The anti-dermatophyte activity of Commiphora molmol.

CONTEXT: Commiphora molmol Engl (Burseraceae) or myrrh has been traditionally used for the treatment of skin fungal infections. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the antifungal activity of myrrh ethanol extract and essential oil against skin dermatophytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antifungal evaluations were performed by the food poisoning technique (250 ppm) and micro-broth dilution assay (800-6.25 µg/mL) against Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, and T. verrucosum. The chemical composition of myrrh oil and ethanol extract was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. RESULTS: Furanoeudesma 1,3-diene and menthofuran were the main components of myrrh oil, while 2-tert-butyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, benzenemethanol,3-methoxy-α-phenyl, and curzerene were the main components of myrrh ethanol extract. The inhibitory effect of myrrh oil and ethanol extract against dermatophytes were 43.1-61.6% and 12.5-27.5%, respectively. The MIC and MFC values of myrrh oil were 25-100 and 25-200 µg/mL while these amounts for ethanol extract were 25-400 and 25-400 µg/mL, respectively. Therefore, myrrh oil had higher antifungal activity than that of the ethanol extract. Both extracts showed good anti-elastase activity. CONCLUSION: The results of our investigation confirmed the traditional uses of C. molmol as a poultice for the treatment of cutaneous fungal infections.

Efficacy and safety of add-on Viola odorata L. in the treatment of COVID-19: A randomized double-blind controlled trial.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) due to the novel coronavirus has become the highest priority that threatens human health. This situation demands widespread vaccination and the innovation of new therapeutic methods. Despite drug discoveries, the need for approving new medicaments is felt because of adverse effects and lack of efficacy. Several medicinal plants including Viola odorata L. are recommended in traditional Persian medicine for alleviating respiratory infection symptoms. Recent studies showed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-asthmatic, antitussive, analgesic, and antibacterial activities of sweet violet. These enhance respiratory functions, reduce pulmonary inflammation, and decline mucous membrane edema. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sweet violet syrup in alleviating the manifestations of COVID-19 infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized parallel-group double-blind controlled trial was conducted at Al-Zahra general hospital, Isfahan, Iran. A total of 108 outpatients were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly allocated to intervention and placebo groups, with 54 patients in each group. The allocation was concealed using sealed opaque envelopes. The intervention group received violet syrup and the control group received placebo syrup, an add-on to the conventional treatment. The outcomes were COVID-19 manifestations, such as dyspnea, cough, myalgia, headache, and diarrhea, considered as outcomes of the study and were evaluated twice using a visual analog scale before the intervention and after 7 days, at the end of the study. Patients were followed daily by phone calls to monitor proper drug consumption and possible side effects. RESULTS: No significant difference was between groups regarding demographic characteristics and vital signs before and after the treatment. Although all symptoms have improved significantly in both groups, patients who received violet syrup recovered faster and the mean severity scores of cough (P = 0.025), myalgia (P = 0.036), headache (P = 0.037), and diarrhea (P = 0.044) decreased greater in comparison to control group. CONCLUSION: This study, the first clinical trial on the effectiveness of Viola odorata on SARS-CoV-2 patients, showed that Viola odorata L. effectively controls prevalent manifestations of COVID-19 including cough, myalgia, headache, and diarrhea. Regarding this survey, the violet syrup can be mentioned as a complementary treatment for viral influenza-like infections in which cough, myalgia, headache, and diarrhea are prominent.

Comparative Evaluation between the LaxaPlus Barij® and Polyethylene Glycol (4000) in the Pediatric Functional Constipation in Children 2-15 Years Old.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the LaxaPlus Barij® and polyethylene glycol (4000) in pediatric (children 2-15 years old) functional constipation. Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial. The study population included patients with functional constipation aged 2-15 years who were referred to the gastrointestinal clinic of Imam Hossein hospital in Isfahan in 2019. Patients were randomly assigned into two treatment groups. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. The significance level in the present study is considered <0.05. Findings: Sixty children with functional constipation were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria in this study. The present study results showed no significant difference between demographic characteristics, including age, weight, and gender of children with constipation in the two groups (P > 0.05). The present study results showed that both groups' mean stool consistency and the number of bowel movements increased significantly after the intervention (P < 0.05). However, the number of bowel movements in the first group was significantly higher than in the second group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study results showed that both drugs effectively treat children with functional constipation. However, after 8 weeks of intervention, the frequency of bowel movements, pain intensity, and abdominal pain in the group LaxaPlus Barij® was more effective. However, the level of satisfaction did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Formulation, Standardization, and a Preliminary Before-After Clinical Trial on Effect of a Traditional Herbal Formula (Maqliasa) on Manifestations of Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic condition that represents a group of intestinal disorders causing prolonged inflammation of the digestive tract. Nowadays, efforts to investigate new remedies have led to a committed movement toward the integration of traditional and complementary medicine into mainstream medicine. In Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM), Maqliasa is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal prescriptions which is claimed to be effective in both remission and recurrent phases of UC. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effect of Maqliasa on UC symptoms. METHODS: Through a non-randomized before-after uncontrolled clinical trial, 13 outpatients with active UC were enrolled in the study. They continued their conventional drug regimens plus Maqliasa capsules (2 capsules t.i.d.) for 28 days. Three visits were arranged for each patient- the first admission, day 14th admission and day 28th admission. The patients were evaluated by Lichtiger Colitis Activity Index. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The Lichtiger colitis activity index improved in the study group was compared to the corresponding baseline values: baseline score: 7.8 ± 0.5; after two weeks: 5.9 ± 0.6 (P=0.002); after four weeks: 3.6 ± 0.5 (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the promising effect of Maqliasa in the treatment of active UC. However, due to some of the limitations of the study, conducting future high-quality randomized clinical trials would be crucial.

