Phoenix dactylifera L. sap enhances wound healing in Wistar rats : Phytochemical and histological assessment

Acknowledgment Financial support of the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is gratefully acknowledged.Peer reviewedPostprin

Acute effects of low dose of caffeine ingestion combined with conditioning activity on psychological and physical performances of male and female Taekwondo athletes

This study investigated low-dose caffeine ingestion, conditioning activity (CA) effects on psycho-physical performances in young taekwondo athletes. In a randomized, double-blind, counterbalanced, crossover design, 20 athletes (10 males; 17.5 ± 0.7 yrs) performed taekwondo-specific agility test (TSAT), 10 s/multiple frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s/FSKT-mult) after ingesting 3 mg·kg-1 caffeine (CAF) or placebo (PL) 60 min before performing standard warm-up without (NoCA) or with CA (3 × 10 vertical jumps above 40 cm), resulting in four experimental (PL + NoCA, CAF + NoCA, PL + CA, and CAF + CA) and one control (warm-up session without CAF or CA) conditions. Mood/physical symptoms (MPSS), subjective vitality (SVS), and feeling (FS) scales were analyzed post-to-pre for all conditions. Ratings of perceived-exertion and perceived-recovery status were determined after tests. For TSAT, CAF + CA induced better performance compared with all conditions (p < 0.001). For FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult, CAF + CA induced better performance compared with all conditions (p < 0.001). For MPSS, FS, CAF + NoCA induced higher scores than PL + NoCA and PL + CA (p = 0.002, 0.009 for MPSS; p = 0.014, 0.03 for FS). For SVS, PL + CA elicited lower scores than PL + NoCA and CAF + NoCA (p = 0.01, 0.004). Sex comparisons resulted in better performances for males for TSAT (p = 0.008), FSKT-10s (p < 0.001), FSKT-mult (p < 0.01), MPSS (p = 0.02), SVS (p = 0.028), and FS (p = 0.020) scores. Caffeine and conditioning activity are two efficient performance-enhancing strategies, which could synergistically result in greater psycho-physical performances

In Vivo Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Pistacia lentiscus Fruit Oil and Its Effects on Oxidative Stress

In order to find new topical anti-inflammatory agents, we had recourse to a medicinal plant. This work was designed to determine the topical anti-inflammatory effect of Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil (PLFO), using carrageenan-induced paw edema rat model, and to evaluate its effects on oxidative stress. The topical anti-inflammatory activity of PLFO was compared to Inflocine® and estimated by measuring the diameter of paw edema, for 5 hours at a 1-hour interval. After that the rats were scarified and the inflamed paw tissue was removed for the exploration of some parameters of oxidative stress and histopathology. PLFO showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity in comparison with the Inflocine. The percentages of edema inhibition were 70% and % 51.5% (p<0.01), respectively, after five hours. The treatment with PLFO and Inflocine led to significant increases (p≤0.05) in the activities of CAT, SOD, and GPX and significant decreases in the MDA level and AOPP activity in the paw tissue after Carr injection, in comparison with the Carr group. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that PLFO might accelerate the development of new drugs which could be used scientifically as a source for natural health products in the treatment of topical inflammation

Étude de l’allergie croisée entre les différents inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons

Bien que des réactions allergiques aux inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons (IPP) aient été décrites par certains auteurs, la présence de réactions croisées entre les différentes molécules est un sujet de discussion. Le but de notre travail est d’analyser tous les cas de réactions cutanées allergiques aux IPP notifiés au service régional de pharmacovigilance de Sfax durant une période de 12 ans allant du mois d’août 2000 au mois de juillet 2012 et d’évaluer la possibilité de réactions croisées entre les différentes molécules de cette classe. Une enquête de pharmacovigilance a été réalisée pour chaque cas selon la méthode française d'imputabilité. Nous avons convoqué ensuite, tous les patients qui ont développé une réaction allergique à un IPP avec une imputabilité plausible ou vraisemblable. Un patch-test à toute les molécules a été réalisé afin d’étudier la possibilité d’allergie croisée entre les IPP. Trente-sept patients ont développé des réactions cutanées aux IPP durant une période de 12 ans, avec un total de 1 172 toxidermies, soit 3 % du total des toxidermies rapportées au centre de pharmacovigilance de Sfax. La toxidermie la plus fréquemment observée était l’éruption maculo-papuleuse (19 cas soit 51 %), suivie de l’urticaire dans 9 cas (24 %). L’oméprazole était l’IPP le plus incriminé (dans 31 cas soit 83,78 %). La prise ultérieure du lansoprazole a été faite chez 5 patients ayant développé une allergie à l’oméprazole et s’est déroulée sans incidents. Les patch-tests ont été réalisés chez 6 patients ayant développé une réaction cutanée à l’oméprazole. La lecture de ces tests à 72 h a été positive à l’oméprazole dans tout les cas, et négatifs au lansoprazole dans 5 cas. Dans un tiers des cas, le lansoprazole a été une bonne alternative en cas d’allergie à l’oméprazole, à l’ésoméprazole ou au pantoprazole. Dans 1 cas, nous avons contre-indiqué tous les IPP. Dans les autres cas, une surveillance s’imposera lors de l’utilisation ultérieure du lansoprazole

