The effect of Aloe vera gel and sweet almond oil on striae gravidarum in nulliparous women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Striae are linear depressions of the skin and causes psychological and sexual problems in person. Different methods are used to prevent and treat them but there is no definitive method. We compared the effect of Aloe vera gel and sweet almond oil on striae gravidarum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this double-blind clinical trial, 160 nulliparous women were enrolled and randomly divided into three case groups and one control group. The four groups were given 700 g Aloe vera, sweet almond oil, and base cream to use topically on the abdominal skin and forth group don't receive any medication as control group in five steps, they were examined study's variables (itching, erythema, and spread of striae) using statistical tests in SPSS. RESULT: The findings showed that Aloe vera and sweet almond oil creams are more effective than the base cream and the control group to decrease itching and erythema and to prevent the spread of striae on the surface of abdomen (p < .05); however, all three creams had a similar effect on the diameter and the number of striae (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Aloe vera and sweet almond oil creams reduce the itching of striae and prevent their progression.

Use of lipid-lowering medicinal herbs during pregnancy: A systematic review on safety and dosage.

BACKGROUND: Hyperlipidemia is one of the important diseases in pregnancy that causes fetal abnormalities during pregnancy and after the birth. Unfortunately, the usual anti-fat drugs are associated with high morbidity in fetus and due to people's inclination towards taking herbs, it is required to identify side effects of medicinal herbs in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to present hypolipidemic herbs that would not any complications for mother and fetus. METHODS: In this review article, the major electronic databases such as EBSCO, Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), China Network Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Cochrane, Google scholar, MEDLINE, SciVerse, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched using the key words "herbal" and "hyperlipidemia", "herbal" and "pregnancy" matched by MeSH from their respective inceptions till September, 2016. Total of 1723 publications (145 review articles, 855 original research articles, and 723 abstracts) about the effect of herbals on hyperlipidemia and 682 publications (200 abstracts, 423 original research articles, and 59 review articles) about the effect of herbals in pregnancy were retrieved. At the end, a list of medicinal plants effective on hyperlipidemia alongside their effects on pregnancy was developed. Finally, the plants effective on hyperlipidemia and safe during pregnancy were determined and their dosage, complications, mechanism of action, and side effects were reported. RESULTS: A total of 110 effective herbs on hyperlipidemia were identified and complications of 95 plants in pregnancy were studied. At last, among the 55 selected plants effective on hyperlipidemia and examined for pregnancy, we reported 12 herbs with their dosage and special considerations that can be used to treat hyperlipidemia during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Some medicinal plants can be used to treat hyperlipidemia during pregnancy without any significant side effects both on mother or fetus.

Medicinal Plants with Multiple Effects on Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperlipidemia, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this systematic review article is to introduce the medicinal plants that exert significant clinical effects on hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. METHODS: In this review article, the international research databases including MEDLINE, Google scholar, EBSCO, Academic Search, Web of Science, SciVerse, Scopus (SCOPUS), EBSCO, Academic Search, Cochrane, Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and a Chinese database (China Network Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) were searched using the key words hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, herbal, obesity, and phytomedicine, matched by MESH, from their respective inceptions up to March, 2016. The plants that were effective on one, two, three, or all of four diseases were determined. The doses, side effects, the most important pharmaceutically effective compounds, the used organs, and important points regarding usage were separately recorded. Also known clinically significant interactions were presented. RESULTS: 1023 articles were found to be about medicinal plants and hypertension, 1912 articles about medicinal plants and hyperlipidemia, 810 articles about medicinal plants and obesity, 1174 articles about medicinal plants and diabetes. Of 144 plants included in the analysis, 83 were found to be effective on hyperlipidemia, 100 on hypertension, 66 on obesity, and 72 on diabetes. 43 plants were found to be effective on two diseases, 14 on three diseases, and 34 on all four diseases. Three plants (Tomato, Cranberry and Pomegranate), in food and therapeutic doses, were found to be used to treat cardiovascular diseases especially in pre-eclampsia and hyperlipidemia in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Regarding the findings of this study, we can argue that the medicinal plants, other than monotherapy, can be used as poly-therapy, to treat cardiovascular diseases.

Is herbal therapy safe in obesity? A case of Apium graveolens (Celery) induced hyperthyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Apium graveolens is one of the well-known herbs used for the treatment of different; however, allergic reactions have been reported after its use. This report aimed to demonstrate the A. graveolens induced hyperthyroidism after its oral consumption for weight loss. CASE REPORT: Mr. A, 48-year-old, with no history of any thyroid diseases, was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism due to daily consumption of 4 g of dried celery leaves for 45 days. After cessation of consumption and treatment with methimazole, the symptoms remitted. Then, the medication was discontinued when the lab tests and ultrasound were normal and indicated the patient's definite recovery. In 2 months follow up of, he was normal and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), T4, T3, anti-TSH receptor, anti thyroperoxidase and antithyroglobulin were in normal ranges. CONCLUSION: Hyperthyroidism may be induced by consumption celery. Although many studies have reported side effects such as allergic reactions for this herb, this is the first report of hyperthyroidism induced by celery in which the patient recovered after discontinuing the medication. Therefore, it can be assumed that celery induces hyperthyroidism as a side effect of this herb if it is used for a long term.

