A review of biochemical structures of Urtica dioica metabolites and their pharmaceutical effects

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants during the natural metabolic processes to resisting them fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. Phytochemicals is generally used to describe plant compounds that are under research and are often referred to as secondary metabolites. Some phytochemicals have been used as poisons and some others as traditional medicine and Nutrition. The aim of present study was to update a comprehensive review published on Urtica dioica which includes phytochemical and pharmacological synthesis. Urtica dioica or stinging nettle which is Urticaceae family herbaceous perennial, usually grows in temperate regions such as Europe, some places of Asia and western North Africa, New Zealand and North America. Its stem and leaves covered with hairs called trichomes which act like hypodermic needles and inject histamine and some other chemicals. Burning sensation during contact and contact urticaria (contact dermatitis) is visible because of it. A lot of bioactive phytochemical compounds have been identified in the methanolic extract of it

Analysis of serum lipid profile in adult female smokers in Erbil city, Kurdistan region of Iraq

Background: There are few studies demonstrated the association between smoking and lipid profile in female adult smokers. Materials and Methods: This study conducted to determine and compare the serum lipid profile of female adult smokers with non-female smokers, known as controls. In 180 female subjects, the level of serum lipid profile measured. Results: Of these, 110 were smokers and 70 non-smokers (control) aged between 25 and 50 years. The study involved only smokers who had smoked for more than 5 years. Our result revealed that mean serum of total cholesterol (275.2 ± 32.6 mg/dl), triacylglycerol (188.4 ± 56.42 mg/dl), very low density lipoprotein (36.6 ± 14.2 mg/dl), low density lipoprotein (133.21 ± 9.81 mg/dl) were significantly higher in female smokers as compared to non-female smokers with mean of serum total cholesterol (172.3 ± 18.6 mg/dl), very low density lipoprotein (21.8 ± 9.6 mg/dl), triglyceride (108 ± 8.84 mg/dl), low density lipoprotein (94.54 ± 8.5 mg/dl). However, the mean of serum value for high density lipoprotein cholesterol in chronic female smokers was lower (44.6 ± 4.6 mg/dl) than in non-female smokers (55.3 ± 8.2 mg/dl). Conclusion: This study indicated that smoking cigarettes in female cause’s dyslipidemia, resulting in increased risk of cardiovascular disease among smokers

Assessment of COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers in Iraq; adverse effects and hesitancy

Several messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are available to the global population as of 2022. The acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine will play a key role in combating the worldwide pandemic. Public confidence in this vaccine is largely based on its safety and effectiveness. This study was designed to provide independent evidence of the adverse effects associated with COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers in Iraq and to identify the attitudes of healthcare workers who rejected the vaccination. We conducted a cross-sectional study to collect data on the adverse effects of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm vaccines. Data were collected between October 2021 and February 2022. A total of 2,202 participants were enrolled in the study: (89.97%) received injections of the COVID-19 vaccines and (10.03%) were hesitant to receive the vaccination. Participants received either the Pfizer vaccine (62.9%), AstraZeneca vaccine (23.5%) or Sinopharm vaccine (13.6%). Most adverse effects were significantly less prevalent in the second dose than in the first dose. Notably, the adverse effects associated with the Pfizer vaccine were significantly more prevalent in females than in males. Following the first dose, the participants experienced more adverse effects with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Following the second dose, more adverse effects were associated with the Pfizer vaccine. Interestingly, the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in participants who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine was significantly reduced compared to those who received two doses of either the AstraZeneca or Sinopharm vaccines. According to vaccine-hesitated participants, insufficient knowledge (29.9%), expeditious development (27.6%) and lack of trust in the vaccines (27.1%) were the three major reasons for refusing the vaccines. The results of our study indicated that these adverse effects do not present a significant problem and should not prevent successful control of the COVID-19 pandemic

Regulation of cardiometabolic risk factors by dietary Toll-like receptor stimulants

