Ferulago Angulata methanolic extract ameliorates scopolamine-induced memory impairment through the inhibition of hippocampal monoamine oxidase activity.

Ferulago angulata is a medicinal herb from the Apiaceae family known for its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and neuroprotective properties. This study aimed to assess the effects of F. angulata extract on neurobehavioral and biochemical parameters in scopolamine-induced amnesic rats. Fifty-six male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups and orally treated with F. angulata extract (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) and Rivastigmine (1.5 mg/kg) for 10 days. Starting on the sixth day of treatment, the Morris water maze behavioral study was conducted to evaluate cognitive function, with scopolamine administered 30 min before training. Biochemical assays, including monoamine oxidase and oxidative stress measures, were performed on hippocampal tissue. Results showed that extract treatment significantly attenuated scopolamine-induced memory impairment in a dose-dependent manner. Following scopolamine administration, malondialdehyde levels and monoamine oxidase A/B activity increased, while total thiol content and catalase activity decreased compared to the control group. Pretreatment with F. angulata extracts ameliorated the scopolamine-induced impairment in all factors. Toxicological evaluation of liver, lung, heart, and kidney tissues did not indicate any side effects at high doses. The total extract of F. angulata prevents scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment through antioxidant mechanisms and inhibition of monoamine oxidase. These results suggest that F. angulata extract is effective in the scopolamine model and could be a promising agent for preventing dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease.

Long Non-Coding RNAs as Novel Targets for Phytochemicals to Cease Cancer Metastasis.

Metastasis is a multi-step phenomenon during cancer development leading to the propagation of cancer cells to distant organ(s). According to estimations, metastasis results in over 90% of cancer-associated death around the globe. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are a group of regulatory RNA molecules more than 200 base pairs in length. The main regulatory activity of these molecules is the modulation of gene expression. They have been reported to affect different stages of cancer development including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and metastasis. An increasing number of medical data reports indicate the probable function of LncRNAs in the metastatic spread of different cancers. Phytochemical compounds, as the bioactive agents of plants, show several health benefits with a variety of biological activities. Several phytochemicals have been demonstrated to target LncRNAs to defeat cancer. This review article briefly describes the metastasis steps, summarizes data on some well-established LncRNAs with a role in metastasis, and identifies the phytochemicals with an ability to suppress cancer metastasis by targeting LncRNAs.

Hazelnut and neuroprotection: Improved memory and hindered anxiety in response to intra-hippocampal Aß injection.

OBJECTIVES: Corylus avellana L. (hazelnut) is known to be a delicious and nutritious food. This study was carried out to evaluate the use of hazelnut as a therapy for memory impairment because in Iranian traditional medicine, it is recommended for those suffering from a particular type of dementia, with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: In this study, rats were fed with hazelnut kernel [(without skin) 800 mg/kg/day] during 1 week before stereotaxic surgery to 24 hours before behavioral testing (in general, for 16 consecutive days) and the effect of hazelnut eating on memory, anxiety, neuroinflammation and apoptosis was assessed in the amyloid beta-injected rat. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that feeding with hazelnut improved memory, (which was examined by using Y-maze test and shuttle box apparatus), and reduced anxiety-related behavior, that was evaluated using elevated plus maze. Also, western blotting analysis of cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein, and caspase-3 showed that hazelnut has an ameliorating effect on the neuroinflammation and apoptosis caused by Aß. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that hazelnut, as a dietary supplement, improves healthy aging and could be a beneficial diet for the treatment of AD.

The Anti-Staphylococcus aureus Effect of Combined Echinophora platyloba Essential Oil and Liquid Smoke in Beef.

In the current study, the antibacterial effect of Echinophora platyloba essential oil and common liquid smoke (individually and in combination) against Staphylococcus aureus in beef meat samples is investigated. Using an automated microbiological growth analyser and the turbidimetric technique, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of the essential oil and liquid smoke were determined. Anti-S. aureus activity of essential oil and liquid smoke (individually and in combination) was defined by disk diffusion assay, generation time and cell constituent release. Apart from that, the interactions between these two compounds were measured by the checkerboard assay and by calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices. Related MIC values of essential oil and smoke were found to be 7200 and 5500 mg/L, and MBC values were 8500 and 8000 mg/L, respectively. The conducted organoleptic assay showed that the addition of 0.05 g of essential oil and 0.6 g of liquid smoke to 100 g of meat samples did not have adverse effect on the overall acceptance. Weaker antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus was observed when only Echinophora platyloba essential oil was used than when it was used in combination with liquid smoke.

Satureja bachtiarica ameliorate beta-amyloid induced memory impairment, oxidative stress and cholinergic deficit in animal model of Alzheimer's disease.