Effect of rose oil on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in comparison with omeprazole: A double-blind controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as one of the most common ailments of gastrointestinal system diminishes quality of life and impairs physical functioning and work productivity. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole play a more dominant role in amelioration of GERD symptoms; nonetheless, there is a growing concern about their side effects. According to traditional Persian medicine (TPM), the use of rose oil is recommended to alleviate GERD symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Therefore, a randomized double-blind controlled trial was performed on 70 subjects who were randomly enrolled in two groups and received either rose oil softgel or omeprazole capsule combined with the placebo. Data were collected within 3 sessions of visit using the Mayo-gastroesophageal reflux questionnaire (GERQ). RESULTS: Although, our findings showed that reflux symptoms were decreased in both groups after receiving medicine and the decrement was significant in treatment group, before and after the intervention, this decrease was not significant between two groups. CONCLUSION: Given that the rose oil used in this study was produced according to the Iranian method and effective ingredients of Rosa damascena were preserved in sesame oil in production process, it seems that effectiveness of this product can be due to its tonic and enlivening properties. Consumption of rose oil soft capsule alleviates cardinal GERD symptoms similar to omeprazole. It seems that rose oil can have the same effects as PPIs in treatment of GERD but with no side effects due to its different mechanisms of action.

1,4,10,13-Tetra-oxa-7,16-diazo-niacyclo-octadecane bis-[tetra-chloridoaurate(III)] dihydrate.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, (C(12)H(28)N(2)O(4))[AuCl(4)](2)·2H(2)O, contains one half-cation, one anion and one water mol-ecule; the cation is centrosymmetric. The Au ion has a square-planar coordination. In the crystal structure, intra-molecular N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O, and inter-molecular N-H⋯O, O-H⋯Cl and N-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds link the ions and water mol-ecules, forming a supra-molecular structure.

Tetra-chlorido(4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine-κN,N')platinum(IV).

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [PtCl(4)(C(12)H(12)N(2))], contains one half-mol-ecule; a twofold rotation axis passes through the Pt atom and the mid-point of the C-C bond linking the two rings. The Pt(IV) atom is six-coordinated in an octa-hedral configuration by two N atoms of the 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine ligand and four terminal Cl atoms. In the crystal structure, there are weak π-π inter-actions between pyridine rings, with a centroid-centroid distance of 4.365 (3) Å.

Twelve-month course and outcome of methamphetamine-induced psychosis compared with first episode primary psychotic disorders.

BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical course and outcome of patients with methamphetamine-induced psychosis in comparison with patients with primary psychotic disorders. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on patients with methamphetamine-induced psychosis, and 2 groups of primary psychotic disorders: affective psychosis and non-affective psychosis admitted to 2 psychiatric hospitals in Tehran, Iran, with a first episode of a psychotic illness. A total of 165 subjects (55 in each group) were selected using convenience sampling. They were assessed at the time of admission, discharge and 6 and 12 months after discharge using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. The frequency of readmissions and suicide attempts were also assessed. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the trend of changes of symptoms and functioning among the 3 groups. At all-time points, the severity of negative psychotic symptoms and dysfunction in the non-affective psychosis group were greater than those in affective or methamphetamine-induced psychosis groups, with latter 2 having similar profiles. However, the course of positive symptoms in methamphetamine-induced psychosis was more similar to non-affective psychosis. Number of suicide attempts and readmissions were non-significantly higher in methamphetamine-induced psychosis than in the other groups. CONCLUSION: Methamphetamine-induced psychosis does not have a satisfactory course and in some cases symptoms may remain even after many months of follow-up. Rate of certain outcomes such as re-hospitalization is also considerably high. It is a challenge for the health-care system that requires evidence-based interventions.

Nigella sativa fixed oil as alternative treatment in management of pain in arthritis rheumatoid.

BACKGROUND: N. sativa seeds is the source of fixed oil, which contain fatty acids and thymoquinone. N. sativa fixed oil topically or orally is used traditionally for management of pain in back, joints, musculoskeletal organs and arthritis rheumatoid. PURPOSE: The aim of this review article was to evaluate the potential effects of N. sativa fixed oil in pain and inflammation, especially in arthritis rheumatoid. METHODS: All information was extracted from accessible and inaccessible sources (books, electronic sources, thesis and etc.). RESULTS: The results of our investigation showed N. sativa fixed oil, especially thymoquinone content had valuable anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects via different pathways. The efficacy of thymoquinone as potential treatment was confirmed in different animal model of arthritis and the clinical studies confirmed the oral (n = 4) and topical use (n = 1) of N. sativa fixed oil without adverse effects in patients suffering from arthritis rheumatoid. CONCLUSION: The larger multicenter clinical trials for comparing the efficacy of topical, oral administrations and current treatment may help to understand better the efficacy of valuable fixed oil.