Effect of Delphinium denudatum Wall. (Jadwar) on Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common disease of joints. The management of OA is challenging due to the efficacy and safety of treatments. In recent decades, traditional herbal medicines have been introduced for treatment of disease. Delphinium denudatum Wall. (Jadwar) is a medicinal herb with a long-lasting usage in traditional Persian medicine for joint diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Jadwar on pain and symptoms of knee OA. Methods: In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 104 patients with knee OA were randomly assigned into two groups of intervention and control. While the intervention group received one Jadwar capsule (500 mg) twice a day for four weeks, the control group received placebo capsules. The primary outcomes, including pain, stiffness, and physical activity were evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at baseline two and four weeks after the intervention. Results: Ninety-four participants completed the study. Considering the time of interaction, after four weeks, data analysis revealed a significant decrease in the VAS score (37.23±12.58 vs. 57.87±13.21), total WOMAC score (24.83±9.70 vs. 49.17±12.89), WOMAC pain score (7.19±2.90 vs. 12.40±4.46), stiffness (2.06± 0.845 vs. 4.11±1.14), and physical function (15.57±7.25 vs. 32.66±9.78) in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.0001 for all outcomes). Additionally, no serious adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: Jadwar can be suggested as a safe medicinal plant for knee OA because it can relieve the pain and symptoms of OA

Human monkeypox: history, presentations, transmission, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

Human monkeypox is a zoonotic infection that is similar to the diseases caused by other poxviruses. It is endemic among wild rodents in the rainforests of Central and Western Africa, and can be transmitted via direct skin contact or mucosal exposure to infected animals. The initial symptoms include fever, headache, myalgia, fatigue, and lymphadenopathy, the last of which is the main symptom that distinguishes it from smallpox. In order to prevent and manage the disease, those who are infected must be rapidly diagnosed and isolated. Several vaccines have already been developed (e.g., JYNNEOS, ACAM2000 and ACAM3000) and antiviral drugs (e.g., cidofovir and tecovirimat) can also be used to treat the disease. In the present study, we reviewed the history, morphology, clinical presentations, transmission routes, diagnosis, prevention, and potential treatment strategies for monkeypox, in order to enable health authorities and physicians to better deal with this emerging crisis

Comparing the Efficacy of Prophylactic P6 Acupressure, Ondansetron, Metoclopramide and Placebo in the Prevention of Vomiting and Nausea after Strabismus Surgery

To compare the efficacy of acupressure wrist bands, ondansetron, metoclopramide and placebo in the prevention of vomiting and nausea after strabismus surgery. Two hundred patients, ASA physical status I or II, aged between 10 and 60 years, undergoing strabismus surgery in Farabi Hospital in 2007-2008 years, were included in this randomized, prospective, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Group I was the Control, group II received metoclopramide 0.2 mg/kg, group III received ondansetron 0.15 mg/kg iv just before induction, in Group IV acupressure wristbands were applied at the P6 points. Acupressure wrist bands were placed inappropriately in Groups I, II and III. The acupressure wrist bands were applied 30 min prior to the induction of anesthesia and removed six hours after surgery. Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was evaluated within 0-2 hours and 2-24 hours after surgery by a blinded observer. Results were analyzed by X2 test. A P value of < 0.05 was taken as significant. The incidence of PONV was not significantly different in acupressure, metoclopramide and ondansetron during the 24 hours. Acupressure at P6 causes a significant reduction in the incidence of PONV 24 hours after strabismus surgery as well as metoclopramide 0.2 mg/kg and ondansetron 0.15 mg/kg iv for patients aged 10 or more

Effect of straw mulch application on agronomic traits and grain yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars under drought stress

Abstract In order to investigate the agronomic traits and grain yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars under irrigation and straw mulch treatments, an experiment was conducted as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of the Faculty of agriculture, University of Tabriz, Iran in 2012. Treatments were two irrigation levels (60 and 120 mm evaporation from class A pan), two cultivars with different growth habits (akhtar and naz as determinate and indeterminate respectively) and two mulch levels (0 and 2 ton/ha of wheat straw). Results showed that effect of irrigation levels, straw mulch and cultivars were significant on plant height, number of leaf per plant, relative water content (RWC) and grain yield of common been. Normal irrigation and application of straw mulch produced the highest measured traits. Also in normal irrigation, leaf area index (LAI) and chlorophyll contents were significantly increased. Akhtar cultivar had higher LAI than that of Naz. Straw mulch in both irrigation treatments improved agronomic traits and grain yield of common bean cultivars

Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review

Abstract Background and Objective Obesity has historically been seen as a sign of wealth and social privilege, as can be inferred from studying the ancient works. We aimed to report the causes, diagnostic approaches, and treatment among the authentic books of traditional Iranian medicine. Methods We searched the original versions of historical books and used a narrative approach to report the history of obesity. Results Obesity was often seen as an indicator of complete health. Obesity in healthy women was a requirement for beauty, based on descriptions of women from the Zoroaster period and from antiquity to the late Qajar period. This point of view existed during various ages. However, after the constitutional period, the view of obesity changed into that of an illness, due to modern ideas and offshore role models, especially during the Pahlavi era. This change led to serious attempts to treat obesity. Obesity is a critical problem that needs immediate attention to prevent substantial health consequences. Different medical paradigms have presented their criteria and foundations throughout history. The emphasis of Iranian alternative medicine was on prevention and the maintenance of health, with the next step being treatment. Prevention, treatment, consuming medicinal plants, and recovery have often been written about in the traditional books of medicine. Conclusions Throughout the traditional Iranian medical texts, physicians have made recommendations about maintaining an appropriate body weight. The best treatment was prevention and a healthy lifestyle. The treatments for controlling and restricting obesity included paying attention to nourishment, mobility, and even the habitat