The protective effects of ginger on the development of coronary atherosclerosis: An experimental animal study

The use of ginger extracts has been recently suggested to be effective for prevention of establishing and development of coronary atherosclerosis due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components. In the present study, the effect of standardized ginger extract on the development of experimentally induced atherosclerosis in animal models was investigated. The study protocol was consist of three groups of male rabbits (n = 5 each group) that were randomly divided to three groups to fed a common stock diet (containing bran and fresh vegetables) plus high cholesterol pack, or stock diet plus ginger (0.1 g/kg body weight/day) (group II) together with cholesterol, or only stock diet as the atheroma control for 75 days. Atheroma was graded macroscopically by mean graticule count percent. The degree of experimental cholesterol atherosclerosis was graded on an arbitrary scale of 0 to 4, and serum level of total cholesterol was also measured. The atherosclerotic lesion area was macroscopically smaller in rabbits that consumed ginger in comparison with the lesion area in those animals no received ginger extract (43.26 ± 8.7 mm2 versus 82.3 ± 7.9 mm2, p<0.001). Microscopically, the mean grading in coronary artery of rabbits received high cholesterol diet without ginger was 3.1±0.56, while in the group received high cholesterol diet plus ginger was 1.6±0.85 with a significant difference. Regarding effects of ginger on total cholesterol level and considering nonsignificant cholesterol level at baseline, the level of cholesterol after 75 days reached 66.72±0.12 mg/dL in the control group, 776±40.55 mg/dL in group fed high cholesterol without ginger, and 446±23.97 mg/dL in the group fed ginger with a significant level in high cholesterol plus ginger group than in high cholesterol alone group (p<0.001). Ginger can effectively protect the development of atherosclerosis manifested by lowering serum cholesterol level, as well as reducing infarct size and grade

A case of carbamazepine induced systemic lupus erythematous (SLE)

ABSTRACT Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant drug that used to treat seizures and nerve pain and such as most drugs have side effect. Systemic lupus erythematous is one of connective tissue disorders that often caused by an auto immune mechanism of unknown, although some drugs cause SLE. This report aimed to demonstrate the carbamazepine induced SLE after its oral consumption for Convulsion. This is the report carbamazepine- induced systemic lupus in a 16-year-old patient who had been treated with

Effect of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa PLA2 polymorphism on severity of pulmonary thromboembolism

Background: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is among the leading causes of death following surgery and/or hospital admission. Role of thrombophilic risk factors in the etiology of PTE is well known; But not much data is available on their role in severity of PTE. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of thrombotic risk factors especially PLA2 polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in the severity of PTE. Materials and Methods: Genotyping from Factor-V (FVL) and prothrombin 20210A (PT20210A) mutations were shown to be significant risk factors for PTE and recurrent PTE. The plasma concentrations of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa PLA2 polymorphism, presence of FVL and PT20210A mutations were studied in 37 patients with PTE. Results: Eleven of these patients had recurrent PTE. Lung perfusion scans were scored according to the percentage of vascular obstruction. Patients who had a pulmonary vascular obstruction (PVO) score >50were compared to those with PVO score50 and those with PVO score50 had a significantly higher frequency of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIaPLA2 polymorphism than those with PVO score <50. Conclusion: Our data suggest that presence of PLA2 is associated with an increased risk of PTE in the Iranian population. The association between recurrent events and coinheritance of more than one thrombophilic genetic risk factor shows that such carriers are at a higher risk of PTE. © 2014 NRITLD, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Prevalence of antibiotic resistance among bacteria isolates of lower respiratory tract infection in COPD Shahrekord Iran, 2005

Background: Bacterial infection is one of the several important causes of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Antibiotic resistance has increased in all the major pathogens. The objective of this study was investigate frequency of drug resistance of species from LRTs. Methods: This cross sectional study was performed in Hajar hospital of shahrekord-Iran. Protected brush samples were obtained from the lower respiratory tract by bronchoscopy in both hospitalized and ambulatory 54 COPD patients with exacerbations yield. The in vitro susceptibilities of the isolates to 6 antimicrobial agents were then determined by the broth microditution test. Results: Among the s. pneumonia isolates tested 5.9% and 94.1% were intermediate and high level resistant to penicillin and ampicillin respectively. 58.8% of isolates were erythromycin resistance. H.influenzae isolates were 100% resistance to penicillin and ampicillin. Conclusion: Antibiotics are an important part of the treatment of COPD, suggesting that every effort should be made to conserve sensitivity of antibiotic by using them appropriately

Anti-hyperelipidemic effects of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.): Can sumac strengthen anti-hyperlipidemic effect of statins?

