A review on most important herbal and synthetic antihelmintic drugs

Parasites and parasitic diseases are widely spread in the world. Their adverse effects on health and social economic society cause tremendous public health problems. Parasitic infections in different ways (water, soil, food and vegetables) can affect humans and induce other complications such as gastrointestinal disorders, malnutrition, anemia and allergies and sometimes even life threatening. Medicinal plants are being widely used, either as a single drug or in combination with synthetic drugs. These medicinal plants are considered as a valuable source of unique natural products and drugs for development of medicines against various disorders and diseases. In this article the recently published papers about medicinal plants and parasites were reviewed, using scientific sites such as Medline, PubMed and Google Scholar. The used terms included: herbal medicine, medicinal plants, and antihelmintic drugs, antinematoda, anticestoda, antitrematoda. From the above collected literature it might be concluded that these plants are promising potential sources for preparation of new drugs or for pharmacological and therapeutic applications

Spirulina Supplementation with High-Intensity Interval Training Decreases Adipokines Levels and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Men with Obesity

Adiposity, a state characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, is closely linked to metabolic complications and the secretion of specific adipokines. This study explores the potential of exercise and Spirulina supplementation to mitigate these complications and modulate adipokine release associated with obesity. The primary objective of this investigation was to examine the impact of a 12-week regimen of high-intensity training combined with Spirulina supplementation on adipokine concentrations and lipid profiles in male individuals with obesity (N = 44). The participants were randomly distributed into four groups, each consisting of 11 participants: a control group (CG), a supplement group (SG), a training group (TG), and a training plus supplement group (TSG). The intervention comprised a 12-week treatment involving Spirulina supplementation (6 g capsule daily), a 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol with three sessions per week, or a combined approach. Following the interventions, metabolic parameters, anthropometric measurements, cardiorespiratory indices, and circulating adipokines [CRP, Sema3C, TNF-α, IL-6, MCP1, IL-8] were assessed within 48 h of the before and final training session. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences across all measures among the groups (p < 0.05). Notably, post hoc analyses indicated substantial disparities between the CG and the three interventional groups regarding body weight (p < 0.05). The combined training and supplementation approach led to noteworthy reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TGL) levels (all p < 0.0001), coupled with an elevation in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (p = 0.0001). Furthermore, adipokine levels significantly declined in the three intervention groups relative to the CG (p < 0.05). The findings from this 12-week study demonstrate that Spirulina supplementation in conjunction with high-intensity interval training reduced adipokine levels, improved body weight and BMI, and enhanced lipid profiles. This investigation underscores the potential of Spirulina supplementation and high-intensity interval training as a synergistic strategy to ameliorate obesity-related complications and enhance overall cardiometabolic well-being in obese males

Automated Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases from Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Deep Learning Models: A Review

In recent years, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become one of the leading causes of mortality globally. CVDs appear with minor symptoms and progressively get worse. The majority of people experience symptoms such as exhaustion, shortness of breath, ankle swelling, fluid retention, and other symptoms when starting CVD. Coronary artery disease (CAD), arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defect (CHD), mitral regurgitation, and angina are the most common CVDs. Clinical methods such as blood tests, electrocardiography (ECG) signals, and medical imaging are the most effective methods used for the detection of CVDs. Among the diagnostic methods, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is increasingly used to diagnose, monitor the disease, plan treatment and predict CVDs. Coupled with all the advantages of CMR data, CVDs diagnosis is challenging for physicians due to many slices of data, low contrast, etc. To address these issues, deep learning (DL) techniques have been employed to the diagnosis of CVDs using CMR data, and much research is currently being conducted in this field. This review provides an overview of the studies performed in CVDs detection using CMR images and DL techniques. The introduction section examined CVDs types, diagnostic methods, and the most important medical imaging techniques. In the following, investigations to detect CVDs using CMR images and the most significant DL methods are presented. Another section discussed the challenges in diagnosing CVDs from CMR data. Next, the discussion section discusses the results of this review, and future work in CVDs diagnosis from CMR images and DL techniques are outlined. The most important findings of this study are presented in the conclusion section

Medicinal plants and secondary metabolites for diabetes mellitus control

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common and complex problems of modern societies which has caused many economic and social problems. Because diabetes has no definite treatment, the use of traditional medicine seems to be an appropriate solution to control and manage it. Studies revealed that Vaccinium Arctostaphylos L., Securigera securidaca L., Gymnema sylvestre L., Atriplex halimus L., Camellia sinensis L., Ginkgo biloba L., Mamordica charantia L., Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad., Allium cepa L., Allium sativum L., Silybum marianum (L.), Gaertn and Trigonella foenum graecum L. are effective against diabetes. Flavonoids, quercin, metformin, quinolizidine, anthocyanin, catechin and flavone, phenylpropanoids, lipoic acid and coumarin metabolites were introduced major impact on diabetes. With regard to the study of plants and their metabolites and the mechanisms of their influence, it is clear that these plants have the potential to reduce blood sugar and diabetes and be considered as candidates for preparing new drugs. Combination of plants extracts or their components may also have synergistic effects to better act on diabetes. © 2014 Asian Pacific Tropical Medicine Press

Effect of Curcumin on AQP5 gene expression in HT-29 human colorectal cancer cells

Background: Colorectal carcinoma is the third most common type of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. The aquaporins (AQPs) are water channel proteins that play a major role in water movements through epithelial and endothelial tissues. Expression of AQP5 was induced in the early stages of colon cancer. An induction of AQP5 expression in colon cancer suggests a probable driving force roles for AQP5 in colon carcinogenesis. Curcumin, as a chemopreventive phytochemical is important to block, retard or reverse the process of carcinogenesis. Several studies have suggested that curcumin may prevent or delay the occurrence of colorectal cancer. This study aimed to examine the effect of curcumin on the inhibition of AQP5. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, the HT-29 cell line was cultured in DMEM medium containing 10 % FBS and 100 U/ml penicillin and 100 mg/ml streptomycin. The effect of curcumin concentrations on the growth of cells was determined using the MTT [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide] assay. Immunocytochemistry was performed to examine the effect of curcumin on the expression of AQP5. Results: Immunocytochemistry showed the decreased amount of AQP5 protein in the curcumin-treated cells. Conclusion: Curcumin inhibits the expression of AQP5 in human colorectal cancer cell line, HT-29. The inhibition of AQ5 expression may provide a novel therapeutic target for the treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer

Enhancing cardiometabolic health: unveiling the synergistic effects of high-intensity interval training with spirulina supplementation on selected adipokines, insulin resistance, and anthropometric indices in obese males

This study investigated the combined effects of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and spirulina supplementation on adipokine levels, insulin resistance, anthropometric indices, and cardiorespiratory fitness in 44 obese males (aged 25-40 years). The participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: control (CG), supplement (SG), training (TG), or training plus supplement (TSG). The intervention involved daily administration of either spirulina or a placebo and HIIT three times a week for the training groups. Anthropometric indices, HOMA-IR, VO$_{2peak}$, and circulating adipokines (asprosin and lipocalin2, omentin-1, irisin, and spexin) were measured before and after the 12-week intervention. Post-intervention analysis indicated differences between the CG and the three interventional groups for body weight, fat-free mass (FFM), percent body fat (%BF), HOMA-IR, and adipokine levels (p < 0.05). TG and SG participants had increased VO$_{2peak}$ (p < 0.05). Spirulina supplementation with HIIT increased VO$_{2peak}$, omentin-1, irisin, and spexin, while causing decreases in lipocalin-2 and asprosin levels and improvements in body composition (weight, %fat), BMI, and HOMA-IR. Notably, the combination of spirulina and HIIT produced more significant changes in circulating adipokines and cardiometabolic health in obese males compared to either supplementation or HIIT alone (p < 0.05). These findings highlight the synergistic benefits of combining spirulina supplementation with HIIT, showcasing their potential in improving various health parameters and addressing obesity-related concerns in a comprehensive manner

Ethnobotany study of effective medicinal plants on gastric problems in Lorestan province, West of Iran

Digestive disorders are included high proportion and prevalent of human diseases. Most of these diseases occur as gastric and duodenal peptic ulcer, gastritis and dyspepsia. Treatment of disorders and diseases particularly gastritis and peptic ulcers have been done with medicinal plants in Lorestan province located in west of Iran. The aim of this study was to identify medicinal plants in this area which have been used to treat stomachache, gastritis and peptic ulcers. Obtained results from the questionnaire showed that 15 species of medicinal plants of eleven families are used for treatment of stomach disorders, including gastritis and peptic ulcers. Laminaceae family has the greatest therapeutic effect on gastritis and peptic ulcers. Leaves were the most used organs (31) in 15 medicinal plants. Given to high incidence of digestive disorders in different societies and due to novelty of medicinal information of this study and their bioactive and antioxidants substances, medicinal plants can be used to produce natural products to treat gastric disorders. © 2015, Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research. All rights reserved

