Homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate levels in premature coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is known as an independent risk factor of atherosclerosis, but the probable role of hyperhomocysteinemia in premature Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is not well studied. The aim of this study was to assess the role of hyperhomocysteinemia, folate and Vitamin B12 deficiency in the development of premature CAD. METHODS: We performed an analytical case-control study on 294 individuals under 45 years (225 males and 69 females) who were admitted for selective coronary angiography to two centers in Tehran. RESULTS: After considering the exclusion criteria, a total number of 225 individuals were enrolled of which 43.1% had CAD. The mean age of participants was 39.9 +/- 4.3 years (40.1 +/- 4.2 years in males and 39.4 +/- 4.8 years in females). Compared to the control group, the level of homocysteine measured in the plasma of the male participants was significantly high (14.9 +/- 1.2 versus 20.3 +/- 1.9 micromol/lit, P = 0.01). However there was no significant difference in homocysteine level of females with and without CAD (11.8 +/- 1.3 versus 11.5 ± 1.1 micromol/lit, P = 0.87). Mean plasma level of folic acid and vitamin B12 in the study group were 6.3 +/- 0.2 and 282.5 +/- 9.1 respectively. Based on these findings, 10.7% of the study group had folate deficiency while 26.6% had Vitamin B12 deficiency. Logistic regression analysis for evaluating independent CAD risk factors showed hyperhomocysteinemia as an independent risk factor for premature CAD in males (OR = 2.54 0.95% CI 1.23 to 5.22, P = 0.01). Study for the underlying causes of hyperhomocysteinemia showed that male gender and Vitamin B12 deficiency had significant influence on incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia. CONCLUSION: We may conclude that hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for CAD in young patients (bellow 45 years old) – especially in men -and vitamin B12 deficiency is a preventable cause of hyperhomocysteinemia

The effect of oral feeding of Allium ascalonicum L. on thoracic aorta contractile response in diabetic rats

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is accompanied with higher incidence of cardiovascular disorders.There is some evidence on antidiabetic potential of Allium ascalonicum L. (AA). Therefore, this studywas conducted to evaluate the beneficial effect of oral two-month administration of AA on contractilereactivity of isolated thoracic aorta from diabetic rats.Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into control, AA-treated control, diabetic,and AA-treated diabetic groups. For induction of diabetes, streptozotcin (STZ) was intraperitoneallyadministered (60 mg/Kg). Meanwhile, treated groups received AA mixed with standard pelleted foodat a weight ratio of 6.25% for 2 months. Serum glucose level was measured in weeks 4 and 8. Alsoafter 2 months contractile reactivity of thoracic aortic rings to KCl and noradrenaline was determinedusing isolated tissue setup.Results: Serum glucose level showed a significant increase in diabetic animals (p<0.001) and thiswas significantly attenuated in AA-treated diabetic group (p<0.005). In addition, AA-treated diabeticgroup showed a lower contraction to KCl and noreadrenaline (p<0.05) as compared to diabetic group.Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between control and AA-treated control groupsregarding contractile reactivity.Conclusion: Oral administration of AA for 2 months could improve hyperglycemia and alsoattenuate the contractile responsiveness of the vascular system and this may prevent the developmentof hypertension in diabetic rats

Percutaneous aortic valve implantation in bicuspid aortic valve: A case report

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was known as an alternative technique for treatment of severe aortic stenosis (AS). This technique is controversial in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Here, we report TAVI for severe AS in a BAV setting in a patient with serious lung disease. CASE REPORT: A 68-year-old woman with a history of coronary artery bypass graft, BAV and severe AS, asthma, who had repeatedly denied any suggestion for open heart surgery, was our volunteer candidate for TAVI. The peak and mean pressure gradient decreased from 53 and 43 mm Hg to 13and 6 mm Hg respectively. CONCLUSION: TAVI could be a viable option for highly selected patients with AS and BAV who have a prohibitive risk for open heart surgery.&nbsp; </span

CAPPARIS A MULTIFUNCTIONAL HERB: EVIDENCE FROM THE IRANIAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE TO MODERN MEDICINE.

Today, we see increased public interest in complementary medicine. Iranian Traditional Medicine is one of the most important pillars of the complementary medicine. A variety of herbs are used in Iranian Traditional Medicine to treat diseases. Capparis spinosa (Caper) is one of the herbs that its different parts are used alone or as a mixture with other plants. Today, Caper is known as a nutritional and pharmaceutical plant with unique properties. In this study, properties of Caper proposed in different books are extracted and classified on the basis of affection area. Caper is effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal, infectious, neurological, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, respiratory diseases and so on. The results of the present study are consistent with the findings of modern medicine in many ways. In this study, Capparis spinosa’s uses in Iranian Traditional Medicine have been compared with new findings and applications of Caper. The findings of this study could be the basis for a thorough study of Caper more diverse applications. Key Word: Capparis spinosa, Iranian Traditional Medicine, Pharmaceutica

Cationic Water-Soluble Conjugated Polyelectrolytes/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites as Efficient Green Hole Injection Layers in Organic Light Emitting Diodes

