JOURNAL OF BABOL UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES (JBUMS)
Year:2016 | Volume:18 | Issue:6|Papers Count:12

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent endocrine disorder associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Considering the possible effects of sesamin, the most important sesame lignan, on the prevention of metabolic disorders leading to diabetes, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of sesamin supplementation on glycemic indices, serum levels of lipid profile and Malondialdehyde (MDA) in patients with type II diabetes. METHODS: This double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 44 patients with type II diabetes referring to the endocrine clinic of Golestan Hospital in Ahvaz, Iran (IRCT: 2014061818134N1). Patients were randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control. Patients of the intervention group received a daily dose of sesamin (200 mg capsules), and control subjects were administered with an equivalent dose of placebo. Anthropometric indices, fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin level, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were evaluated before and eight weeks after the intervention. FINDINGS: Comparison of different indices before and after the intervention indicated that sesamin significantly decreased the serum levels of FBS (138.59±36.89 versus 172.50±53.9 mg/dl) (p=0.016), HbA1c (7.51±1.14% versus 8.28±1.55%) (p=0.002), TC (141.50±29.03 versus 164.54±45.96 mg/dl) (p=0.015), and LDL-C (73.86±18.34 versus 89.22±32.96 mg/dl) (p=0.008) in the intervention group compared to the control group. Moreover, after eight weeks of sesamin treatment in the intervention group, a significant reduction was observed in TG (139.04±78.46 versus 168.31±68.45 mg/dl) (p=0.021), MDA (1.93±0.30 versus 2.21±0.55 μmol/L) (p=0.023), waist circumference (101.65±9.78 versus 103.77±10.84 cm) (p=0.006), and body adiposity index (34.90±5.68 versus 36.02±5.56) (p=0.000). No significant differences were observed in the other studied variables.CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, daily administration of sesamin (200 mg) significantly improved the glycemic index, lipid profile, and serum MDA levels in type II diabetic patients. Therefore, sesamin could be effective in the prevention and control of type II diabetes complications.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hyperbilirubinemia is a common problem in the neonatal period. Phototherapy is regarded as the most important treatment for this condition. Several factors affect the duration of phototherapy in newborns with jaundice. Considering the scarcity of research on the impact of kangaroo mother care (KMC) on phototherapy duration, in this study, we aimed to determine whether KMC can influence the duration of phototherapy in icteric infants.METHODS: In this clinical trial, 106 term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia were selected and randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Conventional phototherapy was performed following the same procedure for all the neonates. The subjects were matched in terms of age, sex, and weight and the two groups were breastfed at least every three hours. In the intervention group, KMC was applied during breastfeeding at least six times over 24 h. On the other hand, KMC was not applied in the control group during phototherapy. Bilirubin level was measured at 24, 48, and 72 h after phototherapy. The mean duration of phototherapy and length of hospital stay were compared during the treatment (IRCT: 201505231760N40). FINDINGS: Age, sex, and the mean bilirubin level at the beginning of the study did not significantly differ between the groups (16.75±0.75 mg/dl in the intervention group and 16.53±0.95 mg/dl in the control group). However, phototherapy duration and the mean length of hospital stay in the intervention group (64.25±17.54 h) were shorter than the control group (91.12±16.26 h) (p=0.000).CONCLUSION: Concurrent application of KMC and phototherapy can reduce the length of hospital stay among infants treated with phototherapy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hypotension after spinal anesthesia is a common and potentially dangerous complication, prompt and accurate prevention and treatment of which are of paramount importance. In the recent studies there have been conflicting results regarding the efficacy of phenylephrine and ephedrine in the prevention and treatment of hypotension after spinal anesthesia. Thus, in this study, we purport to compare the effects of phenylephrine and ephedrine in the treatment of hypotension after spinal anesthesia for lower limb orthopedic surgery. METHODS: This double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 110 ASAI-II patients aged 40-65 years, who were candidates for orthopedic surgery of lower limbs under spinal anesthesia with 3 mL of bupivacaine 0.5%. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups of 55. After observing 20% fall in blood pressure or blood pressure less than 90/60 mm/Hg, the first group received 50 mg of phenylephrine and the second group was administered 5 mg of intravenous ephedrine. Information concerning the hemodynamic status of the patients was collected and compared.. FINDINGS: Phenylephrine was more effective in the treatment of systolic and diastolic hypotension following spinal anesthesia compared to ephedrine (systolic blood pressure: 119±10.6 vs.112.35±10.34 nc and diastolic blood pressure: 73.42 ± 6.67 vs.70.05 ± 6.15 nc). However, it should be noted that except for 2 and 4 minutes after administration of vasopressor, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. In both groups, heart rate elevated simultaneously with decrease in blood pressure.CONCLUSION: The results revealed that phenylephrine was more effective in the treatment of hypotension following spinal anesthesia compared to ephedrine in lower limb orthopedic surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral condition in children, which adversely affects the psychological function of children in educational, social, and emotional areas. Use of non-pharmacological treatment methods, such as narrative therapy and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation, is necessary for ADHD patients due to lack of side effects and