidemia references (n=3), dyslipidemia general knowledge of respondents (n=10), and questions (n=4) designed based on the difference among the latest version of guidelines participants stated they use in their practice. After validity conformation, the questionnaire was distributed to 120 clinical pharmacists, electronically from May to August 2021. Results: Response rate was 77.5% (n=93). The majority of participants (80.6%, n=75) claimed to have used the 2018 ACC/AHA guideline. The Median (interquartile range [IQR]) score of the general knowledge questions was 5.0 (2.0) out of 10. The Median (IQR) score of questions designed based on the difference among guidelines was calculated 3(1) out of 4. There was no significant (P=0.25) difference in score among participants according to their guideline selection. Moreover, the gender and length of experience as a clinical pharmacist had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the score of participants. Conclusion: In this study, Iranian clinical pharmacists answered half of the dyslipidemia general knowledge questions correctly. Also, Participants were up-to-date on 75% of the questions designed based on the latest version of the guideline they had been using in their practice.
ABSTRACT
Antioxidant activity of Peucedanum pastinacifolium Boiss. & Hausskn aerial part hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) and polyphenolic extract (PPE) as well as their total phenolic and flavonoid contents were studied. Phenolic and flavonoid contents were respectively estimated as gallic acid and quercetin equivalents. The in vitro antioxidant activity of two extracts of P. pastinacifolium were evaluated by radical scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radical (DPPH), chelating activity on ferrous ions, or ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. In addition, the in vivo antioxidant activity of hydroalcoholic extract was measured by FRAP assay. Total phenolic contents of PPE and HAE were 117.1 ± 6.2 and 44.3 ± 1.7 mg/g, respectively. Total flavonoid content of PPE (43.4 ± 2.1 mg/g) was found to be higher than that of HAE (8.0 ± 1.5 mg/g). In DPPH radical scavenging assay, HAE and PPE showed fifty percent inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 469.4 ± 9.3 µg/mL and 128.2 ± 5.5 µg/mL, respectively. Iron chelating activity assays indicated IC50 values of 657.5 ± 13.2 µg/mL and 735.4 ± 16.1 µg/mL for HAE and PPE as opposed to ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) being 16.5 ± 0.8 µg/mL. PPE exhibited greater FRAP value (154.0 ± 1.8 µM) as compared with that of HAE being 69.3 ± 1.4 µM. In animal study, HAE showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in FRAP level when compared with that of control group. Our results showed that P. pastinacifolium possess antioxidant properties which most likely are exerted through free radical scavenging, chelating activity, and reducing power.
