Traditional uses of medicinal plants to prevent and treat diabetes; an updated review of ethnobotanical studies in Iran

Background: Obesity and physical inactivity are currently on the rise due to industrialization of the communities, which has recently led to increased incidence of different diseases such as diabetes. Epidemiological studies and figures have demonstrated the growing incidence of diabetes. Relevantly, the side effects of chemical drugs have led patients to use medicinal plants and traditional approaches despite advances in development of chemical drugs. The aim of this review article is to report the medicinal plants and their traditional uses to prevent and treat diabetes according to the findings of ethnobotanical studies conducted in different regions of Iran. Evidence Acquisitions: The search terms including ethnobotany, ethnomedicine, ethnopharmacology, phytopharmacology, phytomedicine, Iran, and traditional medicine in combination with diabetes, blood sugar and hyperglycemic were searched from scientific databases. Results: The results of this article can be a comprehensive guideline, based on ethnobotany of different regions of Iran, to prevent and treat diabetes. According to this review article, certain plant species such as Urtica dioica L., popularly called nettle, in eight regions, Teucrium polium L., popularly called poleigamander, in five regions, and Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Citrullus colocynthis (L.), Schrad., and Juglans regia L. in four regions, were reported to be frequently used to prevent and treat diabetes Conclusions: The introduced medicinal plants in this review can be investigated in further research and produce new drugs with limited side effects

Comparing thrB gene sequencing and multiplex PCR method in grouping of the different strains of escherichia coli

Background and purpose: The best-known groups of Escherichia coli are B2, B1, A, and D. Previous studies have clearly shown the difference between this group such as resistance to antibiotics, the growth rate, and pathogenicity. Therefore, identifying different groups of E. coli could be of great benefit in curing infections caused by this bacterium. There are some defects in traditional diagnosis methods for E. coli groups, hence, this study aimed at finding a more efficient method. Material and methods: To identify different E. coli groups, after surveying genomic sequence of 60 E. coli and their grouping which was done by silico multiplex PCR method, a polymorphic sequence of homoserine kinase enzyme was selected. Then, 20 unknown samples of E. coli strains were grouped by this sequence and multiplex PCR methods. Results: The 20 unknown samples of E. coli strains were grouped identically in both methods. Conclusion: Identification and grouping of different E. coli strains by sequencing method was found to be more precise than multiplex PCR method. © 2014, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

A study on the association of diabetic dermopathy with nephropathy and retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Diabetic dermopathy is one of the most prevalent skin complications in diabetes patients. Some studies have pointed to association of diabetic dermopathy with retinopathy and nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes as microangiopathy presentations, but no rigorous study has been conducted to confirm this association. Objectives: This study investigated association of diabetic dermopathy with nephropathy and retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes referring specialty clinic of Shahrekord. Patients and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 102 type 2 diabetes patients with dermopathy referring clinic constantly or as outpatient. Dermatological and ophthalmological examinations and examination for nephropathy were done for all patients. Demographic data and results of examinations and patients history, and biochemical tests were gathered and recorded by researcher developed checklists. Results: Mean age of patients was 83.8 2.60 years, of whom 64 (63.7%) were female and 37.3% were male. Prevalence of retinopathy in patients was 4.31% and nephropathy 3.33%. In this study, significant associations of diabetic dermopathy with diabetic nephropathy (P = 0.001), with retinopathy (P 0.05). Conclusions: Results of this study confirm the association of diabetic dermopathy with retinopathy and nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Since dermopathy is usually developed before retinopathy and nephropathy, dermopathy could be used as a clinical finding in early diagnosis and prevention of retinopathy and nephropathy in diabetes patients. © 2016 The Author(s)

Clinical relevance of Helicobacter pylori virulence factors in Iranian patients with gastrointestinal diseases

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) usually colonizes the gastric mucosa of more than 50% of the human population, causing an infection that may appear in early childhood and can persist for life. H. pylori is suggested as the main cause of peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis. It is also associated with gastric cancer. Its severity and symptoms depend on environmental factors, host susceptibility and bacterial components, which allow H. pylori to switch between commensalism and pathogenicity. H. pylori is genetically highly variable, and the variability which affects H. pylori virulence factors might be useful in identifying the strains with different degrees of pathogenicity. The geographic distribution of distinct H. pylori genotypes is largely unknown and should be established. The prevalence of more pathogenic genotypes in certain areas may have important epidemiological consequences. It also might be associated with the severity of H. pylori related diseases in such regions. Given that Iran is located in the Middle East and Asian populations have revealed high levels of gastric cancer, it is of clinical interest to clarify the potential of H. pylori virulence markers in predicting the associated clinical outcomes. In this review, clinical relevance of adhesion molecules and significant virulence factors of H. pylori in Iranian patients with gastrointestinal diseases are discussed in comparison to other countries