Long-term pulmonary functional status following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to describe the long-term alterations of pulmonary function and also to describe its association with post-operative pain after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. METHODS: In this prospective study, thirty non-smoker male patients undergoing isolated on-pump CABG were consecutively included in this study. Pulmonary function measurements were performed, in a sitting position, preoperatively, a week postoperatively, and 6 months after the surgery using a Medical Graphics PF/Dx pulmonary function system. Pain was determined by using visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores with a standardized questionnaire's. RESULTS: Regarding functional class, all patients had New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II to III. A week after operation, a severe restrictive pulmonary impairment was revealed with a mean decrease in VC to 60.9 ± 9.2% and in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) to 64.6 ± 12.2% of pre-operative values (P < 0.001). Regarding sternotomy related pain, the mean pain VAS score was preoperatively 3.3 ± 1.5 that reached to 6.2 ± 2.5 and 4.8 ± 2.2 1 week and 6 months after the operation (P < 0.001). The trend of the changes in pain score within 6 months of operation was significantly similar to the trend of the changes in some pulmonary function indices such as FEV% and residual volume (RV). CONCLUSION: A significant reduction is expected in most pulmonary functional parameters following CABG despite normal pulmonary function state preoperatively. Severe pain originated from sternotomy may be an important factor related to pulmonary dysfunction following CABG.

Systematic review on safety and drug interaction of herbal therapy in hyperlipidemia: a guide for internist.

Because of reporting high side effects related to biosynthetic drugs, recent attention has been paid to the use of herbs instead of chemical drugs to balance serum lipids. The present systematic review aimed to evaluate the safety of herbal medicines and also to assess drug interaction in herbal therapy in treating hyperlipidemia. The international research databases including MEDLINE; Google scholar, Web of Science SciVerse Scopus (SCOPUS); EBSCO Academic Search; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); and a Chinese database (China Network Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) were searched from their respective inceptions up to September 2014 with the search terms of "hyperlipidemia", "herbal medicine", "medicine traditional", "extract plant", "Traditional Medicine" and "Chinese Herbal Medicine" without narrowing or limiting search elements. A total of 85 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) studies were finally assessed on human subjects. A notable number of herbal drugs that are commonly used as an anti-hyperlipidemia agent may be interacted with a variety of biosynthetic drugs. In this regard, the most common reported herb-drug reactions were related to anticoagulants, antidepressants, anti-epileptic, anti-inflammatory, and/or even antihypertension and anti-lipidemic drugs. Also, a considerable number of anti-lipidemic drugs of plants origin may be accompanied with metabolic disturbances and serious complications within pregnancy and breast feeding. The main fundamental principles for administration of these drugs include physicians' complete awareness of the effects and interactions of these drugs, educating people not taking these drugs arbitrarily, and closely monitoring the verification and distribution of the drugs in the society.

Herbs with anti-lipid effects and their interactions with statins as a chemical anti- hyperlipidemia group drugs: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The present systematic review aimed to express the clinical anti-lipid effects of different types of herbs, as well as described studied interactions between herbal remedies and prescribed drugs for hyperlipidemic patients which were based on in vitro experiments, animal studies, and empirical clinical experiences. METHODS: For this systematic review, we explored 2183 published papers about herbal drugs interactions from November 1967 to August 2014, fulfilling eligibility criteria by searching in some databases such as Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, Embase, Cinahl, and the Cochrane database. The main keywords used for searching included: herbal medicine, herbs, statin, lipid, and herb-drug interaction. RESULTS: Among published articles about herb-drug interactions, 185 papers met the initial search criteria and among them, 92 papers were potentially retrievable including a description of 17 herbs and medicinal plants. In first step and by reviewing all published manuscripts on beneficial effects of herbs on serum lipids level, 17 herbs were described to be effective on lipid profile as lowering serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as increasing serum high-density lipoprotein level. Some herbs such as celery could even affect the hepatic triglyceride concentrations. The herbal reaction toward different types of statins is varied so that grapefruit or pomegranate was interacted with only some types of statins, but not with all statin types. In this context, administration of herbal materials can lead to decreased absorption of statins or decreased the plasma concentration of these drugs. CONCLUSION: Various types of herbs can potentially reduce serum lipid profile with the different pathways; however, the herb-drug interactions may decrease pharmacological therapeutic effects of anti-hyperlipidemic drugs that should be considered when approved herbs are prescribed.