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arteries, although the causative agents for inducing inflammatory processes related to atherosclerosis remain unclear. Dietary patterns may play a role in the commencement of inflammation, which may contribute to the progression of the disease. This PhD project aimed to investigate potential mechanisms by which processed foods may induce inflammatory responses (in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo) and may increase cardiometabolic risk factors, with an emphasis on the potential roles of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR4 signaling. The present findings establish that TLR2 and TLR4 stimulants present in food are critical mediators of the capacity of food extracts to induce inflammatory signaling in human primary monocytes. Also, chronic dietary PAMP intake in healthy volunteers revealed that a low PAMP diet decreases cardiometabolic markers (leukocyte count, body weight, abdominal circumference, LDL-C level, thrombocyte counts and plasma leptin concentrations) significantly and these effects are rapidly reversed by a high PAMP diet. In addition, murine studies suggested that Kupffer cells, rather than hepatocytes, are the main sensors of dietary TLR2- and TLR4-stimulants, and that IL-1β signaling plays a key role in the expression of the APR and metabolic phenotypes induced by ingested lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. Moreover, food additives may have an adverse role in changing gut barrier function which may results in the increased translocation of dietary TLR-stimulants into the circulation. In conclusion, these findings suggest that dietary TLR2- and TLR4-stimulants may be considered as a new possible risk factor for coronary artery disease. For the prevention of atherosclerosis, novel therapies could be developed to target the mechanisms of cross-talk between the TLR2/4 receptors, inflammatory responses and lipid regulatory pathways recognised by the current project

Reduced dietary intake of pro-inflammatory Toll-like receptor stimulants favourably modifies markers of cardiometabolic risk in healthy men

Background and aims: Because pro-inflammatory stimulants of Toll-like receptor-2 and TLR-4 (pathogen-associated molecular patterns, PAMPs), are abundant in some processed foods, we explored the effects of diets enriched or depleted in these molecules on markers of cardiometabolic risk in man. Methods and results: Adherence to a low PAMP diet for 7 days reduced LDL-cholesterol (-0.69 mM, P=0.024) and abdominal circumference (-1.6 cm, P=0.001) in 11 habitual consumers of high PAMP foodstuffs, and these markers, together with leukocyte counts (+14%, P=0.017) increased significantly after 4 days consuming predominantly high PAMP foods. Change in LDL-cholesterol and leukocyte counts correlated well with change in frequency of intake of high PAMP foodstuffs per individual (r=0.540, P=0.0095 and r=0.6551, P=0.0009, respectively). In an independent group of 13 healthy men, leukocyte counts and expression of the activation marker CD11b on granulocytes and monocytes were significantly reduced after a fresh onion meal (P<0.05), but these effects were reversed by a high PAMP equivalent meal. Conclusions: A low PAMP diet is associated with reduced levels of several cardiometabolic risk factors, while a high PAMP diet reverses these effects. These findings suggest a novel potential mechanistic explanation for the observed association between processed food consumption and risk of cardiometabolic diseases. The study is registered at clinicaltrials.org (reference NCT02430064)

Food Security beyond Cereals: A Cross-Geographical Comparative Study on Acorn Bread Heritage in the Mediterranean and the Middle East

This article aims to contribute to the limited literature on traditional gastronomic knowledge concerning acorn-based bread by ethnographically documenting the ingredients, preparation techniques and consumption practices of baked goods made from acorn seeds and flour that are still used today or at least still present in living memory. A qualitative comparative case method was adopted, and ethnographic data were gathered from 67 people in six selected Mediterranean, Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries. The analysis highlighted distinct trajectories in the development of acorn-based bread, showing some differences in terms of ingredients, preparation techniques and baking methods in the two cultural and geographical macro-regions. By exploring the evolution of the alimentary role of acorn bread in the past century, our findings also support the hypothesis that the product, at least during the last two centuries, has mostly been used as a famine food. By acknowledging the cultural importance of acorn fruits and acorn-based products, this study suggests that the rediscovery of acorn-based products and associated traditional knowledge may foster the sustainable development of rural and marginal regions in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Central Asia. This could help to reinforce the resilience of local communities and thus increase food security. Furthermore, reassessing acorns as a foodstuff may aid in developing innovative products in line with emerging trends in the food sector, which is looking for new non-cereal-based bakery products and other novel culinary applications