Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
Year:2008 | Volume:6 | Issue:4 (25)|Papers Count:12

Background and Objective: Acetaminophen is widely used as an analgesic and antipyretic drug, and when given in high doses can causes hepatic and renal injury in both human and animal. The liver damage in form of centrilobular necrosis is induced by using acetaminophen, depends on the cytochrome P-450 activities. In the present study hepatoprotective effects of Curcuma longa extract on hepatic injuries in male NMRI mice was examined.Materials and Methods: This is an experimental study in which fifty six NMRI male mice were randomly divided into 7 groups. After one night fasting, normal saline was given to the first group (C), the second group (B) received 1000 mg/kg Curcuma longa extract and the third group (A) was fed 700 mg/kg acetaminophen. The test groups were treated with 700 mg/kg acetaminophen and Curcuma longa extract in doses 200, 400, 800, 1000 mg/kg at the same time. After 24 hours the blood samples were collected from the jugular arteries of the mice's necks for biochemical tests. The livers were also removed and fixed in %10 formalin solutions for further histopathology tests.Results: The acute elevation of serum levels of transaminases (ALT, AST) were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in the Curcuma longa receiving groups compare to the positive group (A). The histopathologic observation revealed a decline in liver necrosis with increasing dose of Curcuma longa extract.Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the extract of Curcuma longa may protect liver against acute hepatotoxicity induced by acetaminophen in mice. Further studies at the level of ultrastructural and molecular level are suggested in this field.

Background and Objective: There are a number of studies, which focused on the improvement of reorganization disease such as Alzheimer. These investigations emphasis on the role of hippocampus on spatial learning of rats. In this study, we investigated the effects of oral administration of lecithin (Lc) and Vitamin A (VitA) on learning and memory of the adult male rats in absence of posterolateral area of CA1 (PLCA1(.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 56 adult male NMRI rats (275±25g) were used. After lesion in PLCA1 all animals were trained for passive avoidance memory (PAM) by shuttle box. The animals were divided into 8 groups as follow: Control [(non administration), sham (Oral distilled water (dw), sham operated (only electrode insertion), Lesion (le) (PLCA1 disrupted)], four test groups (le + dw), (le + Lc 120 mg/kg), (le + VitA 80000 Iu/kg) and (le + Lc + VitA). All administrations (10 mg/kg B.W) were done orally for 7days, one hour before each experiment.Results: The result showed significant difference between Le and sham operated groups regarding first and second phase of remembering (p<0.05). Co-administration of Lc and VitA can repair PAM of injured rats in comparison with le+dw group significantly (p<0.05), and the VitA had no significant effect on the IAM of injured rats. Administration of VitA significantly reduced memory of the rat-PLCA1 (p<0.05).Conclusion: Bilaterally local lesion of CA1 is able to reduce passive avoidance memory. It seems that co- administration of Le and VitA, can improve PAM of CA1–lesion rats.

Background and Objective: Licorice is a herbal medicine which carries a lot of traditional effects as the root of this herb is very sweet if it can reduce or does not increase blood sugar, it can be used in treatment of diabetic patients. Present study was performed to determine whether licorice could reduce blood sugar.Materials and Methods: This experimental study was carried out on eight (8) groups of matured male rats weighing 200 – 250g. Diabetes was established in five groups by injection of 55 mg/kg of streptozotocin. The rats with a blood sugar of higher than 250 mg/kg were entered in to the study. Three groups of diabetic animals were fed- (100, 200, 300 mg/kg) by licorice extract, respectively per day- orally by tubes for 35 days. One group of diabetic rats was injected by insulin NPH at a dose of 4 units and one group of the diabetics was considered without any special treatment. The animal's blood sugars were measured on day: zero, 7, 14, 21 and 35.Results: This research showed that the dosage of 100 mg/kg had not affected blood sugar but dosage of 200 mg/kg during on days 7, 14, 21 and 35 had significantly decreased blood sugar. The dose of 300 mg/kg only could significantly decrease blood sugar on 7th and 35th day of treatment.Conclusion: The results of present work showed that the licorice roots extract had no change in healthy rats blood sugar but in diabetic rats the blood sugar was reduced so it can be concluded that the licorice roots extract can be probably used as a treatment or as a dietary sweetener for diabetic patients in clinical procedures.

Background and Objective: For treating diabetic patients, different nutrients are being used in some areas of Kerman province, Nasturtium offsinallis (NF) is one of them. In current research, effects of NF on plasma lipid and glucose levels have been assessed in diabetic rats.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 60 male rats were randomly divided into six groups, consisting, one intact non-diabetic group, and remaining 5 groups were injected 55 mg/kg streptozotocin subcutaneously to establish experimental diabetes. Three groups of diabetic animals were treated orally (via gavage) low (25 mg/kg), and high (75 mg/kg) doses of aqueous extract of NF in a volume of 1.5 ml for short period (4 weeks), long period (8-weeks), respectively. One group of diabetic animals was given 2-4 U of NPH insulin intraperitoneally (IP). The last group was given nothing at the end of each experiment. In all groups, blood glucose and lipid levels were measured.Results: There was significant reduction in plasma glucose in treatment groups compared to diabetic groups. The greatest decrease (96%) was observed in the high dose (long term group for NF extract); which this reduced glucose level was significant compared to the reduced plasma glucose due to insulin injection (p<0.001). There wasn’t observed any change in diabetic animal's total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of plasma. Both low and high doses of extracts increased LDL- cholesterol levels in diabetic animals. In diabetic animals, plasma HDL- cholesterol levels (33±2.17) decreased by long term dose of extract (17.4±2(.Conclusion: Both doses decreased plasma glucose in diabetic animal, whereas, it had not effect on plasma lipids or had negative effect, therefore this research suggested that NF extract is useful for control of blood glucose.