People believe that sumac is used as reducing fat. In the present study, the hypolipidemic effect of sumac fruits was compared with lovastatin in patients suffered hypercholesterolemia. In a randomized double-blinded-controlled trial, 172 patients diagnosed as hypercholesterolemia (high LDL level) and indicated for lipid-lowering schedules were randomly allocated to receive lovastatin (20 mg/day) or a combination of lovastatin (20 mg/day) and sumac (1 gram equivalent to a teaspoon/day, soluble in water). Immediately before initial assessment and also after a 3- month period of drugs prescription, the level of serum lipid profile was measured in both intervention groups by enzymatic assay and serum LDL level was determined using the Friedewald's equation. At baseline, the mean level of LDL was 149.26±22.36 mg/dL in the group received combination therapy, and 146.25±19.89 mg/dL in the group received lovastatin alone with no significant different (p=0.352). However, following administration of the two treatment schedules, the level of LDL was significantly more reduced in combination treatment group compared with another group that the serum level of LDL after 3-month study period was 105.75±21.21 mg/dL in combination therapy group and 117.04±15.78 mg/dL in single therapy group (p≤0.001). The positive response rate in the two groups was 93.0% and 75.6%, respectively (p=0.002). Using Multivariable logistic regression model, the use of sumac combined with statin led to higher response rate indicated by lowering serum LDL level (p=0.019). Sumac has a potential role in lowering LDL level especially when combined with anti-hyperlipidemic drugs as statins

Herbs with anti-lipid effects and their interactions with statins as a chemical anti- hyperlipidemia group drugs: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND The present systematic review aimed to express the clinical anti-lipid effects of different types of herbs, as well as described studied interactions between herbal remedies and prescribed drugs for hyperlipidemic patients which were based on in vitro experiments, animal studies, and empirical clinical experiences. METHODS For this systematic review, we explored 2183 published papers about herbal drugs interactions from November 1967 to August 2014, fulfilling eligibility criteria by searching in some databases such as Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, Embase, Cinahl, and the Cochrane database. The main keywords used for searching included: herbal medicine, herbs, statin, lipid, and herb-drug interaction. RESULTS Among published articles about herb-drug interactions, 185 papers met the initial search criteria and among them, 92 papers were potentially retrievable including a description of 17 herbs and medicinal plants. In first step and by reviewing all published manuscripts on beneficial effects of herbs on serum lipids level, 17 herbs were described to be effective on lipid profile as lowering serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as increasing serum high-density lipoprotein level. Some herbs such as celery could even affect the hepatic triglyceride concentrations. The herbal reaction toward different types of statins is varied so that grapefruit or pomegranate was interacted with only some types of statins, but not with all statin types. In this context, administration of herbal materials can lead to decreased absorption of statins or decreased the plasma concentration of these drugs. CONCLUSION Various types of herbs can potentially reduce serum lipid profile with the different pathways; however, the herb-drug interactions may decrease pharmacological therapeutic effects of anti-hyperlipidemic drugs that should be considered when approved herbs are prescribed

Association between homozygous Methylene Tetrahydrofolate Reductase and Platelet PLA2 Antigen Polymorphisms with Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in Shahrekord

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, EDTA venous blood was taken from 72 patients with venous thromboembolism referred to Shahrekord Hajar Hospital, and 306 age and sex matched healthy volunteers. Genotyping of factor V Leiden, MTHFR C677T and PLA 2 polymorphisms was done by PCR-RFLP. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics and χ 2 test. Results: There was a significant difference between patients and controls in the number of homozygous polymorphisms with the frequency of ..

Association of homozygous thrombophilia polymorphisms and venous thromboembolism in Shahrekord, Iran

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of mortality. Factor V Leiden (FVL), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, and prothrombin (FII) G20210A polymorphisms are the main inherited risk factors for VTE. Since evidence is limited on homozygotes, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between homozygous variants of these polymorphisms and VTE in Shahrekord, southwest Iran. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, blood samples of 72 VTE patients admitted to Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord and 306 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers as controls were taken in EDTA Vacutainers. The polymorphisms of FVL, MTHFR C677T, and FIIG20210A were investigated by PCR-RFLP. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and independent t-test. Results: The frequency of all homozygous polymorphisms was found to be 16.77% in patients and 4.90% in controls with a significant difference (P=0.004). Homozygous FVL mutation was more frequent in patients than in controls with no significant difference. Regarding the frequency of homozygous MTHFR C677T, a significant difference was noted between patients and controls (P=0.03). There was no significant difference in homozygous FIIG20210A and heterozygous variants of the above-mentioned polymorphisms between the patients and controls. Conclusion: Homozygous MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with VTE in Shahrekord. Control of the acquired risk factors may be necessary in homozygous form of this polymorphism. VTE patients with this polymorphism may need to be managed differently. © 2016 NRITLD

