Alcea rosea root extract as a preventive and curative agent in ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis in rats.

INTRODUCTION: Alcea rosea L. is used in Asian folk medicine as a remedy for a wide range of ailments. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Alcea rosea roots on ethylene glycol-induced kidney calculi in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, ethylene glycol (EG), curative and preventive groups. Control group received tap drinking water for 28 days. Ethylene glycol (EG), curative and preventive groups received 1% ethylene glycol for induction of calcium oxalate (CaOx) calculus formation; preventive and curative subjects also received the hydroalcoholic extract of Alcea rosea roots in drinking water at dose of 170 mg/kg, since day 0 or day 14, respectively. Urinary oxalate concentration was measured by spectrophotometer on days 0, 14 and 28. On day 28, the kidneys were removed and examined histopathologically under light microscopy for counting the calcium oxalate deposits in 50 microscopic fields. RESULTS: In both preventive and curative protocols, treatment of rats with hydroalcoholic extract of Alcea rosea roots significantly reduced the number of kidney calcium oxalate deposits compared to ethylene glycol group. Administration of Alcea rosea extract also reduced the elevated urinary oxalate due to ethylene glycol. CONCLUSION: Alcea rosea showed a beneficial effect in preventing and eliminating calcium oxalate deposition in the rat kidney. This effect is possibly due to diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects or presence of mucilaginous polysaccharides in the plant. It may also be related to lowering of urinary concentration of stone-forming constituents.

The beneficial effect of cynodon dactylon fractions on ethylene glycol-induced kidney calculi in rats.

PURPOSE: To assess the beneficial effect of different fractions of Cynodon dactylon (C. dactylon) on ethylene glycol-induced kidney calculi in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, ethylene glycol, curative, and preventive groups. The control group received tap drinking water for 35 days. Ethylene glycol, curative, and preventive groups received 1% ethylene glycol for induction of calcium oxalate (CaOx) calculus formation. Preventive and curative subjects also received different fractions of C. dactylon extract in drinking water at 12.8 mg/kg, since day 0 and day 14, respectively. After 35 days, the kidneys were removed and examined for histopathological findings and counting the CaOx deposits in 50 microscopic fields. RESULTS: In curative protocol, treatment of rats with C. dactylon N-butanol fraction and N-butanol phase remnant significantly reduced the number of the kidney CaOx deposits compared to ethylene glycol group. In preventive protocol, treatment of rats with C. dactylon ethyl acetate fraction significantly decreased the number of CaOx deposits compared to ethylene glycol group. CONCLUSION: Fractions of C. dactylon showed a beneficial effect on preventing and eliminating CaOx deposition in the rat kidney. These results provide a scientific rational for preventive and treatment roles of C. dactylon in human kidney stone disease.

Telemedicine in diagnostic pleural cytology: a feasibility study between universities in Iran and the USA.

We evaluated the concordance rate and diagnostic accuracy of digital cytology slides reviewed by experienced pathologists at the University of Miami and the Ohio State University in comparison with review of conventional glass slides by the pathologist at the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. In addition, we evaluated interobserver reproducibility in telecytology diagnosis in pleural effusion smears between Ohio State and Miami University. For this, we selected 50 pleural effusion smears with different diagnoses. For each case, digital images were sent via the Internet to the consulting pathologists at the two US universities. The accuracy of the telecytology diagnoses was 83% and 87% at the two US universities and the accuracy of glass slide review was 89%. The inter-observer reproducibility of telecytology diagnosis between these two universities was 0.71. The concordance rate, inter-observer reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of telecytology diagnosis in pleural effusion smears between the three institutions were good. Telecytology diagnosis of pleural effusion smears is potentially useful in screening and diagnosis and may allow more efficient use of scarce cytopathologist resources and expertise.

Ratios of free to total prostate-specific antigen and total prostate specific antigen to protein concentrations in saliva and serum of healthy men.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the ratio of free to total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and PSA to protein concentrations in saliva and serum of healthy men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Concentrations of protein, free PSA, and total PSA in serum and saliva were measured in 30 healthy men aged 42 to 73 years, and their ratios were compared between the two fluids. RESULTS: There was a significant direct correlation between serum free-total PSA ratios of serum and saliva (P = .04) and between total PSA-protein ratios of serum and saliva (P = .02). Also, there were significant correlations between total and free PSA levels in saliva (P = .05) and between those in serum (P < .001). Significant inverse and direct correlations were detected between the body mass index and serum values of total PSA-protein (P = .04) and free-total PSA (P = .01), respectively. CONCLUSION: We can use saliva sample instead of serum sample for estimation of free-total PSA and total PSA-protein levels in men without prostate diseases. There is, however, a pressing need for much additional research in this area before the true clinical value of saliva as a diagnostic fluid can be determined.