ROSA DAMASCENA OIL: AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR PEDIATRIC REFRACTORY SEIZURES

ObjectiveSeveral investigations have demonstrated that Rosa damascena has an inhibitory effect on the hypothalamus and on pituitary system reactivity in the rat; it has also been shown that the essential oil of Rosa damascena has significant antiepileptic effects on pentylentetrazole (PTZ) induced seizures in rats. We aimed at assessing the effects of the essential oil of Rosa damascena when used as an adjunct treatment to treat children with refractory seizuresMaterials and MethodsIn this double-blind clinical trial, conducted as a pilot study between April 2004 and March 2005, we administered essential oil of Rosa damascena to sixteen children with refractory epilepsy as an adjunct therapy, and evaluated its effects.Results16 patients, age range 3-13 years, were enrolled; 56.3% (n=9) girls and 43.8% (n=7) boys. All has been under treatment for 3-6 weeks (baseline phase). They received either the essential oil or placebo for a period of 4 weeks and in between these periods, they took only their pre-existing antiepileptic drugs for two weeks (washout phase).The mean frequency of seizures in those using essential oil, showed significant decrease as compared to the controls using placeboes (p=0.00).ConclusionIt can be concluded that the essential oil of Rosa Damascena has beneficial antiepileptic effect in children with refractory seizures.Keywords:Rosa damascena, refractory epilepsy, children, oil

The effects of hydro-ethanolic extract of Capparis spinosa (C. spinosa) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and cognitive impairment: Evidence from in vivo and in vitro studies

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Capparis spinose (C. spinosa) belonging to Capparaeae, originates from dry areas in the west or central Asia and Mediterranean basin. For thousands of years, C. spinosa has been reported to be used as a therapeutic traditional medicine to relieve various ailments including rheumatism, pain and inflammatory diseases. Aim of the study: There are several studies mentioning that systemic inflammation results in learning and memory impairments through the activation of microglia. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of C. spinosa on both in vivo and in vitro models of neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment using lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Materials and methods: In vivo: 40 male rats were used in the present study. Cognitive impairment was induced using LPS (1 mg/kg/d; i.p.) for 4 weeks. Treatment with C. spinosa (100 and 300 mg/kg/d; p.o.) was performed 1 h before LPS administration. At the end of the experiment, rats were undergone for behavioral and biochemical analysis. In vitro: Primary microglia isolated from mouse was used in the present study. The cells were pretreated with C. spinosa extract (10�300 μg/ml) and then stimulated with LPS (1 μg/ml). The expression levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were elucidated using Real-Time PCR and ELISA methods. Results: The escape latency in the Morris water maze test in the LPS group was significantly greater than the control group (p < 0.001), while, in extract-treated groups, it was less than the LPS group (p < 0.001). Additionally, we found that the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and iNOS/Arg-1 ratio was also significantly lower in extract-treated groups than the LPS group (p < 0.001). The results revealed that C. spinosa extract significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α, iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, NO and PGE2, and the ratios of iNOS/Arg-1 and NO/urea, following the LPS-induced inflammation in microglia (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our finding provides evidence that C. spinosa has a neuroprotective effect, and might be considered as an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are accompanied by microglial activation, such as AD. © 202

The Effect of Oral Capsules of Saffron on Anxiety and Fatigue During the First Stage of Labor

Introduction: Anxiety is a common emotional response in women during labor that may cause a prolonged labor and fatigue for the mother. Many steps have recently been taken to reduce the anxiety during labor which tend to utilize herbal medicine, therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of saffron oral capsules on anxiety and Fatigue during the first stage of labor. Methods: This triple blind clinical trial was accomplished on 60 women who were candidate for normal vaginal delivery in 17 sharivar hospital in Mashhad in 2014. The study participants were selected via convenience sampling and then divided into two groups of intervention (250 mg saffron capsules) and control (placebo). Fatigue and anxiety were measured at the beginning of the study and then every two hours until the end of the active phase of labor via a visual analog scale. The study data were analyzed by chi-square test, independent T-test, Mann-Whitney and multivariate via SPSS software version 11/5(p value of less than 0/05 was considered significant). Results: Mean anxiety score of saffron group was 26/4±16/9, whereas it was 46/5±18/8 in the placebo group and thus, a significant difference was observed between the two groups (P 0.001). The mean fatigue score in the Saffron group (57/7±20/9) was significantly lower (P=0.004) than that of the placebo group (73/8 ± 21/4). Conclusion: The study findings revealed that saffron can be prescribed in order to reduce maternal anxiety and fatigue

Attenuating effect of Portulaca oleracea extract in chronic constriction injury induced neuropathic pain in rats: an evidence of anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.

Neuropathic pain responds poorly to drug treatments. The present study investigated the therapeutic effect of Portulaca oleracea, in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain in rats. Neuropathic pain was performed by putting four loose ligatures around the sciatic nerve. CCI resulted in the development of heat hyperalgesia, mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia accompanied by an increase in the contents of TNF-α, IL1β, malondialdehyde, with a reduction in total thiol content. Administration of Portulaca oleracea (100 and 200 mg/kg intraperitoneal) for 14 days in CCI rats significantly alleviated pain-related behaviors, oxidative damage and inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, it is suggested that antinociceptive effects of Portulaca oleracea might be due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Murine Model by Alcoholic Extract of Berberis vulgaris

In order to evaluate the effect of Berberis vulgaris extract on the experimental ulcers of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) on Balb/c mice, a study was undertaken over a 12 months period. Forty Balb/c mice were divided into 2 main groups A and B. Each main group in turn was divided into 5 sub groups of 4 mice and each sub group were inoculated subcutaneously by 0.1ml liquid phase culture containing promastigotes of Leishmania major. After 2-3 weeks, nodules and ulcers appeared on 37 of 40 inoculated mice. Ethanol extract of the stem and leaves as well as roots of Berberis vulgaris in different concentrations, were used topically on CL lesions of 4 sub groups A and B, respectively. Ethanol alone was used on the lesions of control mice. The surface area of lesions were measured before and 1-2 weeks after treatment. Direct Geimsa stained smear prepared 20 days after treatment. The results showed that after 2 weeks, a statistically significant decrease of ulcer size of treated mice observed, while in the control group the lesion growth continued. The examinations showed that using higher concentration of the extract caused more decrease in surface area of CL lesions on day 15 and negative direct smear on day 20. Alcoholic extract of B.vulgaris root was more effective than leaves and stem extract. Alcoholic extract of B vulgaris might be further used in animal model

Immobilization of Clostridium perfringens type D in calcium alginate beads: toxin production mimics free cell culture

Background and Objectives: Cell-immobilization is used to maintain microbial culture to produce metabolites in repeat-ed-batch or continuous fermentations, thereby reducing the time and resources spent on delivering mass production of microbe. The technique also enables shortening of the detoxification phase and the amount of formaldehyde required due to low incidence of viable bacteria in the extract. Materials and Methods: A solution of sodium alginate containing Clostridium perfringens cells was dropped into stirring CaCl solution via a sterile syringe needle. Optimizations resulted in reasonably uniform beads containing C. perfringens. 2 Beads were externally stabilized by poly L-lysine, followed by immersion in a solution of Na-alginate to coat them with a new layer of alginate forming an alginate-PLL-alginate cortex. Results: This study proved successful in immobilizing C. perfringens cells inside uniform alginate microspheres. Cell load-ing and cell propagation inside the beads were measured. The cell loaded beads were cultivable in liquid media producing 550 minimum lethal doses per milliliter (MLD/ml) in a 72 h. Conclusion: The research paved the way for further investigations to optimize and establish an efficient bacterial encapsulation method. Thus, it seems possible to produce toxins from beads engulfing C. perfringens on larger scales via repeat-ed-batch or continuous fermentation processes. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences