The Human Host Defense Peptide LL-37 Overexpressed in Lung Cell Lines by Methanolic Extract of Valeriana officinalis

The present study investigated the effects of valerian methanolic extract and valerenic acid on the expression of LL-37 gene and protein in A549 and MRC5 line cells. After preparing Valerian seeds, sowing them in March 2020, and harvesting the rhizome in October 2020, the extract was prepared from the valerian rhizome by maceration method. Valerian acid content was determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two cell lines (A549 and MRC-5) were used to study the effects of valerian extract, and the MTT test was used to evaluate cell viability. The expression of LL-37 mRNA and protein was assessed by Real-Time PCR and western blot, respectively. In vivo safety assessments and histopathological analysis were also conducted. Data was analyzed by Graphpad Prism 8 software. Valerian methanolic extract and valerenic acid upregulated the LL-37 mRNA and protein expression in both treated cell lines. Valerenic acid showed a greater effect on upregulating LL-37 expression than valerian methanolic extract. A549 cells were more sensitive to valerian methanolic extract compared to MRC5 cells, and its cell viability was reduced. Furthermore, liver and kidney-related safety assessments showed that valerian methanolic extract had no toxic effects. In general, it was concluded that the methanolic extract of valerian as well as the resulting valerenic acid as the most important component of the extract has the ability to upregulate LL-37expression. Therefore, methanolic extract of valerian and valerenic acid can be considered for improving the immune system

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Cultivated Valeriana officinalis:

Drug resistance refers to the reduction in the effectiveness of a drug in treating a disease or improving the stability of symptoms. It can occur in various types of pathogens, including bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi, and cancer cells. This experimental study was conducted between 2018 and 2019 in an area with an annual mean rainfall of 130mm. The sowing date was September 10th, and 2-3 seeds were planted per cell. MTT assays (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) were used to determine the percentage of viability in adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549) and Medical Research Council cell strain 5 (MRC5) cell lines incubated with methanolic extract and valerenic acid for 48 hr. The methanol extract was prepared by adding 1000 mg of rhizomes to 100 mL of methanol, followed by sonication for 30 minutes, stirring, and centrifugation at 4000 rpm for 10 minutes. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and agar gel diffusion were used to assess the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of valerian against two important pathogenic microorganisms, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. However, valerenic acid did not reveal antimicrobial activity at doses of 200, 100, 50, 25, 12.5, and 6.25 µg/mL. The methanolic extract of V. officinalis contains high quantities of sesquiterpenes, specifically valerenic acid, which did not show cytotoxic effects on A549 and MRC5 cell lines as assessed by the MTT assay. In vivo evaluation of the extract in mice and guinea pigs did not reveal any toxic effects based on histopathological and clinical symptom assessments. Our study confirms that Valeriana officinalis has dose-dependent potential to improve existing treatment approaches for Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans infections

Household Food Insecurity in Southeastern Iran: Severity and Related Factors

Background. Today, more than one billion people globally suffer from poverty and food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the severity of and factors related to household food insecurity in Zahedan, Southeastern Iran. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 2,160 households between November 2014 and December 2015. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected through interviewing the household mothers. Household food security status was assessed through the USDA 18-item questionnaire. The data were analyzed using chi-square test, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression model. Results. Total food insecurity in the households investigated was 58.8%. There were significant associations (P<0.001) between household food insecurity status and the socioeconomic status of the households, ethnicity, education, age, and employment status of the head of the household and the mother of the household. Discussion. The results showed that more than half of the households examined suffer from food insecurity. Interventions to improve the food security status of people should be designed and implemented to improve people’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to healthy eating and food preparation. People’s access to healthy foods and knowledge of how to select healthy foods (especially on a limited budget) should also be improved

Household Milk consumption and Its Socio-economic Associates in West Azarbayejan Province, North-west Iran

Background and Objectives: According to the available evidence, consumption of milk and other dairy products among Iranians is far less than recommendations. The share of different milks (i.e., traditionally vs. industrially processed) and its associated variables are, however, neither consistent nor fully known in different Provinces.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine household milk consumption and its association with selected socio-demographic factors in West Azarbayejan Province, North-west Iran. A total of 650 households were selected from urban and rural areas in three major Azeri and Kurdish districts (i.e. Urmia, Khoy and Mahabad) using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected using socio-economic and milk frequency questionnaires. Results: The findings indicated that traditionally-processed milk (bulk) was the most common milk consumed at household level (62.5%). Mean of bulk milk consumption in urban and rural areas was 479±23 and 730±64 ml/wk per capita, respectively. It was also shown that establishment of the new food subsidization policy has decreased the mean of household milk consumption by approximately 3 l/wk in urban areas. Factor analysis detected a significant decrease in the higher tertiles of family size/ethnicity score consumption of both bulk and pasteurized milk, which resulted in decreased consumption of total milk. Conclusions: Designing and implementation of alternative approaches, such as targeted milk subsidies for poor households or vulnerable age-groups should be considered. Keywords: Household milk consumption, Milk processing method, Socio-economic variables, Iran