Molecular characterization of Iranian patients with possible familial hypercholesterolemia.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disorder of lipoprotein metabolism caused mainly by mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and apolipoprotein B 100 (APOB) genes. Until now, the molecular basis of FH has been demonstrated in detail in many populations, but there is still very limited Molecular data concerning FH in Iran. The aim of this study was to characterize the LDLR and APOB gene mutations in an Iranian population. A total of 30 non-related Iranian possible FH subjects were studied. Diagnosis of FH was based on the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network diagnostic criteria. All samples were initially tested for three common APOB gene mutations including R3500Q, R3500 W and R3531C using PCR-RFLP assay. Subsequently, promoter and coding region of the LDLR gene was screened by PCR-SSCP analysis and positive results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Four previously reported polymorphisms 1413G > A, 1725C > T, 1773T > C and 2140 + 5G > A were found in ~17% (5/30) of population studied. Moreover, no variation was found in APOB gene. Our data indicated that LDLR and APOB gene mutations have not contribution to possible FH in Iranian population studied here. However, we examined three common APOB mutations and LDLR in only 30 patients, and to determine the role of these genes in developing FH in Iran, more FH samples and populations needed to be investigated for the mutations of the related genes

Phytochemical Properties and Antibacterial Effects of Salvia multicaulis Vahl., Euphorbia microsciadia Boiss., and Reseda lutea on Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumanii

Background: Plantshave long served as a rich source of drugs. Givensomemicroorganisms' acquisition of resistance to the current antibiotics, there is a need for discovering new drugs. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the phytochemical properties and antibacterial effects of Salvia multicaulis Vahl., Euphorbia microsciadia Boiss., and Reseda lutea against Acinetobacter baumanii and Staphylococcus aureus. Methods: In this experimental study, hydroalcoholic (ethanol 70%) plant extracts were prepared by maceration. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were determined by CLSI broth microdilution and Muller-Hinton agar assay for each sample, respectively. Total phenolic content was measured by Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay and expressed in terms of gallic acid equivalent and total flavonoid content by aluminum chloride colorimetric method and in terms of rutin equivalent. Results: Findings showed that 1, 4, and 1 mg/mL were derived as MICs and 4, 16, and 8 mg/mL as MBCs for S. multicaulis Vahl., E. microsciadia Boiss., and R. lutea, respectively, against S. aureus; 2, 8, and 2 mg/mL were derived as MICs and 16, 32, and 16 mg/mL as MBCs for S. multicaulis Vahl. R. lutea, and E. microsciadia Boiss., respectively, against A. baumanii. In addition, E. microsciadia Boiss. and S. multicaulis Vahl. were found to contain the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content, respectively. Conclusions: The studied plants that were collected from Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province can be used to produce antibiotics due to their phenols and flavonoids and exert antibacterial effects on the studied bacteria. Keywords Author Keywords:Medicinal Plants; Drug Resistance; Minimum Inhibitory Concentration; Minimum Bactericidal Concentration; Phytochemistr

Effective Medicinal Plant in Cancer Treatment, Part 2.

Cancer is the second cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. With due attention to rapid progress in the phytochemical study of plants, they are becoming popular because of their anticancer effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effective medicinal plants in the treatment of cancer and study their mechanism of action. In order to gather information the keywords "traditional medicine," "plant compounds," "medicinal plant," "medicinal herb," "toxicity," "anticancer effect," "cell line," and "treatment" were searched in international databases such as ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Scopus and national databases such as Magiran, Sid, and Iranmedex, and a total of 228 articles were collected. In this phase, 49 nonrelevant articles were excluded. Enhancement P53 protein expression, reducing the expression of proteins P27, P21, NFκB expression and induction of apoptosis, inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway, and reduction of the level of acid phosphatase and lipid peroxidation are the most effective mechanisms of herbal plants that can inhibit cell cycle and proliferation. Common treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy can cause some complications. According to results of this study, herbal extracts have antioxidant compounds that can induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation by the investigated mechanisms

