From plants to antimicrobials: Natural products against bacterial membranes.

Bacterial membrane barrier provides a cytoplasmic environment for organelles of bacteria. The membrane is composed of lipid compounds containing phosphatide protein and a minimal amount of sugars, and is responsible for intercellular transfers of chemicals. Several antimicrobials have been found that affect bacterial cytoplasmic membranes. These compounds generally disrupt the organization of the membrane or perforate it. By destroying the membrane, the drugs can permeate and replace the effective macromolecules necessary for cell life. Furthermore, they can disrupt electrical gradients of the cells through impairment of the membrane integrity. In recent years, considering the spread of microbial resistance and the side effects of antibiotics, natural antimicrobial compounds have been studied by researchers extensively. These molecules are the best alternative for controlling bacterial infections and reducing drug resistance due to the lack of severe side effects, low cost of production, and biocompatibility. Better understanding of the natural compounds' mechanisms against bacteria provides improved strategies for antimicrobial therapies. In this review, natural products with antibacterial activities focusing on membrane damaging mechanisms were described. However, further high-quality research studies are needed to confirm the clinical efficacy of these natural products.

The effect of diagnostic amniocentesis and its complications on early spontaneous abortion.

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of early abortion after amniocentesis is a serious problem in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, and it is always important to discover the factors influencing this phenomenon. The incidence rate has been reported in different studies, even up to about 10%. So far, no studies have been conducted in Iran on the effect of amniocentesis and related complications on early abortion. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of amniocentesis and relevant complications on the incidence of early abortion in pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis. METHODS: This cohort study was conducted between March 2014 and March 2016 on pregnant candidates for amniocentesis referred to the perinatology clinic at Ommol-Banin Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Amniocentesis was performed for all patients with about 20-30cc in the same manner by a perinatologist. Maternal blood group, causes of amniocentesis, amniotic fluid profile (liquid color), status of inserting the needle through the placenta during amniocentesis, amniotic fluid leakage, and bleeding after amniocentesis were considered as exposure factors, and spontaneous abortion after amniocentesis until the end of the 20th week of pregnancy was taken as a consequence. Data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 20 via t-test and chi-square. Relative risk (RR) was calculated to determine the causal relationship of exposure with the consequences of spontaneous abortion during the first week after amniocentesis. RESULTS: This study was performed on 1000 pregnant women with mean age of 33.4±6.0 years (minimum 16, maximum 48 years). The incidence rate of spontaneous abortion after amniocentesis was obtained 1%. There was no association among causes of amniocentesis, maternal blood group, maternal underlying diseases, history of diseases associated with pregnancy, and spontaneous abortion. Based on the chi-square test, a significant statistical relationship was found between amniotic fluid leakage and spontaneous abortion (RR=15.37, p=0.001). There was also a significant statistical relationship between bleeding after amniocentesis and spontaneous abortion; so that in patients with more bleeding, spontaneous abortion was more prevalent (RR=6.83, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: According to the results, it seems that amniotic fluid leakage and bleeding after amniocentesis should be considered as two serious complications of amniocentesis, which can cause the incidence of spontaneous abortion in pregnant patients undergoing amniocentesis.

Evaluation of the effect of castor oil on initiating labor in term pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of castor oil on initiating labor in term pregnant women. METHODS: We conducted this randomized control clinical trial on 47 pregnant women from August 2003 to March 2004 in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in labor initiation ratio in the castor oil group compared with the control group (54.2% compared with 4.3%, p<0.001). Also, the mean bishop score in the castor oil group increased from 2.50 +/- 1.29 to 6.79 +/- 3.20 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The probability of labor initiation increases during the first 24 hours after using castor oil, however, further studies are recommended to improve its efficacy and safety.