Detection of Asymptomatic Carriers of Plasmodium vivax among Treated Patients by Nested PCR Method in Minab, Rudan and Bashagard, Iran

  Background: Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread species of Plasmodium in humans and causing about 80 million clinical cases annually. This study was under-taken to detect P. vivax in asymptomatic treated vivax malaria patients to trace la-tent/sub-patent malaria infection. Method: The venous blood of all detected cases with P. vivax in Bashagard, Minab and Roodan Districts in Hormozgan Province from 2009 to 2010 was examined by microscopic and nested PCR methods for presence of the parasite. Results: In microscopic examination of peripheral blood smears, all samples were negative for the presence of the parasites. But, we detected two P. vivax related bands in the electrophoresis of the nested PCR products (120 bp). Conclusion: Following up the malaria cases after treatment by a combination of methods, or new diagnostics such as RDTs can be included in the priorities of ma-laria elimination program in Iran

Antimicrobial Activity and Wound Healing Properties of Aloe Arborescens Extract: An in Vivo Study

Background & Objective: Burn is one of the prominent causes of death around the world, however drug discovery attempts for burn healing has not been entirely successful. Aloe arborescens (A. arborescens), is effective in the burning wounds healing and growth inhibition of bacterial pathogens. Our objective was to assess the wound healing and antibacterial effects of A. arborescens in vivo. Materials & Methods: Thirty healthy Wistar rat animals were enrolled. The treatment process continued for 21 days and sampling was conducted on days 14 and 21 and the tissue slides were sent to the pathology laboratory for testing. The bactericidal activity of A. arborescens extract was evaluated using the disc diffusion method. Results: A. arborescens demonstrated a significant effect on the healing of burn wounds. Furthermore, the antibacterial effects of the A. arborescens extract against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) was significantly higher than that against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus) bacterial species. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study indicated that A. arborescens extract had an improving effect on the healing process of third degree burns without toxicity to the tissue

Nano Conjugated PLGA-Chlorambucil: Synthesis In Vitro Anti Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cellular Assay

Background: In spite of increasing number of chemotherapeutic drugs, achieving chemotherapy drug with minimal side effects in cancer treatment is still a major challenge. Chemotherapy has an important role in the treatment of non- Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer. Chlorambucil (CBL) is a lipophilic DNA alkylating drug having been administrated in many cancers like leukemia but its use has been limited because of chemical instability, low permeability of the cells and high toxicity. Objective: The main aim of this study is improving in vitro anticancer activity of CBL through conjugating CBL with Poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). The characterization of physiochemical structure of PLGA-CBL conjugation was determined by different techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and HNMR Spectrometry. Moreover, therapeutic effect of new PLGA-CBL conjugated was evaluated, after which, the cell viability was determined by MTT assay and the numbers of apoptotic/necrotic cells were calculated by flowcytometry using Annexin V/PIkit on a non- Hodgkin's lymphoma cell line. Results and Conclusion: The results of in vitro cytotoxicity showed significantly greater conjugated PLGA-CBL on the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma compared to CBL alon