Extracellular deposition of Beta-amyloid peptide (Aß) is the main finding in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which damages cholinergic neurons through oxidative stress and reduces the cholinergic neurotransmission. Satureja bachtiarica is a medicinal plant from the Lamiaceae family which was widely used in Iranian traditional medicine. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible protective effects of S. bachtiarica methanolic extract on Aß induced spatial memory impairment in Morris Water Maze (MWM), oxidative stress and cholinergic neuron degeneration. Pre- aggregated Aß was injected into the hippocampus of each rat bilaterally (10 µg/rat) and MWM task was performed 14 days later to evaluate learning and memory function. Methanolic extract of S.bachtiarica (10, 50 and 100 mg/Kg) was injected intraperitoneally for 19 consecutive days, after Aß injection. After the probe test the brain tissue were collected and lipid peroxidation, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and Cholin Acetyl Transferees (ChAT) immunorectivity were measured in the hippocampus. Intrahipocampal injection of Aß impaired learning and memory in MWM in training days and probe trail. Methanolic extract of S. bachtiarica (50 and 100 mg/Kg) could attenuate Aß-induced memory deficit. ChAT immunostaining revealed that cholinergic neurons were loss in Aß- injected group and S. bachtiarica (100 mg/Kg) could ameliorate Aß- induced ChAT reduction in the hippocampus. Also S. bachtiarica could ameliorate Aß-induced lipid peroxidation and AChE activity increase in the hippocampus. In conclusion our study represent that S.bachtiarica methanolic extract can improve Aß-induced memory impairment and cholinergic loss then we recommended this extract as a candidate for further investigation in treatment of AD.

Herbal Medicines for Leucorrhea According to Iranian Traditional Medicine.

BACKGROUND: Leucorrhea or vaginal discharge is a conventional complaint. It is generally whitish, yellowish, or greenish vaginal discharge in females that might be normal or a symptom of infection. It is almost mucus discharge, which exhibit exfoliation of vaginal epithelial cells due to estrogen influence on the vaginal mucosa. It is important to identify the differences between physiologic and pathologic discharges. Leucorrhea is a well-known disease in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM). In their manuscripts, the word "Sayalan-e rahem" was used by Avicenna and some other Iranian traditional practitioners to describe this condition. Ancient practitioners believed that excessive residue (kesrate fozool) and weakness of digestion (Za'afe hazm) were the main causes of leucorrhea, for which herbal therapy was the main proposed treatment. In the present study, medicinal plants used in ITM for leucorrhea are introduced. METHODS: In this research, six Iranian traditional textbooks including Canon of Medicine (Avicena 980-1037 AD), A-Hawi (Razes 865-925 AD), Tuhfat ul-Momineen (Mo'men tonekaboni, 17th century), Makhzan-ul-Adwiah (Aghili 18th century), Ikhtiarat Badi'i (Ansari 1329-1404 AD), and al-jami li-mufradat al-adwiyawa al-aghdhiy (Ibn al-Baitar 1197 AD) were studied and searched for anti-leucorrhea medicines. Then the herbal medicines were selected and scored depending on their frequency in the above-mentioned textbooks. Additional attention was paid to provide the most suitable scientific name for each plant. RESULTS: This study introduced many Materia Medica with anti-leucorrhea activity and among them seven herbs including Rubus fruticosus L., Rhus coriaria L., Phoenix dactylifera L., Pimpinella anisum L., Rumex acetosa L., Olea europaea L. and Quercus lusitanica Lam. showed the most repetition in ITM prescriptions. CONCLUSION: These herbs can be introduced as new anti-leucorrhea herbal medicines for clinical research.

Natural sesquiterpen lactones as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

Background and the purpose of the study: The amount of elder people who suffer from Alzheimer disease is continuously increasing every year. Cholinesterase inhibitors have shown to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of the disease, thus opening a field of research for these treatments. Herbal products, owning a reputation as effective agents in many biological studies are now drawing attention for inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, in other words, Alzheimer disease. In the present study, the ability of three sesquiterpene lactones from Inula oculus-christi and I. aucheriana to inhibit AChE has been evaluated through Ellman assay. Materials and Methods: Gaillardin and pulchellin C were obtained from I. oculus-christi and britannin from I. aucheriana by chromatographic methods. They were dissolved in methanol in concentration of 3 mg/mL and the AChEI activity of the compounds was determined by Ellman method using Acethylthiocholine iodide as the substrate and 5, 5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid as the reagent, in 96-well plates at 405 nm. Results: AChEI activity of the examined compounds was obtained as 67.0, 25.2 and 10.9% in concentration of 300 µg/L for gaillardin, britannin and pulchellin C, respectively. Conclusion: Among the three sesquiterpene lactones, gaillardin with 67% inhibition of AChE could be considered a good candidate for future Alzheimer studies.

