Investigation of the effects of the essence and extract of Allium jesdianum on the activity of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes

Recent studies on the analgesic effects of Allium jesdianum herb across different types of pain including formalin test biphasic pain, have suggested the probability of effectiveness of the extract of this herb on cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX). In this study we investigated the effects of the essence and extract of A. jesdianum on COX-1 and COX-2 in human fresh blood. For this experimental study, A. jesdianum collected from Sefidkouh region in Khorramabad of Iran. Extract and essence (the leaves of the plant) were prepared at various concentrations 0.5-6 mg/ml and 0-100 mg/ml respectively. The percentage of activity of COX-1 and COX-2 enzyme was measured by percentage of production of TXB2 and PGE2. Solvents Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and Phosphatebuffered saline (PBS) were used as control for comparing with extract or essence effects. Also indomethacin was used as a positive control. The extract (59 +/- 8.2; P0.05). Further, all doses of A. jesdianum essence inhibited the platelet aggregation (P<0.05). It can be stated that the essence and extract of A. jesdianum herb had inhibitory effects on COX-1 enzyme, where the extract was also able to inhibit platelet aggregation

Star formation history for the starburst dwarf galaxy in the Local Group, IC 10

IC 10 as a starburst dwarf galaxy in the Local Group (LG) has a large population of newly formed stars that are massive and intrinsically very bright in comparison with other LG galaxies. Using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) with the Wide Field Camera (WFC) in the i-band and V-band, we performed an optical monitoring survey to identify the most evolved asymptotic giant branch stars (AGBs) and red supergiant stars (RSGs) in this star-forming galaxy, which can be used to determine the star formation history (SFH). The E(B - V) as an effective factor for obtaining the precise magnitude of stars is measured for each star using a 2D dust map (SFD98) to obtain a total extinction for each star in both the i-band and V-band. We obtained the photometric catalog for 53579 stars within the area of 0.07 deg$^{2}$ (13.5 kpc$^{2}$), of which 762 stars are classified as variable candidates after removing the foreground stars and saturated ones from our catalog. To reconstruct the SFH for IC 10, we first identified 424 long-period variable (LPV) candidates within the area of two half-light radii (2r$_{h}$) from the center of the galaxy. We estimated the recent star formation rate (SFR) at $\sim$ 0.32 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ for a constant metallicity Z = 0.0008, showing the galaxy is currently undergoing high levels of star formation. Also, a total stellar mass of 0.44 $\times$ 10$^{8}$ M$_{\odot}$ is obtained within 2r$_{h}$ for that metallicity.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figur

Cytotoxicity effect of pineapple extract on breast cancer cells (4T1)

Aqueous extract of pineapple (Bromelain) is used in medicine. Bromelain has anticancer effect on leukemia, lymphoma, sarcoma and melanoma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anticancer effect of bromelain on mouse breast cancer (4T1) cells under in-vitro conditions. Methods: Mouse breast cancer (4T1) cells were incubated with different concentrations of the bromelain for 2, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The growth-inhibitory was investigated via 3 (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium-bromide (MTT) assay. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn’s tests were used to evaluate the statistical significance of the difference between the experimental and control groups. Findings: Bromelain significantly inhibited proliferation of 4T1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In all concentrations, cell viability decreased with respect to the control incubated cells in the absence of extract (P < 0.05). Bromelain exerted highest antiproliferative effects on 4T1 cells for concentrations of 100, 200, 300, 400 and 600 µg/ml (P < 0.05) for 24, 48 and 72 hours, while cell viability increased for times shorter than 2 hours. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 142.6 g/ml was obtained from treating 4T1 cells. Conclusion: Results showed that bromelain has cytotoxic effects on the growth and proliferation of 4T1 cells for 24, 48 and 72 hours of incubation. This study is ongoing to assess the extract mechanism of action

Review of Oral and Dental Consideration in the Patients with Head and Neck Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy

Objectives Aggressive cancer therapy places patients at a greater risk for oral complications. Cancer patients suffer from oral toxic effects secondary to antineoplastic therapy (radiotherapy and chemotherapy). The aim of this review is management of the head and neck   cancer patients that specifically emphasizes the prevention and treatment of oral and   dental complications associated with cancer therapy.Methods In this narrative review article, the specialized databases such as PubMed, PubMed Central, MEDLINE, EBSCO, Science Direct, Scopus from 2008 to 2018 were used to find relevant documents by using Mesh terms: Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, oral consideration, head and neck.Results The data were categorized in: Complications of head and neck radiotherapy and its management (Xerostomia,  Oral Infection, Oral Mucositis, Osteoradionecrosis), Complications of head and neck chemotherapy and its management (Mucosal toxicity, Dental alterations, Neurological disorders, Salivary alterations, Dysgeusia, Infections, Bleeding tendency, Osteonecrosis of the jaws due to bisphosphonates).Conclusion In order to minimize   morbidity in the head and neck cancer patients, it is recommended for consulting to   dental health care providers   before, during and after cancer therapy

Serological Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Patients With a Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in 4%-6% of women in the reproductive age and is a common cause of infertility. Even though the number of investigations is scarce, studies show that Helicobacter pylori infection may influence reproduction. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the levels of H. pylori specific antibodies IgA, IgG and anti-CagA at both PCOS and non-PCOS women with their spouses using the serological test. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 127 women with their spouses (age range, 30 - 60 years) were selected. These patient were referred to infertility center of Shariati Hospital in Tehran, Iran, with a diagnostic criteria of PCOS based on Androgen Excess Society (AES). The specific antibodies of IgA, IgG and anti-CagA were measured using the commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. Results: The positive titers of H. pylori antibodies IgA, IgG and anti-CagA in the PCOS group were 45 (35%), 79 (62%) and 77 (60.5%), respectively, while in non-PCOS group were 38 (30%), 76 (60%) and 50 (39.5%), respectively. The sera positive for IgA, IgG and anti-CagA antibodies in spouses of the non-PCOS group were 38 (30%), 84 (66%) and 79 (62%) respectively, but in spouses of the PCOS group were 51 (40%), 83 (66%) and 48 (38%), respectively. The results showed that H. pylori infection probably did not affect infertility or reproduction. Conclusions: Findings of this study demonstrate no significant difference between levels of H. pylori specific antibodies of IgA, IgG, anti-CagA and the presence of PCOS disorders, and also indicate that serologic testing is a sensitive method for the detection of H. pylori antibodies. The high prevalence of H. pylori positive antibody levels in both PCOS and non-PCOS patients can be probably associated with the high frequency of H. pylori infection

Effect of quercetin on methotrexate-induced hepatic and renal damages in male rats

Abstract Background and purpose: Methotrexate as a chemotherapy drug causes chronic liver damage, infiltration of neutrophils, oxidative stress, and direct renal tubular damage. Quercetin is a flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of quercetin on eliminating the liver and kidney toxicity of methotrexate. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 32 rats were divided into 4 groups. Group I (control) was given regular diet. Group II received single-dose methotrexate. Group III received methotrexate + a single dose quercetin and the last group (positive control) received methotrexate + a single dose silymarin. After five days, blood samples were taken and the serum GOT, GPT, ALP, Cr, urea and antioxidant capacity of plasma were measured. Some parts of liver and kidney were removed to measure the liver and kidney SOD, MDA, catalase activity and histopathological studies. Results: Serum GOT, GPT, ALP, Cr, and liver and kidney MDA were significantly higher (P<0.05) in group II, compared with those of the control group. These parameters significantly decreased (P<0.05) in group III. Compared to the control group, antioxidant capacity of plasma, activity of the liver and kidney SOD, catalase and serum urea decreased significantly in group II (P<0.05). Administration of quercetin significantly increased these parameters (P<0.05) and decreased hepatic and renal lymphocyte infiltration. Conclusion: According to the results, administration of quercetin could have a protective role in preventing liver and renal toxicity induced by methotrexate which could be due to its antioxidant property

Comparison of the Effect Of 0.2% Chlorhexidine and Xylitol Plus 920 Ppm Fluoride Mouthwashes on Count of Salivary Streptococcus Mutants, a Pilot Study