Effects of Ferulago angulata Extract on Serum Lipids and Lipid Peroxidation.

Background. Nowadays, herbs they are considered to be the main source of effective drugs for lowering serum lipids and lipid peroxidation. The present experimental animal study aimed to assess the impact of Ferulago angulata on serum lipid profiles, and on levels of lipid peroxidation. Methods. Fifty male Wistar rats, weighing 250-300 g, were randomly divided into five equal groups (ten rats in each). The rat groups received different diets as follows: Group I: fat-rich diet; Group II: fat-rich diet plus hydroalcoholic extracts of Ferulago angulata at a dose of 400 mg/kg; Group III: fat-rich diet plus hydroalcoholic extracts of Ferulago angulata at a dose of 600 mg/kg; Group IV: fat-rich diet plus atorvastatin; Group V: common stock diet. The levels of serum glucose and lipids and the atherogenic index were measured. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA), thiol oxidation, carbonyl concentrations, C-reactive proteins, and antioxidant capacity were evaluated in each group of rats. Results. Interestingly, by adding a hydroalcoholic extract of Ferulago angulata to the high-fat diet, the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the high-fat diet rats were both significantly reduced. This result was considerably greater compared to when atorvastatin was added as an antilipid drug. The beneficial effects of the Ferulago angulata extract on lowering the level of triglycerides was observed only when a high dosage of this plant extraction was added to a high fat diet. Furthermore, the level of malondialdehyde, was significantly affected by the use of the plant extract in a high-fat diet, compared with a normal regimen or high-fat diet alone. Conclusion. Administration of a hydroalcoholic extract of Ferulago angulata can reduce serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL. It can also inhibit lipid peroxidation.

Impact of the components of Mediterranean nutrition regimen on long-term prognosis of diabetic patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: The impact of different nutritional regimens on long-term prognosis and outcome in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) has been questioned. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the effects of different nutritional components of Mediterranean regimen on long-term cardiovascular events in diabetic patients with CAD in the Iranian population. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, we recruited 233 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and with at least 6 months of documented CAD. Nutritional assessment was obtained by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and the diet score was calculated on the basis of the Mediterranean diet quality index (Med-DQI). For Assessing long-term CAD prognosis, the patients were followed by telephone for one year. The study endpoint was long-term major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE). RESULTS: Death was observed in 19 patients (8.2%) during the one-year follow-up. Two patients (0.9%) suffered non-fatal myocardial infarction and 14 (6.0%) needed revascularization within 1 year after discharge from hospital. Overall MACCE within one year in the study population was 12.4%. There were significant differences between number of deaths and dietary scores of saturated fatty acid, cholesterol, meats, fish, and fruit and vegetables (P < 0.05). Moreover, significant differences were found between MACCE rate and dietary scores of saturated fatty acid, cholesterol, and fruit and vegetables (P < 0.05). Using multivariate logistic regression models, Mediterranean dietary regimen could effectively predict long-term death as well as MACCE adjusted for gender and age variables. CONCLUSION: Mediterranean dietary regimens, including low level of cholesterol and saturated fatty acid, can effectively improve long-term outcome including death and MACCE in diabetic patients with CAD.

Pivotal role of mediterranean dietary regimen in the increase of serum magnesium concentration in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background. Recent studies confirmed cardioprotective role of intravenous magnesium for the prevention of cardiac events, but effect of dietary intake of this mineral via recommended dietary regimens on control and inhibition of coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors has been questioned. The aim of the present study was to determine effect of Mediterranean dietary approach on serum magnesium concentration among Iranian patients with CAD. Method. Baseline characteristics and clinical data of 102 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of CAD and candidates for isolated coronary artery bypass surgery were entered into the study. Laboratory parameters especially serum magnesium concentration were measured after 12-14 h of overnight fasting and before operation. Nutritional status was assessed by food frequency questionnaire and the diet score was calculated on the basis of Mediterranean diet quality index (Med-DQI). Results. No significant differences were found in the concentrations of albumin, last fasting blood sugar, last creatinine, and lipid profiles between the groups with Mediterranean dietary score < 5 and the group with higher dietary score; however, serum magnesium concentration in the first group was higher than that in the group with higher dietary score. Linear multivariate regression analysis showed that the lower Mediterranean dietary score was a predictor for serum magnesium concentration after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion. Taking Mediterranean dietary regimen can be associated with increased level of serum magnesium concentration, and thus this regimen can be cardioprotective because of its effects on serum magnesium.