Effects of vitamin B6 on premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review and meta-Analysis

Background and Objective: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a range of physical and psychological symptoms which regularly occur during the luteal phase of a menstrual cycle and disappear short after menstruation starts. Considering the negative effects of PMS on women's daily life, various treatments have been developed to alleviate its symptoms. Vitamin B6 is one of the complementary therapies used to treat PMS. The present meta-Analysis aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin B6 on PMS. Methodology: Different databases including PubMed, ISI, Scopus, SID, Magiran, Science Direct, and Medlib were searched to identify studies addressing the effects of vitamin B6 on PMS. The relevant data obtained from these papers were analyzed by a random-effects model. Data were analyzed using R Ver. 3.2.3 Software and STATA. Results: There were significant reductions in the mean scores of PMS after treatment with vitamin B6 compare to control groups. Moreover, the mean PMS scores of the two groups were also significantly different after the treatment. The mean difference between the two groups was -1.19 [95% CI: -1.94,-0.44; P = 0.002]. Significant reductions were also observed in physical symptoms (P = 0.006) and psychological symptoms (P < 0.001) of PMS after the intervention. Conclusion: The results of our meta-Analysis confirmed vitamin B6 as a beneficial, inexpensive, and effective treatment for PMS symptoms. Therefore, the administration of this treatment option will enable midwives to achieve the important goal of reducing PMS symptoms

Damage intensity of carvacrol on prostatic cancer cells lineDu145 and molecular dynamic simulation of it effect on apoptotic factors

Prostatic cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases in men worldwide. The apoptotic factors such as BID, BIM and APAF1 have a main role in inducing apoptotic pathways. On the other hand, some compounds can active this apoptotic factors. In this study, this notion was investigated by the use of the comet assay technique and molecular dynamics simulations. In the comet assay technique, different concentrations including 130, 230, and 360 μM of Carvacrol were selected according to IC50 using MTT assay on the cell line DU145. Then, alkaline electrophoresis was performed and 100 comet pictures were analyzed using CASP software. Data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software and also using molecular dynamics simulations, wherein protein and Carvacrol were studied, thus avoiding the necessity for quantum mechanical calculations. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out using with Carvacrol closed in a fully hydrated simulation box with a protein (Bak, Bax, Bim, Apaf1, Bid and P38). The IC50 for Carvacrol was determined at 360μM by MTT test. Rate of tail to head in alkaline electrophoresis at 130, 230, and 360 μM of Carvacrol concentrations were 13. 8±0. 3, 40. 6±0. 3, and 47. 6±0. 5 percent, respectively. Statistical analysis of the molecular dynamics and calculated potential energy, radius of gyration (Rg), temperature, root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) and root mean square deviation (RMSD) indicated that Carvacrol affected protein which stimulated the apoptosis cascade. Therefore, both experimental and theoretical results demonstrate carvacrol directly affects factors initiating apoptosis. © 2016, Sphinx Knowledge House. All rights reserved

Study of LDL receptor gene mutations in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province.

چکیده: زمینه و هدف: هایپرکلسترولمی فامیلی (FH) بیماری غالب اتوزومال است که عمدتاً بدلیل جهش در ژن گیرنده لیپوپروتئین با دانسیته کم (LDLR) ایجاد می شود. این مطالعه با هدف بررسی تغییرات ژن LDLR بیماران مبتلا به کلسترول بالای خانوادگی در استان چهارمحال و بختیاری انجام شد. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه توصیفی- آزمایشگاهی، 57 بیمار مشکوک به FH غربالگری و با استفاده از روش PCR-SSCP جهش در پروموتر و اگزون های 1، 3، 5، 11، 13، 15، 16، 17 و 18 ژن LDLR بررسی شد. یافته ها: در این مطالعه دو تغییر در ژن LDLR شناسایی شد، جهش هتروزیگوت 283T>A و پلی مورفیسم 1959T>C که به ترتیب در 1 و 9 فرد مبتلا به FH شناسایی گردید. نتیجه گیری: نتایج این تحقیق نشان داد نقش ژن LDLR در ایجاد FH در جمعیت مورد مطالعه ضعیف است و احتمالا ژن یا لوکوس های دیگری در ایجاد FH در این منطقه نقش دارن