Background and Objective: Lead (pb) is an environmental toxicant which can induce structural and functional abnormalities in central nervous system, specially in young children.Materials and Methods:  In this experimental study, we evaluated the toxic effects of lead on human fetal astrocyte cells. At the first stage, the growth inhibition effects of short and long term exposure to lead were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Furthermore, the effect of Foetal Calf Serum (FCS) on lead toxicity was evaluated by above method. At the second stage, we applied immunocytochemistry (ICC) to analysis the effects of lead on the expression of stress related bax gene.Results: The lead toxicity was observed at a concentration of >1mM (p=0.000). Continuous lead exposure also (250 and 500 mM for 7 days) caused a significant growth inhibition (p<0.01) of astroastes. The results showed the protective effect of FCS against lead toxicity. Lead exposure also induced bax gene expression.Conclusion: These results show that lead may disturb the function of astrocytes and therefore and may interfere with development of fetal nervous system.

Background and Objective: Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder that characterized by disturbances in thought, feeling, affects, behavior, perception and communication skills. Co morbid conditions and disorders with schizophrenia play an important role in course and prognosis. Obsession and compulsion symptoms are disorders which noticeable percentages of patients are suffering from them and they affect the course and prognosis of disease. According to the importance of these accompanying disorders with Schizophrenia we aimed this study to find the prevalence of obsessive – compulsive symptoms in schizophrenic patients.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive study that included 214 known cases of schizophrenia which have been followed up at Navab - Safavi Clinic in Isfahan. Schizophrenic patients were diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria by psychiatrist and obsessive symptom by Yale-Brown based questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by t-test and X2.Results: Our results on 214 schizophrenic patients showed that 34% of patients had obsessive compulsive symptom. In women the percentage was 40.9 % and in men was 31.3%. (p<0.05(Conclusion: These results show that obsessive compulsive symptoms are common in schizophrenic patients which are an important point in the treatment of this disease.

Background and Objective: Previous studies have shown that different environmental stresses during pregnancy, affect physiological behaviors of their offspring. In this study the effects of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep deprivation or Paradoxical Sleep Deprivation (PSD) of pregnant rats were studied on the spatial learning of the adult female offspring by Morris water maze (MWM(.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, flower pot technique was used for PSD. Pregnant rats were divided into 5 groups as follow; group1: in which PSD was performed in 3 days of gestation (E14, E15 and E16) by using small (5.5 cm in diameter) platform. Group2: pregnant rats on large (19 cm in diameter) platform as sham. Group3: Pregnant rats which did not achieved PSD (control). The same treatments were performed on two other groups of pregnant rats in E17, E18 and E19 (group 4 for small platform and group 5 for large platform). The female offspring of all the groups (after maturation in age of 3-3.5 months) were evaluated for MWM.Results: Offspring of group1 and 2 did not show any significant differences in MWM spatial learning indices when compared with control groups while some of these indices were increased significantly in offspring of group 4 in compared with group 5 and control group (p<0.05(.Conclusion: According to the results, the effects of PSD in pregnant rat on the spatial learning of its adult female offspring rats depend on the duration and the time of the PSD producing various responses.

Background and Objective: Riboflavin deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies, which has detrimental effects on physical growth of children. In the present study, the nutritional status of this vitamin and its correlation with anthropometrical indices of school aged children (year one and two) in Rafsanjan was investigated.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the samples were selected using multistage random sampling, and the variables including age, gender, and their parent’s education were recorded in the questionnaires which was prepared for this purpose. The weight and height of the participants were measured, and their urine samples were collected. Anthropometric indices and data were analyzed, using "Nut" sub program of EPI software version 6.0 and c2, t-test and Pearson correlation tests, respectively.Results: A moderate to severe riboflavin deficiency was found in half of the participants with a higher frequency in girls (p<0.005). Also, there was a significant difference between the mean of height for age and weight for age among boys and girls, respectively (p<0.003, p<0.045).Conclusion: Based on our findings, Riboflavin deficiency is possibly a serious problem among primary school children especially in school-aged girls.

Background and Objective: G6PD (Glucose -6- phosphate dehydrogenase) is the first enzyme of pentose phosphate pathway, which plays an important role in NADPH production. NADPH is necessary for preventing of cell oxidation. Deficiency of this enzyme led to hemolysis in some situations. This study has been done to determine the prevalence of G6PD deficiency and its relation with sex, blood group, Rh and familial history of new born in Rafsanjan.Materials and methods: In this cross sectional study blood sample was collected on a special filter paper and the activity of G6PD was measured by fluorescent spot test. The data were analyzed by Chi-square and Fisher exact test. Significance was defined as p<0.05.Results: There were 523 boys and 495 girls out of 1018 alive newborns. The G6PD deficiency was 5.7% for boys, 4.2% for girls and 5% for all the alive newborns. No significant relation, between prevalence of G6PD deficiency and blood group, sex, familial history and Rh were found.Conclusion: The G6PD deficiency prevalence in Rafsanjan is less than other parts of Iran and the worlds (10%-14.9%). Given the screening test is cheep and easy it is suggested to perform this test at birth to differentiate the relatively or completely deficient sample to prevent of health problems.