A review of the most important native medicinal plants of Iran effective on leishmaniasis according to Iranian ethnobotanical references

The World Health Organization has declared that leishmaniasis is one of the six leading infectious diseases of tropical regions. The disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of sandflies from the genus Phlebotomus and develops cutaneous, mucosal or visceral clinical forms. Although cutaneous leishmaniasis is not a main health issue in terms of mortality, it causes numerous problems due to long period of the wound, tremendous healthcare costs, remaining scar, the likelihood of developing secondary infections or associated complications and sometimes malignancies in the scar site, and complications due to available pharmacotherapies. Studies are being conducted on medicinal plants to identify a suitable drug against Leishmania to treat leishmaniasis. We sought to identify medicinal plants that are used to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis according to references of Iranian traditional medicine. To conduct this review, Leishmania, leishmaniasis, ethnobotany, Iran, and medicinal plants were used to retrieve relevant publications indexed in databases including Scopus, Islamic World Science Citation Center, Scientific Information Database, and Magiran. According to the findings of this review, nine medicinal plants native to Iran are used to treat leishmaniasis. Medicinal plants Calotropis procera, Morus alba, Nerium oleander, Emex spinose, Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia absinthium, and etc are used to treat the wound according to herbal and traditional references. According to phytochemical analysis of these plants, gutaprecha, prenylated flavonoid, scopolin, reseosaid, skimmin, mulberroside A, astroglide, artemisinin, quercetin, and lawson are the most important active anti-leishmaniasis compounds with pharmaceutical potential as well as antiparasitic and disinfectant properties. These compounds can also be used to treat leishmaniasis wound

Epidemiological survey of tularemia in Ilam Province, west of Iran

Background: Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia in humans and a large number of animal species. Considering recent evidence of the circulation of this bacterium in different parts of Iran, especially in the western provinces, the aim of current study was to determine the tularemia seroprevalence in the human population living in Ilam Province. Methods: In 2015, 360 serum samples were collected from five groups of people: ranchers (n = 112), farmers (n = 79), butchers and slaughterhouse workers (n = 61), Nature Conservation Officers (n = 34), and referents of medical diagnostic laboratories (n = 74). These samples were tested for the presence of anti- F. tularensis IgG antibodies using the ELISA method. Results: According to the ELISA manufacturer cutoffs, we found that 10 (2.78) and 9 (2.5) sera, respectively, were positive or borderline for F. tularensis IgG antibodies. The highest tularemia seroprevalence was observed among farmers (7.59). Conclusions: Our results strongly support the circulation of tularemia in Ilam Province. Because no human tularemia case has been reported so far in this province, we recommend specific education programs to increase knowledge of local health care professionals about this important zoonotic disease. © 2019 The Author(s)

INVESTIGATING PHARMACEUTICAL AND THERAPEUTIC PRESCRIPTIONS OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN DEHLORAN CITY DURING 2015

Leishmania is parasite protozoan of blood-tissue flagellates that causes the leishmaniasis disease. Pharmaceutical and therapeutic methods are used for the treatment of leishmaniasis. The use of pentavalent antimony drugs, cryosurgery, cryotherapy are therapeutic methods of leishmaniasis. In this study, we investigate patients with suspected cutaneous leishmaniasis who referred to the leishmaniasis treatment center of Dehloran city (Ilam province, Iran) during April 2015 to March 2016 and are treated with different medical checks. In this study, 410 patients with suspected leishmaniasis lesion were enrolled to the study which referred to the leishmaniasis treatment center of Dehloran city during April 2015 to March 2016. Suspected people were enrolled to the study after sampling and Giemsa staining and confirmation of leishmaniasis lesion. Patients were investigated after filling the forms and consent for follow-up treatment. The analysis of the results showed that 15.9, 14.1, 64.7 and 2.2 of patients are treated with systemic antimony, topical antimony, cryotherapy and topical antimony with cryotherapy, respectively and 0.4 of patients were under blank treatment and 2.7 of patients were treated with other leishmaniasis therapeutic methods. The used treatments for leishmaniasis depend on the severity, location, number and so on. Given that in 64.7 of patients, cryotherapy was performed alone so it is known that this type of treatment was a priority in 2015 because of the lack of Glucantim drug vials. Given that the subjects had leishmaniasis lesions in sensitive and non-sensitive points of body, they were exposed to different treatment regimes. Cooperation of patient with physician and patience until the end of the treatment process was another effective factor affecting the success of treatment in the study

Demographic Description and the Effects of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Treatment in the south of Ilam province between 2010-2015, Iran

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an important skin disease caused by a protozoan known as Leishmanis. It is one of the six important parasitic diseases in the world and occurs as endemic form in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of treatment and treatment selection according to the lesions properties in south of Ilam province between 2010 and 2015. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 3638 patients with Cutaneous leishmaniasis during 2010-2015 whose information were recorded at the health center of the province. SPSS vol. 21 software was used to analyze the data. Out of 3638 patients suffering from leishmaniosis, 60.80 were male. The age group under 10 years old showed the highest incidence rate. 39.44 of the patients were treated with intramuscular Glucantime injection 35.34 with intralesional Glucantime injection, 16.44 with cryotherapy, and 7.59 with cryotherapy and Intralesional Glucantime injection. There was a significant relationship between the number of lesions, the shape and size of the lesions and the treatment method selection (p < 0.001). Among 3596 treated patients, 37.43 were recovered completely without any complications, 56.92 reported to be recovering and patients were seemingly less likely to be affected by serious lesions

Detection of Acanthamoeba spp. from dust phenomenon in Ilam Province, West Iran

In recent years, increasing dust phenomenon in the west of Iran has led to social, economic, and health concerns. This study aimed to represent the existence and genotyping of Acanthamoeba spp. in dust phenomenon in Ilam Province, Iran. In this study, 55 dust samples were collected and by targeting the diagnostic fragment 3 region of the 18S rRNA gene, the genotypes were determined. Utilizing the tolerance ability test, the pathogenic potential of all positive isolates was also recognized. Eighteen samples of Acanthamoeba (32.7) were detected in the sampling areas. According to sequencing analysis, the isolates related to T4 (77.7) and T2 (22.3) genotypes were reported. It was revealed by thermo- and osmotolerance tests in which six strains are extremely pathogenic. To our knowledge, the pathogenic Acanthamoeba was potentially isolated initially from dust phenomenon in Ilam Province. Thus, these strains are probably highly virulent, and dusts are possible sources of Acanthamoeba infection in humans

Phytotherapy in Leishmania infantum and Leishmania tropica

Leishmaniasis is a tropical zoonotic disease, transferred from conveyer sandflies. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is the second common disease after malaria, prevalent in many tropical countries of the world. Using herbal medicines as anti-Leishmania is the current world's research hot topic. In this review article, we tried to report Iran's medicinal plants that are effective on Leishmania protozoan infantum and tropica. For this study, articles were searched by the following keywords: Leishmania, Leishmania infantum, Leishmania tropica, herbs, extract, essence, and Iran. Data from databases were searched, including Google Scholar, ISC, SID, Magiran and a number of other databases. The relevant articles were identified. Ultimately, 7 relevant articles were selected and reviewed for the study. Based on the obtained results, it was found that Flavanoles and Flavonoids Glycosides, from catechins category and flavonoids such as epigalocatechins, epicatechin gallate, epicatechin, galocatechins, catechin, 2-methyl butyl amide, quercetin, kaempferol, echinasin, echinacosid, echinolon, homolon, caryophyllene, ceteroles, chromones, flavonoids, antraquinon, dyterpenoides, Tripenoids, catechin, furfural, chromon, chrisofanin, derivatives of sesquiterpens, coumarin, sulfur compounds, coumarin glycosides, sulfur compounds of disulfide and trisulfide are important components of Echinacea herbs, Iranian shallots, Green tea, Khoi coma, Coma plain, cassia, and pistachio are effective herbs on Leishmania infantum and tropica in Iran

Molecular and Parasitological Study of Cryptosporidium Isolates From Cattle in Ilam, West of Iran

Background: Cryptosporidiosis is one of the most important parasitic infections in human and animals. This study was designed for survey on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in farms of Ilam, west of Iran, using parasitology method and genotyping by Nested PCR-RFLP. Methods: Fecal samples of 217 cattle were collected fresh and directly from the rectum of cattle. All of the samples were examined by microscopic observation after staining with modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN). Genomic DNA extracted by using EURx DNA kit. A Nested PCR-RFLP protocol amplifying 825 bp fragment of 18s rRNA gene conducted to differentiate species and genotyping of the isolates using SspI and VspI as restriction enzymes. Results: The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle using both methods is 3.68. Most of the positive cattle were calves under six months. Species diagnosis carried out by digesting the secondary PCR product with SspI that C. parvum generated 3 visible bands of 448, 247 and 106 bp and digested by VspI restriction enzyme generated 2 visible bands of 628 and 104bp. In this investigation all of the positive samples were Cryptosporidium parvum. Conclusion: C. parvum (bovine genotype) detected in all positive cattle samples in Ilam, west of Iran. The results of the present study can help for public health care systems to prevention and management of cryptosporidiosis in cattle and the assessment of cattle cryptosporidiosis as a reservoir for the human infection

DICROCOELIUM DENDRITICUM INFECTION AMONG LIVESTOCK IN WESTERN IRAN

Dicrocoelium, also known as liver fluke, is responsible for dicrocoeliasis in humans and many herbivores. Given the importance of medical, veterinary, health, and economics of dicrocoeliasis, the current study sought to identify D. dendriticum by PCR amplification of NADH dehydrogenase subunit gene (nad1) (900 bp) followed by Rsa-1digestion (206 and 694 bp) from liver of sheep, cows and goats (15 per group) in Ilam, Lorestan and Kermanshah Provinces, Iran. Of 45 D. dendriticum isolates identified (one per animal), 7 amplicons (900 bp) were verified by direct DNA sequencing