concerns regarding medication therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of narrative therapy and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation on the symptoms of ADHD in children.METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in Sari, Iran during June-February 2015 using the pretest-posttest approach with a control group. In total, 30 children aged 7-12 years diagnosed with ADHD were selected and divided into three groups. Children of the first group received eight sessions of narrative therapy, while the second group received 10 sessions of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation, and the third group received no training. Data were collected using the Raven’s colored matrices, Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-48), and CogniPlus software.FINDINGS: Mean post-test scores of ADHD symptoms were 20.1±5.21 and 20±3.55 in the narrative therapy and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation groups, respectively; however, no significant difference was observed between the groups in this regard. Moreover, these scores were 37.4±9.84 and 38.95±9.06 in the control group, which showed a significant difference compared to the experimental groups (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, narrative therapy and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation could remarkably reduce ADHD symptoms in children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Physical activity might reduce postpartum depressive symptoms and improve temperament. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between physical activity during pregnancy and postpartum mood in primiparous women.METHODS: This cohort study was conducted in 165 primiparous women aged 18-35 years referring to the healthcare centers in Tehran, Iran, during 2013-2014. The participants were chosen through stratified random sampling and divided into two groups of low physical activity (n=68) and moderate or high physical activity (n=97). Both groups completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) during weeks 28 and 34 and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) at the end of the sixth postpartum week. For each sub-scale, the minimum and maximum possible scores of this scale are 0 and 21, respectively. FINDINGS: Mean total scores of stress, anxiety, and depression of the low physical activity group were 9.85±5.74, 5.61±5.11, and 6.23±5.77, respectively, while for the moderate or high physical activity group they were 9.88±5.84, 5.72±5.03, and 6.51±5.70, respectively. In addition, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of mean total score of stress (p=0.969), anxiety (p=0.585), and depression (p=0.396) at the end of the sixth postpartum week. Moreover, no statistically significant relationship was observed between the level of physical activity during pregnancy and postpartum mood.CONCLUSION: According to our results, physical activity during pregnancy is not associated with postpartum stress, anxiety, and depression.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cancers are a broad group of diseases, each having their own etiology, treatment, and prognosis. The majority of cancer patients experience a period of mental stress during their disease. Given the effective role of life expectancy in dealing with chronic diseases, such as stomach cancer, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on increased life expectancy of male patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: This quasi-experiment was conducted on 92 male patients with gastric cancer referring to Tuba Medical Center, Sari, Iran in 2014. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of test (n=46) and control (n=46). The two groups completed the Adult Hope Scale (AHS) by Snyder in pretest stage. At the next stage, samples of the test group were exposed to 10 sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (each session: 90 min), while the control group did not receive any special treatment. Both study groups completed the questionnaire again at the posttest stage, followed by the comparison of results. FINDINGS: In terms of life expectancy, mean scores of the test and control groups at the pretest stage were 37.21±4.7 and 36.26±4.73, respectively. Meanwhile, mean scores of the mentioned groups at the posttest stage were 40.02±3.87 and 36.23±4.8, respectively. A significant increase was observed in the mean scores of test and control groups at the posttest stage compared to before the intervention. Moreover, a significant difference was found between the study groups regarding life expectancy and its components (p<0.01).CONCLUSION: According to the results, cognitive-behavioral group therapy could increase life expectancy in patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Synthetic antiparasitic medications are often associated with drug resistance and adverse side effects. In traditional medicine, Ferula asafoetida has been widely used in the treatment of parasitic infections, and various studies have confirmed the anti-leishmanial, anti-Giardia, and antifungal properties of this medicinal herb. This study aimed to evaluate the antiparasitic effects of the methanol extract of asafoetida.METHODS: This experimental study was conducted on 100 male rats equally divided into 10 groups. To induce infection, animals were fed the eggs of nematode Syphacia obvelata and cestode Hymenolepis nana via gavage. Animals in groups one and two were considered as control subjects for cestode and nematode, respectively and received no medications. The third group was administered with a standard anticestodal dose of praziquantel (25 mg/kg), and the fourth group was administered with a standard antinematodal dose of piperazine (20 mg/kg). Infected animals in experimental groups five, six and seven received treatment with 2.5%, 5% and 10% concentrations of asafoetida methanol extract, respectively. Moreover, induction of nematode infection was performed on the animals of experimental groups 8, 9 and 10, which were administered with 2.5%, 5% and 10% concentrations of asafoetida methanol extract, respectively. Treatment of the animals continued for two weeks. Number of parasite eggs in the fecal samples was determined at the end of the first and second week of treatment. After the intervention, total