Statement of the Problem: Dental caries is a common chronic disease. Mouthwashes and other preventive approaches play an important role in caries prevention. Finding the most efficient mouthwash in the market is always a concern for dentists and patients. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of chlorhexidine (Behsa, Iran) and xylitol plus 920 ppm fluoride (FX) (Fuchs, Germany) mouthwash on salivary Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), which is the main microorganism responsible for dental caries. Materials and Method: This single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 30 dental students, divided into two groups. The salivary count of S. mutans was measured at the beginning of the study. Group 1 students used chlorhexidine mouthwash while group 2 used FX mouthwash for two weeks. Saliva samples were collected again and salivary count of S. mutans was determined. Data were analyzed using Mann Whitney and Wilcoxon signed rank tests Results: Salivary count of S.mutans significantly decreased in the two groups after using the mouthwashes (p 0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the results showed that both mouthwashes could decrease S. mutans count

Serodiagnosis of fasciolosis by fast protein liquid chromatography-fractionated excretory/secretory antigens

In several studies, different antigenic preparations and diverse immunological tests were applied for serodiagnosis of Fasciola hepatica infections. Most of these preparations showed cross-reactivity with proteins of other parasites. Application of purified antigens might reduce these cross-reactivities. Here, we used fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC)-fractionated extracts of F. hepatica excretory/secretory antigens (E/S Ags) for serodiagnosis of human and sheep fasciolosis. To develop an improved diagnostic method, we fractionated F. hepatica E/S Ags by anion exchange chromatography on a Sepharose CL-6B column and then tested the serodiagnostic values of the fractions. We used sera from F. hepatica-infected human and sheep as positive controls. Sera from patients with hydatidosis and strongyloidiasis were used for cross-reactivity studies. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) of the second FPLC peak, containing 20, 25, and 70 kDa proteins, discriminated between F. hepatica-infected and uninfected human and sheep samples. Fractionation of F. hepatica E/S Ags by FPLC is a fast and reproducible way of obtaining antigens useful for serodiagnosis of human and sheep fasciolosis with acceptable sensitivity and specificity

Freshwater snails as the intermediate host of trematodes in Iran: a systematic review

Freshwater snails, as the first intermediate hosts of trematodes, can cause health hazards in animals and humans. Recently, the World Health Organization has included Iran in a list of 6 countries known to have serious problems with fascioliasis. In addition, cercarial dermatitis is a job-related disease that is seen often in paddy workers, agricultural labourers, and fishermen in Iran, particularly in Mazandaran Province. Many studies have been conducted in Iran to survey larval trematodes in freshwater snails. However, to the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive data exist regarding infections in gastropods. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to estimate the types and prevalence of cercarial infections in snails in Iran. Electronic English-language and Persian-language databases were searched to identify 24 published articles reporting the prevalence of trematode infections in snails (9 species from 6 families) in various provinces of Iran. In total, 4.4% of gastropods were infected with the larval stages of trematodes. According to the studies reviewed in this meta-analysis‚ the highest infection prevalence was found in Radix auricularia (9.9%). Twelve larval species of trematodes were identified, and the highest prevalence of cercariae was found for Echinostomatidae cercariae (4.3%). Among the provinces explored, West Azerbaijan had the highest prevalence of infected snails (16.9%). The presence of trematodes in snails could pose a serious health problem in Iran. Thus, further studies are necessary to characterize these infections in other provinces

In Silico Analysis of Six Known Leishmania major Antigens and In Vitro Evaluation of Specific Epitopes Eliciting HLA-A2 Restricted CD8 T Cell Response

Leishmaniasis is currently a serious health as well as economic problem in underdeveloped and developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Near and Middle East, Central and South America and the Mediterranean region. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is highly endemic in Iran, remarkably in Isfahan, Fars, Khorasan, Khozestan and Kerman provinces. Since effective prevention is not available and current curative therapy is expensive, often poorly tolerated and not always effective, alternative therapies including vaccination against leishmaniasis are of priority to overcome the problem. Although Th1 dominant response is so far considered as a pre-requisite for the immune system to overcome the infection, CD8+ T cell response could also be considered as a potent arm of immune system fighting against intracellular Leishmania. Polytope vaccine strategy may open up a new way in vaccine design against leishmaniasis, since they act as a potent tool to stimulate multi-CD8 T cell responses. Clearly there is a substantial need to evaluate the promising epitopes from different proteins of Leishmania parasite species. Some new immunoinformatic tools are now available to speed up this process, and we have shown here that in silico prediction can effectively evaluate HLA class I-restricted epitopes out of Leishmania proteins