Raha syrup attenuates the morphine withdrawal-induced locomotor sensitisation by increasing the cerebrospinal fluid serotonin in rats receiving the opium tincture maintenance treatment.

Morphine withdrawal increases locomotor sensitisation, relapse and impair regulation of serotonin system. We evaluated the effectiveness of Raha syrup on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) serotonin levels following locomotor sensitisation in morphine-withdrawn rats receiving the opium tincture (OT). Morphine withdrawal rats gavaged daily with OT and Raha syrup (for 30 days) and then challenged with morphine and evaluated for locomotor activity and CSF serotonin levels before morphine challenge and 2 weeks after cessation of treatment. Raha syrup attenuated locomotor activity, increased the CSF serotonin after morphine challenge, and continued 2 weeks after cessation of treatment in rats receiving OT. Whereas, rats receiving OT alone after morphine challenge exhibited a relative decrease in locomotor activity, without changing CSF serotonin. Raha syrup attenuated locomotor sensitisation in morphine-withdrawn rats receiving OT probably by increasing serotonin. Therefore, administration of Raha syrup along with OT may benefit to treatment relapse in addicts receiving OT maintenance treatment.

Diagnosis of Giardia duodenalis Infection using Dot Blot in Comparison with Microscopy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Giardia duodenalis is an intestinal flagellate parasite which spreads all over the world and is considered as a health problem in the most rural and low sanitation areas. Many diagnostic tests have been developed for the detection of Giardia parasite in stool samples but all of them have some disadvantages such as lack of sensitivity and specificity. In search for a simple and accurate test, diagnosis of Giardia infection using dot blot method has been investigated in this work. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this descriptive study, 30 stool samples which their infection with Giardia were confirmed by direct examination and formalin ether considered as case group. Thirty stool samples without Giardia infection according to formalin ether examination were also considered as a control group. Giardia cysts were isolated from the stool samples using sucrose method. In order to raise antiserum against Giardia cysts, the purified cysts were then sonicated and injected to a rabbit. A mono specific antiserum against the 66KDa band of Giardia cyst antigen was also prepared. The two antisera were used in the dot blot test. Finally, the sensitivity and specificity of the dot-blot method were estimated by considering formalin ether as the gold standard. RESULTS: When Poly specific antiserum was used, the sensitivity and specificity of the dot blot for detection of Giardia infection were 77% and 64% respectively. However the sensitivity and specificity of this assay were 97% and 64% respectively when monospecific antiserum was used. CONCLUSION: It seems that dot blot is an easy method for the diagnosis of Giardia especially in the rural areas. However more work is recommended for further development of this test.

Immunological diagnosis of human hydatid cyst using Western immunoblotting technique.

BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis is a parasitic disease with worldwide distribution which is caused by the tapeworms Echinococcus granulosus. Diagnosis of the disease relies on imaging techniques, but the techniques are not able to differentiate the cyst from benign or malignant tumors; hence, appropriate serologic methods are required for the differential diagnosis of the infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this investigation, different sheep hydatid cyst antigens probed with thirty sera of patients with hydatid cyst and also thirty human normal sera using Western immunoblotting technique. Considering results of surgery as gold standard, sensitivity and specificity of Western blotting was estimated. RESULTS: Sera of 29, 26, and 16 patients with hydatid cyst reacted with specific bands of hydatid cyst fluid (HCF), protoscolex crude antigen, and cyst wall crude antigen, respectively. However, none of the normal human sera reacted with those specific bands. CONCLUSION: A 20 kDa band of sheep HCF is an appropriate antigen for serodiagnosis of hydatid cyst infection.

Pioglitazone Ameliorates Neuron Loss in the Cortex after Aluminum-Treatment in Rats.

The objective was evaluation of the effects of pioglitazone on medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of the rats exposed to aluminum (Al). Al induces structural changes in several brain regions, including mPFC. Pioglitazone is an agonist of peroxisomal proliferator activated receptor gamma. Male rats were randomly assigned to control, Al-treated (10 mg/kg/day), and Al + PIO-treated groups (Al+ 40 mg/kg/day). After 56 days, the right mPFCs were removed. Then, the volume of mPFC and its subdivisions, volume of vessels, and total number of neurons and glia were estimated using stereological methods. The results showed 13-38% decrease in the volume of the mPFC and its subdivisions, mainly in the infralimbic region (P < 0.02). Besides, the volume of the vessels reduced by 47% after Al-treatment (P < 0.02). The total number of the neurons and glial cells was also reduced (40% and 25%, resp.) in the Al-exposed rats in comparison to the control ones (P < 0.02). Treatment of the animals with Al + PIO ameliorated the neuron loss and no improvement was seen in other parameters (P < 0.02). It can be concluded that treatment of the rats with PIO could ameliorate the neuron loss in the mPFC of the Al-treated animals.

Use of restriction fragment length polymorphism to identify Candida species, related to onychomycosis.

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is one of the most common clinical forms of fungal infections due to both filamentous fungi and yeasts. The genus of Candida is one of the most prominent causes of onychomycosis in all around the world. Although Candida albicans is still the most frequent cause of nail infections, use of broad-spectrum antifungal agents has led to a shift in the etiology of C. albicans to non-albicans species. The aim of the present study is rapid and precise identification of candida species isolated from nail infection by using of PCR-RFLP technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 360 clinical yeast strains were collected from nail infections in Iran. Genomic DNA was extracted using FTA(;) cards. ITS1-5.8SrDNA-ITS2 region was amplified using universal primers and subsequently products were digested with the restriction enzyme MspI. For identification of newly described species (C. parapsilosis complex), the SADH gene was amplified, followed by digestion with Nla III restriction enzyme. RESULTS: Candida albicans was the most commonly isolated species (41.1%), followed by C. parapsilosis (21.4%), C. tropicalis (12.8%), C. kefyr (9.4%), C. krusei (5.5%), C. orthopsilosis (4.1%), C. glabrata (2.8%), C. guilliermondii (1.4%), C. rugosa (0.8%), and C. lusitaniae (0.5%). Patients in the age groups of 51-60 and 81-90 years had the highest and lowest distribution of positive specimens, respectively. CONCLUSION: Rapid and precise identification of Candida species from clinical specimens lead to appropriate therapeutic plans.

SEROPREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII INFECTION AMONG PATIENTS ADMITTED TO AL-ZAHRA HOSPITAL, ISFAHAN, IRAN.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection is one of the most common parasitic infections among humans and other warm-blooded animals worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate toxoplasmosis status in patients admitted to Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2012 to January 2015. During this period, 716 patients referred to AI-Zahra hospital in Isfahan city, Iran, were studied to investigate the IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii using ELISA kit. The data were analysed by Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. In addition, the relation of data with age and sex were also examined. RESULTS: Among 716 patients, 21 patients (2.9%) had positive IgM and 288 patients (40.2%) had positive IgG titer against T. gondii. Data analysis by Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests revealed that there was no significant relationship between IgG titer and age (p > 0.05). Additionally, there was no relationship between IgM titer and age (p > 0.05). The data showed that there was no relationship between IgG and IgM antibody titer and sex (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Isfahan inhabitants seems fairly high but it can be concluded that the rate of seropositive patient is moderate comparing to other regions of country. Accordingly, the authors propose that all sensitive patients have to be tested for T. gondii antibody in order to prevent the consequences of disease.