The healing effect of Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil on laser burn

Context: Since antiquity, Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae) fruit oil (PLFO) has been used as a remedy for primary health care such as burn treatment. Objective: This study assesses the healing effect of PLFO on CO2 laser fractional burn in a rat model. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 18 adult male Wistar rats. A second-degree laser burn (wound area = 2.2 cm2) was inflicted in the dorsal region by the application of CO2 fractional laser within the following parameters; Energy level: 25 MJ and Depth level: 4. After applying laser, the rats were divided into three groups: the first was treated with saline solution, the second with a reference cream ‘CYTOL BASIC®’ (0.13 μg/mm2) and the third with PLFO (0.52 μL/mm2). All treatments were topically administered for eight days. The healing effect was assessed using macroscopic, histological and biochemical parameters. Results: After eight days, the higher percentage of wound healing contraction was observed among the PLFO-treated group (100%) followed by the ‘CYTOL BASIC®’ treated group (61.36%) and untreated group (32.27%). During the treatment, the PLFO-treated group showed less erythema, less crusting/scabbing, higher general wound appearance scores and a high content of collagen (220.67 ± 7.48 mg/g of tissue) than the other groups. Discussion and conclusion: The current study has shown, for the first time, the healing effect of PLFO on CO2 laser fractional burn. Their wound healing effect could be attributed to their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects

Effect of vitamin E on reversibility of renal function following discontinuation of colistin in rats: Histological and biochemical investigations

This study was carried out to evaluate spontaneous renal regeneration after stopping colistin methanesulfonate (CMS), which induces tubular damage, and the curative effect of Vitamin E (vit E) in rats. Animals were given the following: sterile saline (n = 6), 300,000 IU/kg/ day of CMS (n = 24), or 450,000 IU/kg/day of CMS (n = 24) for seven days. Each CMS group was subdivided into four subgroups (n = 6) and sacrificed as follows: (i) 12 h after stopping CMS, (ii) two weeks after stopping CMS, (iii) two weeks after stopping treatment with vit E, and (iv) two weeks after stopping treatment with olive oil. Subsequently, plasma creatinine (pCr), urine N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), renal tissue level of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSH), and renal histology were tested. CMS-induced tubular damage increased the NAG and MDA levels and decreased the SOD and GSH activities. After two weeks of stopping CMS, there was no significant renal recovery. However, treatment with vit E improved tubular regeneration and reduced the biochemical impairments. Two weeks might not be long enough for significant spontaneous renal regeneration. Improvement of renal parameters by vit E could be explained by the reduction of oxidative stress damage

The Effect of Prickly Pear, Pumpkin, and Linseed Oils on Biological Mediators of Acute Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Markers

Medicinal plants have been used as a source of effective and safe alternative therapeutic agents for various ailments including inflammation. In fact, the aim of this study is to assess the topical anti-inflammatory and antioxidative potential effects of Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin), Linum usitatissimum (linseed), and Opuntia ficus indica (prickly pear) oils on acute inflammation using carrageenan-induced paw edema model. The study was conducted on 36 rats splitted in 6 groups: a normal control group and 5 carrageenan-treated groups (1%), each treated with either a normal saline, the reference drug (“Inflocine®” 2 mg/paw), pumpkin, linseed, or prickly pear oils (25 μl/paw). The response to these treatments was mainly assessed by the measuring of edema paw size, hematological and biochemical analysis, oxidative stress testing, and histological study. All the studied seed oils especially prickly pear oil proved to be efficient in treating acute inflammation. The oil-treated groups revealed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the clinical signs of inflammation, hematological parameters (white blood cells and platelets), concentrations of CRP and fibrinogen, and congestion compared to the normal saline-treated group. The results also showed that the tested oils, endowed with a radical scavenging ability, could significantly increase the activities of SOD, CAT, and GPx in carrageenan-treated skin by reducing the lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation (TBARS, AOPP). The anti-inflammatory effect of the tested oils was closely related to both their antioxidant properties as well as their bioactive compounds (polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and phytosterols). For the first time, the findings of the current study highlight the “in vivo” anti-inflammatory property of pumpkin, linseed, and prickly pear oils on carrageenan-induced acute inflammation by regulating inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers

Ageusia as a side effect of clopidogrel treatment

Clopidogrel is prescribed in cardiac and extracardiac vascular diseases. It is generally well tolerated; however, few cases of taste disorders have been reported. We present a case of clopidogrel-induced ageusia notified in Sfax pharmacovigilance center on March 13, 2009. A 46-year-old patient developed ageusia with decreased appetite five weeks after starting clopidogrel. Other etiologies including ear nose throat (ENT) examination were ruled out. Five months after reduction of clopidogrel dose, ageusia partially decreased. Clopidogrel was strongly suspected as a causal drug. According to the French imputation method, score of imputability was considered as plausible (C2S2) I2. Physiopathology of this side effect is not yet understood. However, it seems to be a reversible and dose-related event. Although it is not life-threatening, loss of taste can have significant effect on the quality of life of patients