number of the intestinal parasites was calculated and assessed in the experimental groups.FINDINGS: In the first week of treatment, no statistically significant difference was observed between the number of Syphacia obvelata eggs in rats administered with the methanol extract of asafoetida even at the highest concentration compared to control subjects (166.4±3.11 vs.235±9.5). Similarly, treatment of nematode infection with the methanol extract of asafoetida could not decrease the number of eggs and parasites by the end of the second week of treatment (P>0.05). However, rats with cestode infection receiving different concentrations of asafoetida extract showed a significant reduction in the number of eggs and parasites compared to control subjects (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, the methanol extract of Ferula asafoetida had no antinematode properties in vitro, while it exhibited anticestode effects on laboratory animals with induced parasitic infection.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Anxiety is a common psychological disorder in developing societies, in which several neurotransmitters are involved. Use of pharmaceutical drugs in the treatment of anxiety has been associated with numerous side effects. This study aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic effects of grape seed oil on male rats in the elevated plus maze (EPM) model.METHODS: This experimental study was conducted on rats weighing 250- 300 grams divided into five groups of eight. Animals were administered with grape seed oil via gavage for five consecutive days, and behavioral tests were carried out 30 minutes after the intervention. Anxiolytic properties of grape seed oil were evaluated using the EPM model, and motor coordination of rats was assessed using the Rotarod apparatus. After behavioral evaluations, the animals were deeply anesthetized, and blood samples were obtained from their heart. After the extraction of blood serum, the antioxidant capacity test was performed.FINDINGS: In animals administered with grape seed oil at doses of 50 (15±2.1), 100 (21.5±1.8), and 200 (27.5±1.8) milligram per kilogram of body weight, the number of open arm entries in EPM increased significantly compared to the control group (p=0.008, p=0.005, p=0.008). Moreover, gavage of grape seed oil at the dose of 200 mg/kg (177.5±95.17) significantly increased the time spent in the open arms of EPM (p=0.023). In addition, serum antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in rats receiving grape seed oil compared to control subjects.CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, grape seed oil could be effective in the reduction of anxiety levels through the inhibition of oxidative stress in rats in the EPM model.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Glycyrrhiza glabra rhizome extracts have been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of peptic ulcers and cough; therefore, evaluation of the side-effects of these extracts seems essential. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of G. glabra rhizome extract on blood pressure and heart rate of male rats and assess its interaction with the nitrergic system. METHODS: In this experimental study, 10 male rats intravenously received G. glabra extracts and LNAME drug in three different modes: 1) administration of the physiological serum at baseline, 2) concomitant administration of LNAME (5 mg/kg) and the physiological serum in the control mode, and 3) concomitant administration of G. glabra extract (90 mg/kg) and LNAME in the trial mode. Heart rate and blood pressure of the animals were measured after the administration of G. glabra extract and LNAME drug. The measurements were performed, using organ electrodes, an arterial catheter connected to a pressure transducer, and a PowerLab A-D device. FINDINGS: Based on the findings, a significant decline was observed in the mean arterial pressure in the trial mode (93±8.04), compared to the control mode (129±2.7) (p≤0.05). In addition, a significant reduction was observed in the mean systolic blood pressure in the trial mode (98±7.9), compared to the control mode (136±2.9) (p<0.04). Moreover, a significant decline was observed in the mean diastolic blood pressure in the trial mode (377±3.04) in comparison with the control mode (423±2.7) (p<0.04).CONCLUSION: According to the results of the present study, concomitant administration of G. glabra extract and LNAME drug caused a significant decline in blood pressure.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a four-carbon non-protein amino acid used in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, and depression. GABA is synthesized by glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) enzyme in many organisms, including bacteria. Therefore, cloning of this enzyme is essential to the optimization of GABA production. This study aimed to clone and construct the expression vector of GAD gene from Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC 1058 bacterium. METHODS: In this experimental study, we investigated the morphological, biochemical, genetic and 16s rDNA sequencing of L. plantarum PTCC 1058 strain. Genomic DNA of the bacterium was isolated and amplified using the GAD gene via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Afterwards, the gene was inserted into the pJET1.2/blunt cloning vector and subcloned in vector pET32a. Plasmid pET32a-gad expression vector was transformed in Escherichia coli BL21 strain, and protein expression was assessed using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). FINDINGS: Morphological, biochemical and genetic analyses of 16s rDNA sequencing indicated that the studied substrain was of the L. plantarum strain. In addition, results of nucleotide sequencing of the fragmented segment via PCR showed the presence of GAD gene. Results of colony PCR and SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed the accuracy of the cloning and gene expression of the recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 strain.CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, cloning of GAD gene from L. plantarum PTCC 1058 was successful. These cloned genes could grow rapidly in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems and be used in cost-effective culture media and even non-recyclable waste.