Evaluation process in viewpoints of academic staff and students in Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

زمینه و هدف: ارزشیابی از جمله فعالیت های کیفی است که با وجود لزوم انجام، روند اجرای آن همواره در بین اعضای هیئت علمی بحث انگیز بوده است. این مطالعه با هدف بررسی نظر اعضای هیئت علمی و دانشجویان در مورد فرآیند ارزشیابی ،معیارهای آن و اولویت بندی شاخص های مندرج در فرم دانشجویان، در جهت بهبود روند ارزشیابی انجام گرفت. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه توصیفی- تحلیلی 60 نفر از اعضای هیئت علمی دانشگاه و 370 دانشجو با روش طبقه بندی بر اساس دانشکده و رشته به صورت تصادفی ساده وارد مطالعه شدند. ابزار جمع آوری اطلاعات دو پرسشنامه پژوهشگر ساخته جهت مدرسین و دانشجویان با روایی و پایایی مناسب بود. داده ها به کمک آزمون های آماری tو کای دو و تحلیل واریانس یک طرفه تجزیه و تحلیل گردید. یافته ها: بر اساس نتایج این مطالعه کلیه مدرسین با ارزشیابی توسط دانشجو و مسئولین موافق بوده ولی از نظر آنان ارزشیابی توسط دانشجو اولویت داشت. مسئولین ارزیابی کننده از نظر آنان به ترتیب اولویت مدیر گروه، معاون آموزشی پایه و بالینی و ریاست دانشکده بودند. 63 از مدرسین با ارزشیابی توسط همکار و 37 با روش خودسنجی موافق بودند. 89 دانشجویان با ارزشیابی مدرس موافق بوده 53 آن را دارای تاثیر مثبت عنوان نمودند. زمان ارزشیابی در موقع امتحان از نظر 62 آنان نامناسب بود. معیارهای یک مدرس خوب از نظـــر دانشجویان و مدرسین مشابه و اولویت عمده، توانایی علمی مدرس و روش تدریس بود. مهمترین شاخص ها از نظر هر دو گروه تسلط به محتوای درس و قدرت بیان و تفهیم مطالب درسی بود. هر دو گروه استفاده از وسایل سمعی و بصری مناسب را از شاخص های کم اهمیت عنوان نمودند ولی ارایه طرح درس و پذیرش انتقادات و پیشنهادات دانشجویان از نظر دانشجویان اهمیت بیشتری داشت. نتیجه گیری: نتایج این مطالعه بر اهمیت ارزشیابی تاکید نموده و ارزشیابی مدرس توسط دانشجو را علیرغم وجود بعضی از مشکلات اولویت اول می داند. استفاده از روش های مکمل جهت افزایش اعتبار ارزشیابی و در نظر گرفتن اهمیت بیشتر جهت معیارها و شاخص های دارای اولویت در بهبود فرآیند ارزشیابی و افزایش رضایت مدرسین تاثیرگذار خواهد بود

DIFFUSING CAPACITY FOR LUNG CARBON MONOXIDE (DLCO) IN CHEMICAL LUNG INJURIES DUE TO THE USE OF MUSTARD GAS IN THE POISONED SOLDIERS OF IRAN-IRAQ WAR 2006

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the Mustard gas exposure effects on pulmonary system, particularly on diffusing capacity for lung carbon monoxide (DLCO) and simple spirometry . Methodology: Sixty-five sulfur mustard-poisoned soldiers from Mostazafan and Janbazan organization were referred to our center in 2005. Complete history, physical examination, chest X ray, Echocardiography, Arterial blood gas, high -resolution computerized tomography, diffusion capacity for lung carbon monoxide and spirometry of these were performed and compared this result with normal value. Results: The mean value of indices in studied injured subjects was: Spirometry: forced expiratory volume in one second Conclusion: We recommend TLCO &amp; RV/TLV tests to assess severity of Injuries as there is no a suitable criterion to measure the real consequences of mustard gas on affected combatants. and Biological markers are also needed to determine cause-effect relations