Study of the bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects of olive oil, sesame oil and their synergism on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro

Background and aims: Nosocomial infections are common problems in developing and developed countries. One of the pathogens that causes these infections is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to the antibiotical resistance of this bacteria, It is essential to find new treatments like new herbal medicine. This study was aimed to determine in vitro antibacterial effects of sesame oil, olive oil and their synergism on P. aeruginosa. Methods: In this experimental study, first, olive oil and sesame oil were obtained by cold-pressing assay. Then, P.aeruginosa ATCC 27853 was prepared from Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology. Oils and their mixture with the same proportion were made in concentrations from 2 to 1024 mg/ml and the antibacterial character of these oils on P.aeruginosa was investigated by broth micro dilution method and then the amounts of the MIC and the MBC were demonstrated. Results: The MIC of olive oil, sesame oil and their synergism on P.aeruginosa were reported; 16 mg/ml, 128 mg/ml and 128 mg/ml and the MBC of these oils were indicated; 64 mg/ml, 512 mg/ml and 512 mg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that sesame oil, olive oil and their synergism can inhibit bacterial growth. Olive oil has more antibacterial effect on this bacteria than sesame oil and their synergism. So, we conclude that there was no synergistic effect in these oils

Evaluation of the Effect of Combination Therapy on Treatment of COVID-19: A Cohort Study

Background: COVID-19 is a new disease for which a definitive treatment has not yet been proposed. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of combination therapy on the treatment of COVID-19 due to the importance of finding an appropriate treatment for this epidemic disease. Methods: This two-center cohort study included 175 confirmed COVID-19 inpatients at two medical centers designated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in Qom and Qazvin, Iran. In this study, four different groups of drug regimens were studied which included G1 (azithromycin, prednisolone, and naproxen), G2 (lopinavir/ritonavir, azithromycin, naproxen, and prednisolone), G3 (hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, naproxen, and prednisolone), and G4 (levofloxacin, vancomycin, hydroxychloroquine, and oseltamivir). It should be noted that G1, G2, G3, and G4 treatment regimens were used on 48, 39,30, and 77 patients, respectively. Results: The study participants included 175 confirmed COVID-19 patients with mean±SD age of 58.9 ±15.1 years, out of whom 80 (46%) patients were male and the rest were females. The results indicated that the hospital stay period was significantly shorter in the G1 compared to other groups (G1:5.9±2.4, G2:8.1±4.2, G3: 6.3±1.7, and G4: 6.4±2.9; [P-value=0.008]). It should be noted that pulse rate, oxygen saturation, hemoglobin, and platelet count (PLT) changed significantly during the study in four treatment groups; however, a significant change in temperature, creatinine, and white blood cell (WBC) was observed only in G3, G4, and G1 groups, respectively. The number of ICU admissions and deaths were not statistically significant among the patients who received the four treatment regimens (P=0.785). Based on the results, the history of ischemic heart disease, baseline oxygen saturation, WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte count, and C-reactive protein (CRP) are the risk factors for the prolonged hospital stay in COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: The obtained results in this study indicated that the combination of azithromycin, prednisolone, and naproxen is the most effective regimen for the treatment of COVID-19, compared to three other combination treatment regimens. Keywords: Anti-inflammatory drugs, Antiviral drugs, Combination therapy, Corticosteroid, COVID-19, Immunomodulators drug

Opium addiction increases interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in the coronary artery disease patients.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that opium addiction has immunosuppressant effects. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition resulted from atherosclerosis which is dependent on the immune response. PURPOSE: To evaluate plasma levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-1Ra in 30 patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease, ejection fraction of more than 35% and to evaluate their changes after prognostic treadmill test in 15 opium addicted and 15 non-addicted patients. METHODS: The participants underwent prognostic treadmill test and plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1Ra (IL-1Ra) were evaluated with ELISA method before, just after and 4 hours after the test. RESULTS: IL-1Ra (2183 pg/ml) tended to decrease over time in the opium addicted group (1372 pg/ml after prognostic treadmill test and 1034 pg/ml 4 hours after that), although such decrease did not reach the statistical significance. IL-1Ra levels were significantly higher in opium addicted than in non addicted patients. Opium addiction had no significant effect on IL-6 changes. CONCLUSION: Consumption of opium in CAD patients is associated with higher IL-1Ra levels

Laboratory parameters measured among the opium-addicted and non-addicted patients.

<p>Values are expressed as mean (STD. Deviation of mean). P values are calculated based on ANOVA test.</p