ABSTRACT
The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that exists between the brain and gut. Several studies claimed that some types of headaches are associated with various gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. In Persian medicine (PM), physicians believed that gastric disturbances could stimulate headache and introduced some herbs for boosting gastric function as a therapeutic remedy for headache. Here we review the current evidence for the gastroprotective and antiheadache effects of herbs used in PM. Herbs used for their gastrotonic effects in PM were identified from selected Persian medical and pharmaceutical textbooks. PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar were used to search for contemporary scientific evidence relating to the gastric and neurologic effects of these plants. A total of 24 plants were recorded from the selected sources included in this review, most of which belonged to the Rosaceae family. Phyllanthus emblica, Zingiber officinale, Boswellias errata, Punica granatum and Hypericum perforatum had the most recent studies related to GI disorder and headache, while current research about quince, rose, apple, hawthorn and pear was limited. Reducing Helicobacter pylori growth, gastritis, erosion of the stomach lining, hemorrhage and perforation, improving gastric mucosal resistance, antisecretary, antiulcer, antipyretic, analgesic, sedative, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, neuroprotective and antioxidant effects as well as improvement in memory scores were some of the gastrotonic and neuroprotective mechanisms described in the current research. These results confirmed that medicinal plants prescribed in PM may improve headache in patients through the management of GI abnormalities. However, further studies are recommended to investigate the efficacy and safety of the mentioned medicinal plants.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To review the role of vegetables to prevent and treat hemorrhoids in Persian Medicine (PM). METHODS: We search main Persian Medicine manuscripts, including the books of Liber Continens, Canon of Medicine, Great Elixir, Akbarie's Medicine, Storehouse of Medicaments and Present for the faithful. Also, it was considered by searching in reference books and published papers with the help of PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar databases. RESULTS: Twelve vegetables, relating to 8 plant families, have been found in PM that their effectiveness involved in laxative, anti- inflammation, antimicrobial, analgesic and wound healing. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that 12 Persian Medicine vegetables can be used to prevent and treat hemorrhoids.
Subject(s)
Hemorrhoids/drug therapy , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Vegetables/chemistry , Hemorrhoids/prevention & control , Humans , Medicine, Traditional , PhytotherapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND@#Bloating is a common gastrointestinal complaint which is difficult to treat.@*OBJECTIVE@#This study investigated the efficacy and compliance of a formulation called KAASER comprised of Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague seed, Zingiber officinale Roscoe. rhizome and Piper nigrum L. berry in the treatment of functional bloating.@*DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION@#A total of 106 patients with functional bloating, between 20 and 50 years of age, participated in this double-blind randomized controlled trial. Patients were divided into 3 parallel groups that received 500 mg of placebo, dimethicone or KAASER, three times a day for 2 weeks.@*MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES@#The frequency and severity of bloating were primary outcomes, while the frequencies of eructation, defecation, borborygmus and early satiation were secondary outcomes. All parameters were evaluated at the beginning (week 0), and also weeks 2, 4 and 10 of the study, through self-report checklists with a scoring system.@*RESULTS@#Among the 84 patients who completed the study, the frequency and severity of bloating (P < 0.001), the frequencies of eructation, defecation and borborygmus (P = 0.03) were significantly improved in the group receiving KAASER (36 patients) compared with the dimethicone (35 patients) and placebo (35 patients) groups, during the 3 phases of follow-up. These significant differences persisted through the 2 and 8 weeks of follow-ups after cessation of medication (week 4 and 10). In early satiation, no significant differences were observed among the 3 groups.@*CONCLUSION@#The results showed that KAASER can be effectively used to treat patients suffering from bloating. Bloating, eructation, defecation and borborygmus in the KAASER group remained significantly improved after 2 and 8 weeks of cessation of medication, making this mechanism an interesting area for further investigation.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#Registration trial IRCT2015100324327N on Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of Iranian honey, cinnamon and their combination against Streptococcus mutans bacteria. Methods Nine experimental solutions were examined in this study, including two types of honey (pasteurized and sterilized), two types of cinnamon extract (dissolved in distilled water or dimethyl sulfoxide) and five different mixtures of cinnamon in honey (prepared by admixing 1%–5% w/w of cinnamon extract into 99%–95% w/w of honey, respectively). Meanwhile, each of mentioned agent was considered as the first solution while it was diluted into seven serially two-fold dilutions (from 1:2 to 1:128 v/v). Therefore, eight different concentrations of each agent were tested. The antibacterial tests were performed through blood agar well diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. Ultimately, the data were subjected to statistical analysis incorporating Two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests (α = 0.01). Results The highest zone of inhibition was recorded for the mixtures of honey and cinnamon while all the subgroups containing 95%–99% v/v of honey were in the same range (P < 0.01). The MIC for both honey solutions were obtained as 500 mg/mL whereas it was 50 mg/mL for both cinnamon solutions. Moreover, the MIC related to all honey/cinnamon mixtures were 200 mg/mL. Conclusions A profound synergistic effect of honey and cinnamon was observed against Streptococcus mutans while there was no significant difference among extracts containing 99%–95% v/v of honey admixing with 1%–5% v/v of cinnamon, respectively.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Rheum ribes L. is a plant native to China, Iran, Turkey, India, and a few other countries. Antidiarrheal activity is considered to be one of its important properties according to various systems of traditional medicine. An increasing rate of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has led to treatment failure in some cases of shigellosis in children, and underlines a need for safe, efficient and valid options.</p><p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of R. ribes syrup as a complementary medicine for treatment of shigellosis in children.</p><p><b>DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS</b>This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial started with a group of 150 children aged between 12-72 months with suspected Shigella dysentery. R. ribes syrup or placebo syrup was administered to the intervention and control groups, respectively for 5 days. In addition, the standard antibiotic treatment (ceftriaxone for the first 3 days and cefixime syrup for 2 further days) was administered to both groups.</p><p><b>MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES</b>Body temperature, abdominal pain, need for antipyretics, defecation frequency, stool volume and consistency and microscopic stool examination were recorded as outcome measures. Any observed adverse effects were also recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Mean duration of fever and diarrhea in the R. ribes group was significantly lower than that in the placebo group (P = 0.016 and 0.001, respectively). In addition, patients in the R. ribes group showed shorter duration of need for antipyretics and shorter duration of abdominal pain (P = 0.012 and 0.001, respectively). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the microscopic stool analyses. Furthermore, no adverse effect was reported.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>R. ribes syrup can be recommended as a complementary treatment for children with Shigella dysentery.</p><p><b>TRIAL REGISTRATION</b>Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial: IRCT2014070518356N1.</p>
