Chloroformic and Methanolic Extracts of Olea europaea L. Leaves Present Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities

Olea europaea L. is used in traditional medicine in the Mediterranean areas. Its natural products are used in the treatment of different disorders, like fighting fever and some infectious diseases such as malaria, the treatment of arrhythmia, and relief of intestinal spasms. The aim of the current study is to investigate the possible anti-inflammatory and anatinociceptive effects of methanol and chloroformic extracts prepared from leaves of Olea europaea L. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the different extracts of Olea europaea leaves were assessed after intraperitoneal administration into rats and mice, using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats to test the anti-inflammatory effect and the acetic acid-induced writhing in mice to test the analgesic effect. The chloroformic and methanolic leaves extracts, studied at the doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg (Body Weight: BW), exhibited significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that Olea europaea leaves extracts have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects

Preliminary findings on the correlation of saliva pH, buffering capacity, flow rate and consistency in relation to waterpipe tobacco smoking

The aim of the present comparative study was to compare some salivary characteristics between exclusive waterpipe smokers (EWPS) and non-smokers. 72 males (36 EWPS) were recruited. The volume of stimulated saliva was determined and divided by the duration of saliva collection. The pH was measured directly using a pH meter. The buffering capacity was determined using a quantitative method which involved the addition of 10 μl HCl. Up to a total of 160 μL was titrated up to obtain a pH titration curve. At 50 μL of titrated HCl, buffering capacity was ranked into three categories: high, medium and low. EWPS and nonsmoker groups had similar flow rates (1.81 ± 0.79 and 1.78 ± 1.14 mL min-1) and similar baseline pH (6.60 ± 0.37 and 6.76 ± 0.39). Statistically significant differences in the two groups’ pH were observed from 30 to 160 μL of titrated up HCl. At 50 μL of titrated up HCl, the EWPS group compared to the non-smoker group had a significantly higher pH (4.79 ± 0.72 vs. 5.32 ± 0.79). To conclude, waterpipe tobacco smoking alters the buffering capacity but does not alter either salivary flow rates or the baseline pH and consistency

Letter to the Editor: Critical analysis of the published literature about the effects of narghile use on oral health

No Abstrac

Pulmonary functions of narghile smokers compared to cigarette smokers: a casecontrol study

Background: Studies of the lung function profiles of exclusive narghile smokers (ENS) are few, have some methodological limits, and present contradictory conclusions. The present study aimed to compare the plethysmographic profiles of ENS with age- and height-matched exclusive cigarette smokers (ECS).Methods: Males aged 35-60 living in Sousse, Tunisia, who have been smoking narghile exclusively for more than 10 narghile-years (n=36) or cigarettes exclusively for more than 10 pack-years (n=106) were recruited to participate in this casecontrol study. The anthropometric and plethysmographic data were measured according to international recommendations using a body plethysmograph (ZAN 500 Body II, Meβgreräte GmbH, Germany). Large-airway-obstructive-ventilatory-defect (LAOVD) was defined as: first second forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) below the lower-limit-of-normal (LLN). Restrictiveventilatory- defect (RVD) was defined as total lung capacity <LLN. Lung hyperinflation was defined as residual volume>upper-limit-of-normal. Student t-test and x2 test were used to compare plethysmographic data and profiles of the two groups.Results: The subjects in the ENS and ECS groups are well matched in age (45+7 vs. 47+5 years) and height (1.73+0.06 vs. 1.72+0.06 m) and used similar quantities of tobacco (36+22 narghile-years vs. 35+19 packyears). Compared to the ENS group, the ECS group had significantly lower FEV1 (84+12 vs. 60+21%), FVC (90+12 vs. 76+18%), and FEV1/FVC (99+7 vs. 83+17%). The two groups had similar percentages of RVD (31 vs. 36%), while the ECS group had a significantly higher percentage of LAOVD (8 vs. 58%) and lung hyperinflation (36 vs.57%).Conclusion: Chronic exclusive narghile smoking has less adverse effects on pulmonary function tests than chronic exclusive cigarette smoking.Keywords: plethysmography; tobacco; narghile; tabamel; agein

Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Waterpipe on Oral Health Status: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A worldwide increase in waterpipe consumption can be observed. The present systematic review aims to assess cytotoxic and genotoxic impacts on oral health related to waterpipe smoking. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Dimensions evaluating if waterpipe smokers (P) have any cytotoxic or genotoxic effects on oral cells (I) compared to non-smokers (C) regarding mouth neoplasms (O). PRISMA guidelines were adopted for the current systematic review. Review Manager was utilized for statistical analysis (p < 0.05). A risk of bias and summary were performed to assess the grade of the 20 included articles. With some of the articles included, a forest plot was created in different levels. Waterpipe smoking is harmful to oral health, causing cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on oral cells with a Risk Difference of 0.16. It causes a series of detrimental cellular and genetic modifications such as acanthosis, epithelial dysplasia, and hyperparakeratosis. Changes in DNA methylation and p53 expression were assessed among others. In addition, waterpipe has a bunch of carcinogenic compounds. Even with few publications on the subject, articles are very devastating in confirming the carcinogenicity of waterpipe smoking. Waterpipe smoke is cytotoxic and genotoxic. Due to the release of many organic compounds, it increases the incidence of oral cancer.Keywords: Mouth Neoplasms; Oral Health; Smoking Water Pipes; Tobacco Use; Toxicity Measure

The impacts of Ramadan intermittent fasting on saliva flow-rate and metabolic data: A systematic review

Human saliva is a biofluid produced and secreted by the major and minor salivary glands. The major salivary glands are the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands, responsible for more than 90% of salivary secretions, and the minor glands are distributed throughout the oral mucosa surfaces. Saliva plays an essential role in oral cavity maintenance and functionality, and it represents a mirror reflecting both oral and systemic health. Salivary secretions are composed of water, electrolytes, and several biomolecules, including proteins, enzymes, exosomes, nuclear acids, hormones, and cellular components. Many studies have demonstrated that the composition of saliva varies depending on the type of stimulation, the short-term acute mental stress, the taste and smell, and the daily and seasonal circadian rhythms. Hence, recurrent circadian fasting during Ramadan (i.e.; Ramadan intermittent fasting) may modify the salivary parameters. The aim of this systematic review will be to report the impacts of Ramadan intermittent fasting on salivary flow-rate and metabolic parameters