The current research presents using a nanocomposite comprising of a cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE), poly­[(2,5-bis­(2-(<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-diethylammonium bromide)­ethoxy)-1,4-phenylene)-<i>alt</i>-1,4-phenylene] or (PPPNEt₂·HBr), with graphene oxide (GO) as a new hole injection layer (HIL) for organic light emitting diodes. It is demonstrated that using the designed ionically functionalized water-soluble conjugated polymers instead of polyethylene dioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a promising approach to overcome the strong acidic nature of PEDOT:PSS besides excluding its nonconductive PSS part. As the other aspiration of this work, we introduce a good partner for dissolving and spin-casting of GO as a simple and economic technique to use the hole conductive and electron blocking nature of GO in the hole injection portion of assembled devices. Using this new binary blend showed enhanced charge carrier mobility, good electroluminescence, and <i>J</i>–<i>V</i> characteristics in comparison with conventional devices. Such improvement is interpreted with induced ion space charge of HIL at the interface and resulting electric field screening effect due to ion migration

کمبود اخلاط، حلقه‌ای مفقوده در تشخیص افتراقی بیماری‌ها

The human body is made of four humors and moderation in the quality and quantity of them can lead to health. If value of one or all humors is high can cause humors dominance and specific diseases related to humor and if some humor less than the amount required may cause diseases and even death. Deficiency of a humor can cause false signs and symptoms of increase the opposite humor so Deficiency of a humor is one of the most important differential diagnosis of humor dominance and if this disorder is not detected and to be treated as a conquering humor not only Improvement does not follow, but may also have undesirable side effects. This subject In Iranian traditional medicine has not been discussed in separate chapters and practitioners have referred to as distributed. This article reviewed the most important books on traditional medicine and expressed practitioner‘s belief about this subject.بدن انسان از اخلاط اربعه به وجود آمده است و صحت بدن با اعتدال اخلاط در کیفیت و کمیت محقق می‌شود. اگر یک یا همه اخلاط در کمیت زیاد باشند موجب امتلا و بیماری‌های خاص خلط مربوط می‌گردند و چنانچه بعضی از اخلاط از آنچه که مورد نیاز است کمتر باشند موجب بیماری و چه بسا مرگ می‌شوند. کمبود یک خلط می‌تواند به‌صورت کاذب موجب بروز علایم افزایش خلط مقابل گردد و در صورتی که این اختلال تشخیص داده نشده و به‌عنوان غلبه خلط تحت درمان قرار گیرد نه تنها بهبودی حاصل نمی‌گردد بلکه ممکن است عوارض نامطلوبی را نیز به‌دنبال داشته باشد. در کتاب‌های طب سنتی ایران کمبود اخلاط در فصل مستقلی مورد بحث واقع نشده است و حکما به صورت پراکنده به این مطلب اشاره کرده‌اند. به همین سبب با جستجو در متون اصلی طب سنتی دیدگاه حکما بررسی و تبیین گردید

عوامل و داروهای مؤثر بر اشتها و ارتباط آن با اخلاط از دیدگاه طب سنتی ایران

Appetite disorder and energy imbalance cause weight change and several complications such as obesity or malnutrition. Despite extensive researches on appetite and modifier factors, treatments of appetite disorders are still associated with many problems. This study aims at determining and investigating the relationship between four humors (Akhlat Arbaee) and appetite, causes and drugs affecting appetite referring to the books written by Avicenna, Razes and other Iranian Traditional Medicine Authoritative. This study showed that each natural humors has a specific effect on appetite and any change in the quantity and quality of humors can changes appetite. In addition, every variation in the temperament of organs, such as brain, heart and particularly stomach and liver has a great impact on the change of appetite and by repairing it we can control appetite disorders. There are also many other underlying diseases which can cause changes in appetite. Examining different drugs revealed that many simple substances which exist in drugs (advie mofrade) have a kind of effect on the appetite and can be used in order to control the appetite. According to Iranian traditional medicine viewpoints regarding the issue of appetite and the drugs prescribed to control it, by researching and studying in this field of study, approaches might be revealed to treat appetite disorders.اختلال اشتها و عدم تعادل انرژی سبب تغییر وزن و عوارض متعددی مانند چاقی یا سوء تغذیه می‌گردد. علي‌رغم تحقیقات گسترده در مورد اشتها و عوامل تغییردهنده آن هنوز هم در بسیاری از موارد، درمان اختلالات اشتها با مشکلات زیادی همراه است. در این مقاله براساس کتاب «قانون بوعلی سینا»، «الحاوی رازی» و سایر کتاب‌های معتبر طب سنتی ایران اشتها و اختلالات آن، رابطه اشتها با اخلاط اربعه و عوامل و داروهای مؤثر بر اشتها بررسی و تبیین شده است. این مطالعه نشان داد که هر یک از اخلاط طبیعی تأثیر خاصی بر اشتها دارند و هر تغییری در کمیت و کیفیت اخلاط می‌تواند موجب تغییر در اشتها گردد. علاوه بر این، تغییر مزاج اعضایی مثل مغز، قلب و به ویژه معده و کبد نقش عمده‌ای در تغییر اشتها دارد که با اصلاح مزاج آن­ها می‌توان به میزان زیادی اختلالات اشتها را کنترل کرد. بیماری‌های زمینه‌ای زیادی نیز می‌توانند موجب تغییر اشتها گردند. در بررسی داروها مشخص شد که مفردات فراوانی بر اشتها اثر دارند و می‌توانند در کنترل آن به‌کار گرفته شوند. با توجه به دیدگاه طب سنتی ایران در مورد اشتها و داروهای مؤثر بر آن، پس از مطالعه و واکاوی بیشتر شاید بتوان راه‌کار جدیدی در درمان اختلالات اشتها ارائه داد