Neonatal Hypothermia In Tehran, Iran: Incidence, Severity And Death Rate

Background:In 1958, Silverman demonstrated that maintenance ofbody temperature reduces mortality in low birth weight infants. From the early 1990s it was already recognized that adequate environmental warmth was essential in the case of newborns. However, neonatal hypothermia continues to be a significant issue in developing countries. Methods: In order to describe the incidence and severity of hypothermia after delivery and to determine the possibility ofrelatedmortalityrisk among neonates in a tettiary nursery, we measured the body temperature on admission of 898 consecutive inborn infants after birth by a low-reading thermometer. Body temperature less than 36.5°C was designated as 'hypothermia' . In such cases the infants were re-warmed according to WHO recommendations. Their body temperature was checked and recorded every hour and their final outcome was noted. Results: The overall incidence of hypothermia was 53.2%. 456 (i.e., 50.2% of) infants had mild hypothermia (35> T> 36.5) while 22 (2.5%) of them had moderate to severe hypothermia (T <35°C). The incidence and severity of hypothermia was found to be significantly associated with bitih weight (p= 0.000) and gestational age (p= 0.000). The duration of re-warming was also correlated with birth weight (p= 0.000). Logistic regression analysis showed that the mortality rate of hypothermic neonates is 3.64 times that of the normotherms. The risk of death was higher in the moderate to severe hypothermic groups than in the mild hypothermic infants. Conclusion: In our study, the incidence of hypothermia was found to be high with both the incidence and severity to be significantly associated with birth weight and gestational age. The risk of death was recognized to be higher in the hypothermic newborns than non-hypothermic ones

Ethnobotanical identification of medicinal plants effective on bloat in Lorestan province, West of Iran

Objective: Bloating and gas accumulation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Since herbs are always on of the most important source of medicines for many kind of diseases, so we try to investigate and introduce Lorestan local anti-bloating herbs in this study. Methods: The traditional treatment data of this study were collected from the indigenous peoples and through cooperation of Dorud Health and treatment Network, Boroojerd, Khorramabad, Aleshtar, Poldokhtar, Aligudarz, Nurabad and Kouhdasht. Questionnaires were prepared before and the volunteers were trained. Trained volunteers by mentioned questionnaire recorded people's beliefs about alternative medicine in the treatment of flatulence. Results: Eventually it was investigated that 13 remedial plants from 10 plant families were effective in the treatment of flatulence. In many parts of the world, especially in remote areas where there isn't any access to doctors and medicine, people use Folk medicine and homemade treatments. Conclusions: The awareness of these applications can be a policy for the achievement of new medicinal uses of these plants which hadn't been reported in the available literature as well. Ethnobotanical identification of medicinal plants effective on bloat in Lorestan province, West of Iran. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297372118_Ethnobotanical_identification_of_medicinal_plants_effective_on_bloat_in_Lorestan_province_West_of_Iran [accessed Jul 26, 2017]

High intensity interval training improves diabetic cardiomyopathy via miR-1 dependent suppression of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in diabetic rats

Purpose: Diabetes and its complications such as diabetic cardiomyopathy still account for significant morbidity and mortality. High-quality evidence was shown the importance of exercise in controlling diabetes complications, but the molecular mechanism on diabetic cardiomyopathy is not yet fully understood. This study aimed to compare and investigate the effect of high intensity interval training (HIIT) and continuous endurance training (CET) on the signaling pathway of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Methods: Hence, 21 Wistar rats with an average weight of 260 ± 10 g, after induction of diabetes (STZ 50 mg/kg BW) were randomly divided into three groups (control, CET and HIIT; n = 7). Training programs were conducted 5 days a week for 5 weeks. CET program was defined as running at 60 vVO2max for 30 min in each session and the HIIT program was defined as running at 85�90 vVO2max for 3 min followed by 1 min recovery (30�35 vVO2max), that was repeated four times in each session. The cardiac performance was analyzed via determination of end systolic and diastolic dimensions and the ejection fraction by echocardiography. To elucidate the responsible molecular mechanism of miR-1, IGF-1 and IGF-1R mRNA and apoptosis marker protein expression were investigated. Results: Both training programs specifically HIIT, significantly reduced the blood glucose, enhanced heart performance, reduced miR-1 expression, induced IGF-1 and IGF-1R expression and reduced apoptotic protein expression. Conclusion: We showed that HIIT is more effective than CET for reduction of diabetic cardiomyopathy as a complication of diabetes in animal models through suppressing miR-1 and its downstream apoptosis pathway. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG