BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (DANISH-I ZISTI-I IRAN)
Year:2008 | Volume:3 | Issue:3|Papers Count:7

The province of Semnan province is a very large region with various species. It is surrounded by the province of Golestan, Mazandaran, Tehran, Isfahan and Khorassan. The province in northern part is completely mountainous and in southern part is covered by desert which shows great diversity in ecological term. This survey is focuses on mountainous areas. The aim of this research is to identify the medicinal plants, to introduce the flora and to determine the life forms in the area. Herbarium specimens were collected and provided according to scientific methods of plant taxonomy. Result of this research showed that 133 species belonging to 45 families have been known in area. The following families had the highest number of species include Asteraceae (20 species), Lamiaceae (16 species), Rosaceae (9 species).

Catatonia is one of the major signs of Parkinson's disease due to impaired dopamine in extra pyramidal system. So far, effects of many plants on neuronal and movement disorders have been evaluated, some of which are accepted in clinical studies. In the present research, the effect of Biebersteinia multifida DC root extract on perphenazine-induced catatonia in male mice was studied.The root extract (10, 25, 50, 100 mg/kg) was orally administered to mice for two weeks. Control group received water for two weeks, as well. One hour after the last dose, perphenazine (5 mg/kg) was administered (IP) to induce catatonia. Muscular rigidity of animals was determined by scoring method of Morpurgo. Results showed that Biebersteinia multifida DC root extract at doses 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg increased rigidity while administration of higher dose of 100 mg/kg could improve muscular rigidity.Therefore, it is concluded that Biebersteinia multifida DC, at low doses, probably, by blocking D2 receptors in dopaminergic pathways (mesocortical-mesolimbic) potentiates perphenazine-induced catatonia, and in higher dose, reduced signs of perphenazine-induced catatonia probably via effects on dopaminergic system in nigro-striatal pathway.

Phenylketonuria (PKU), the most common disorder of amino acid metabolism, is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. The incidence of PKU in Iran has been estimated at 1 in 3627 live births. To date, hundreds of mutations leading to PKU have been identified in the PAH gene. The spectrum of these mutations differs among different populations. In the present study, a novel mutation has been identified- during the mutational screening of the PAH gene in 150 Iranian families- in the human phenylalanine hydroxylase gene of a patient with classical PKU. It is a single base transversion of T to G at the second base of codon 194 in exon 6 of PAH gene. This mutation results in a Leu to Arg change in the catalytic domain of the protein.

Leishmania major is a protozoan parasite and the causative agent of the cutaneous leishmaniasis.Anti-leishmanial immune response is shown to depend upon the genotype of the host. Hence some inbred strains of mice are susceptible while others are resistant to Leishmania major. The resistance is developed by T-helper type-1 (Th1) cells by producing IFN-g and IL-12, while the susceptibility is mediated by Th2 cells producing IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10. It has been shown that IFN-g activates macrophages to kill the intracellular amastigotes. In contrast, Th2 immune response limits the action of Th1 functions via IL-10 and IL-4, which results in deactivation of macrophages and growth of intracellular parasite and subsequent exacerbation of disease progression. The aim of this research was to detect how and when the cytokines mRNA of Th1 and Th2 are induced in BALB/c mice inoculated by standard strain of L. major. In this study, strain of L. major was inoculated to BALB/c mice and their lymph nodes (LN) were separated in different periods of time (3 hr, 16 hr, 40 hr and first, third and fifth weeks). Total RNA of LN was extracted using molecular procedures and cDNA was made by reverse transcriptase. Expression of IFN- g, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 mRNA was studied by designing specific primers, using Real Time PCR. Data obtained are expressed as the fold increase in mRNA expression of cytokines induced by L. major parasites in BALB/c mice. Results obtained showed that mRNA of the major cytokines of Th1, including IFN-g and IL-12 is not expressed in high level in LN in early and late period of post-infection (except 40 hr post-infection). While, mRNA of IL- 4, the important cytokine of Th2 response is expressed in high level from 3 h post-infection and raises to peak at 40 h and continues in late period post-infection, which results in initiation of Th2 response.

To examine the effect of eight weeks endurance exercise program on blood's TNFa, CD8, CD4, and IgA in active females. Twenty students of physical education participated in the study. Subjects were assigned in two groups: experimental group: (n=10) (age: 21.6±1.71 years, height: 161.45±2.71 cm, weight: 57.25±6.99 kg. and Vo2max 34.18±2 ml.kg¯¹.min¯¹) and control group: (n=10), (age: 24.25±4.30 years, height: 159.81±4.86 Cm, weight: 54.69±3.82 kg and Vo2max: 36.1±3.79 ml.kg¯¹.min¯¹). Blood samples of the students were obtained before and after an exhaustive session of exercise. Training group participated in an 8-week incremental endurance exercise program. After training, blood samples were obtained before and after an exhaustive session of exercise. Data was analyzed using ANOVA test. There were no significant changes in TNFa and IgA concentrations but CD4 and CD4/CD8 decreased and CD8 increased significantly (P£0.05). It was concluded that endurance exercise may induce changes in lymphocyte subsets but not in suppression of immune function after an exhaustive session of exercise and CD8 and CD4 functions adapted in experimental group. We conclude that endurance exercise may result in significant alteration in T lymphocyte number.

Drought stress provokes ROS production in plant tissues. Pimpinella anisum L. is one of the aromatic herbal plants, which has great export value. The aim of this study was to apply exogenous ascorbate in order to control oxidative stress during drought tolerance. Growth parameter changes and soluble sugar content of Pimpinella anisum were evaluated. In a pot study, drought stress was introduced to treatments with 3 replicates based on 3 levels of field capacity (100, 60 and 25%) and ascorbate (1.4 mM) sprayed to them. According to the results, growth was limited in moderate (60% FC) and severe (25% FC) stress levels, root/shoot dry weight ratio increased. Exogenous ascorbate decreased this ratio and increased growth. Shoot soluble sugar content increased when water potential decreased, while ascorbate treatment reduced it. According to the results exogenous ascorbate could increase the ability of Pimpinella anisum in response to drought stress with different mechanisms and had protective effects against lipid peroxidation due to drought stress.

Miandasht protected region with 84435 hectars of land, and mean annual precipitation of about to 250 mm is located 10 kilometers from East of Jajarm in West of North Khorassan province. Based on climatic classifications, this area is arid. Field exploration was performed from 2004 to 2008.Ecophytosociological method was used in the present study. In this method, in addition to physionomical and floristically criterions, ecological criterions are also important for determining the endogen environments. Ecological factors including altitude, slope degree, exposition and soil's pH, EC, OC and texture were measured in all releves. Finally the ecological conditions of all identified syntaxa were determined. Phytosociological data were analyzed by Factorial Correspondence Analysis and Hierarchical ascendant Classification methods, using anaphyto software. Analysis of the data of 196 species and 195 releves resulted in distinguishing 33 associations and 2 sub-associations. Based on distribution area in the region, the most important associations were Ephedretum sarcocarpae, Artem isietum sieberi, Caricetum physodis, Halimocnemidetum piliferae and Stipagrostisetum plumosae.