Induced third-degree burn in rat: healing by Melilotus officinalis extract as medicinal plant

Introduction: burn wounds are common happenings which cause many people have irreversible defects and to be death around the world every year.  In this study, we evaluated the effects of Melilotus officinalis and Alpha ointment in the healing of burn wounds and compare their findings with silver sulfadiazine (SSD).Methods: Seventy-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, and similar burn ulcers were produced on the back of rats. The first group of rats received no treatment, base gel was used topically to group II, in groups III-V, Alpha, SSD and Melilotus officinalis preparations were applied, respectively. Wound healing, contraction and histopathological examination were evaluated at the end of 7, 14, and 21 days.Results: Alpha ointment was equally effective as Melilotus officinalis gel, while its efficacy was better compared to SSD for all parameters of wound healing on days 7, 14 and 21. Alpha and Melilotus officinalis preparations as less expensive medications which significantly improve the quality of wound healing and scar formation and also are more appropriate treatment choices than SSD.Conclusion: Alpha and Melilotus officinalis are recommended as alternative to SSD, especially in patients with low economical backgrounds or in those who show adverse reactions to SSD.</p

Transcranial direct current stimulation to enhance athletic performance outcome in experienced bodybuilders.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is currently under investigation as a promising technique for enhancement of athletic performance through modulating cortical excitability. Through consecutive randomization, 12 experienced bodybuilders were randomly assigned to two arms receiving either sham or real tDCS over the primary motor cortex (leg area) and left temporal cortex (T3) for 13 minutes in the first session. After 72 hours, both groups received the inverse stimulation. After the brain stimulation, cerebral hemodynamic response (using frontopolar hemoencephalography) was examined upon taking three computer-based cognitive tasks i.e. reasoning, memory and verbal ability using the Cambridge Brain Science-Cognitive Platform. Subsequently, the bodybuilders performed knee extension exercise while performance indicators including one-repetition maximum (1RM), muscular endurance (SEI), heart rate (ECG), motivation (VAS), surface electromyography over quadriceps femoris muscle (sEMG) and perceived exertion (RPE) were evaluated. The real tDCS vs. sham group showed decreased RPE and HR mean scores by 14.2% and 4.9%, respectively. Regarding muscular strength, endurance, and electrical activity, the 1RM, SEI, and sEMG factors improved by 4.4%, 16.9%, and % 5.8, respectively. Meanwhile, compared to sham, real tDCS did not affect the athletes' motivation. Incidentally, it turned out that subjects who underwent T3 anodal stimulation outperformed in memory (p = 0.02) and verbal functions (0.02) as well as their corresponding frontopolar hemodynamic response [(memory HEG (p = 0.001) and verbal HEG (p = 0.003)]. Our findings suggest that simultaneous tDCS-induced excitation over the M1 leg area and left temporal area may potentially improve the overall athletic performance in experienced bodybuilders (Trial registration: IRCT20181104041543N1, Registered on 4 Nov. 2018, retrospectively registered)