A cytotoxic hydroperoxy sterol from the brown alga, Nizamuddinia zanardinii.

BACKGROUND: The marine environment is a unique source of bioactive natural products, of which Nizamuddinia zanardinii is an important brown algae distributed in Oman Sea. Literature revealed that there is no report on phytochemistry and pharmacology of this valuable algae. METHODS: Bioguided fractionation of the methanolic extract of Nizamuddinia zanardinii, collected from Oman Sea, led to the isolation of a hydroperoxy sterol. Its structure was determined by analysis of the spectroscopic data as 24-hydroperoxy-24-vinyl cholesterol (HVC). In vitro cytotoxic activity of this compound was evaluated against HT29, MCF7, A549, HepG2 and MDBK cell lines. RESULTS: Although 24(R)-hydroproxy-24-vinylcholesterol has been previously reported from Sargassum and Padina species, it is the first report on the presence of this compound from N. zanardinii. This compound exhibited cytotoxicity in all cell lines (IC50, 3.62, 9.09, 17.96, 32.31 and 37.31 µg/mL respectively). HVC was also evaluated for apoptotic activity and demonstrated positive results in terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick End labeling (TUNEL) assay suggesting it a candidate for further apoptotic studies. CONCLUSIONS: Nizamuddinia zanardinii, a remarkable brown algae of Oman Sea, is a good source of hydroproxy sterols with promising cytotoxic on various cell lines particularly human colon adenocarcinoma.

Cytotoxic evaluation of Melia azedarach in comparison with, Azadirachta indica and its phytochemical investigation.

BACKGROUND: Melia azedarach L. is an important medicinal plant that is used for variety of ailments in Iranian traditional medicine. Azadirachta indica A. Juss is its allied species and possesses similar properties and effects. The present study was undertaken to investigate anticancer activity of these M. azedarach in comparison with A. indica on cancer cell lines and also to evaluate their safety in humans by testing them on normal cell line. The study also aimed to determine the active components that are responsible for medicinal effects of M. azedarach in traditional usages. METHODS: In this study, the cytotoxic activity of crude extracts from M. azedarach and A. indica leaves, pulps and seeds as well as three main fractions of their leaf extracts were assayed against HT-29, A-549, MCF-7 and HepG-2 and MDBK cell lines. MTT assay was used to evaluate their cytotoxic activities. Methanol leaf fraction of M. azedarach as the safest leaf fraction in terms of cytotoxicity was subjected for phytochemical study. RESULTS: Results of the present study indicated that seed kernel extract of M. azedarach had the highest cytotoxic activity and selectivity to cancer cell lines (IC50 range of 8.18- 60.10 λg mL-1). In contrast to crude seed extract of A. indica, crude pulp and crude leaf extracts of this plant showed remarkably stronger anti-prolifrative activity (IC50 ranges of 83.45 - 212.16 λg mL-1 and 34.11- 95.51 λg mL-1 respectively) than those of M. azedarach (all IC50 values of both plants > 650 λg mL-1). The phytochemical analysis led to the isolation of four flavonol 3-O-glycosides including rutin, kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and isoquercetin along with a purin nucleoside, β-adenosine. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-prolifrative potentials of extracts from different parts of M. azedarach and A. indica were determined. By comparison, methanol leaf fraction of M. azedarach seems to be safer in terms of cytotoxicity. Our study shows that flavonols are abundant in the leaves of M. azedarach and these compounds seem to be responsible for many of medicinal effects exploited in the traditional uses.

Ferulago angulata Methanolic Extract Protects PC12 Cells Against Beta-amyloid-induced Toxicity.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disease. Beta-amyloid (Aß)-induced neurotoxicity has a pivotal role in AD pathogenesis; therefore, the modulation of Aß toxicity is the promising therapeutic approach to control the disease progression. Medicinal plants because of their multiple active ingredients are effective in complex diseases, such as AD. Therefore, several studies have studied medicinal plants to find an effective treatment for AD. Ferulago angulata is a medicinal plant with antioxidant and neuroprotective activity. The present study was done to assess the protective effect of the methanolic extract of Ferulago angulate on Aß-induced toxicity and oxidative stress in PC12 cells. Methods: The methanolic extract of aerial parts of the plant was prepared by the maceration method. PC12 cells were cultured according to a standard protocol. PC12 cells were incubated for 24 hours with Aß alone, and Aß in combination with various concentrations of the F. angulata extract. Cell viability was determined by the methyl thiazole tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Also, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and caspase-3 enzymes were measured. Results: The extract dose-dependently protected PC12 cells against Aß-induced cell death. Also, Aß increased ROS production, AChE, and caspase-3 activity, and decreased the GPx activity, which all were ameliorated by F. angulata extract. Conclusion: F. angulata extract protects against Aß-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. These effects may be due to the antioxidant and anticholinesterase activity of the extract. It is recommended to assess F. angulata extract as an anti-AD agent. Highlights: Ferulago angulata extract dose-dependently ameliorates Aß-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells.Aß induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells, which was attenuated by the F. angulata extract.Aß increased acetylcholinesterase activity in PC12 cells, which was prevented by the F. angulata extract. Plain Language Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common form of dementia in the elderly with a complex pathophysiology. Beta-amyloid (Aß)- induced neurotoxicity plays a pivotal role in AD progression. So far, there is no cure for AD. Medicinal plants contain various pharmacologically active compounds that make them suitable for the treatment of complex diseases. In this study, the anti-AD effect of F. angulata extract was investigated by assessing its protective effect against Aß-induced toxicity in PC12 cells F. angulata extract improved Aß-induced toxicity by diminishing oxidative stress and apoptosis. Therefore, F. angulata extract merits further studies for use in the treatment of AD.

Rutin Promotes Proliferation and Orchestrates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Angiogenesis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells.

Rutin has been reported as a potential anti-cancer agent for several decades. This study evaluated the effects of rutin on the proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Increasing concentrations of rutin significantly stimulated the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells compared to controls. Wound scratch assay demonstrated that rutin had an inducing effect on the migration of the cells. In MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, rutin upregulated MKI67, VIM, CDH2, FN1, and VEGFA and downregulated CDH1 and THBS1 genes. It also increased N-cadherin and VEGFA and decreased E-cadherin and thrombospondin 1 protein expression. Our data indicated that rutin could stimulate proliferation, migration, and pro-angiogenic activity in two different breast cancer cell lines. This phytoestrogen induced invasion and migration of both cell lines by a mechanism involving the EMT process. This suggests that rutin may act as a breast-cancer-promoting phytoestrogen.

Antifatigue Effects of the Aqueous Extracts of Myrtle Berries, Apple and Clove: An Animal Study.

Background: Fatigue is one of the most prevalent symptoms, increasing worldwide with no specific medication for fatigue. Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), or Persian medicine, is a reliable source for discovering natural medicine for diseases and their symptoms. Myrtus communis L. (Myrtle), Malus domestica Borkh. (Apple), and Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry (Clove) have been utilized as brain and heart tonics in ITM. Based on ITM, cardiac tonics decrease fatigue by enhancing heart function and increasing blood flow to tissues. These plants, particularly myrtle berries, have been utilized as potent enlivening agents that reduce mental fatigue. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of aqueous extracts of these plants on weight-loaded forced swimming (WLFS) tests and three doses of aqueous myrtle extract in an animal model of chronic sleep deprivation-induced fatigue. Methods: Five groups of rats (n = 6) were evaluated: Sham, control, apple-treated, clove-treated, and myrtle-treated groups. After 28 days of treatment, the WLFS test was performed, and swimming time was recorded. Subsequently, central fatigue was induced in rats by chronic sleep deprivation for 21 days. Five groups of rats (n = 6) were evaluated: Sham, control (sleep-deprived, which received water), and three sleep-deprived + treatment groups, which received aqueous myrtle extract (350, 700, and 1000 mg/kg). An open field test on the 20th day and a WLFS test on the 21st day were performed. Results: The myrtle berries significantly increased glucose, reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and enhanced swimming time. Fatigue caused by chronic sleep deprivation increased malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and LDH while decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), glucose, and swimming time. In all treatment groups, SOD levels and swimming time were increased, whereas MDA, IL-1ß, and TNF-α levels were decreased significantly. Only the 1000 mg/kg dose significantly reduced LDH levels (P < 0.001). The treatment significantly improved the velocity and the total distance moved in the open-field test. Conclusions: According to the results, the myrtle berries reduced fatigue in two animal models, probably due to its phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and polysaccharides.

Development of a validated HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of flavonoids in Cuscuta chinensis Lam. by ultra-violet detection.

BACKGROUND: Cuscuta species known as dodder, have been used in traditional medicine of eastern and southern Asian countries as liver and kidney tonic. Flavonoids are considered as the main biologically active constituents in Cuscuta plants especially in C. chinensis Lam. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, a fast, simple and reliable method for the simultaneous determination and quantization of C. chinensis flavonols including hyperoside, rutin, isorhamnetin and kaempferol has been developed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chromatographic separation was carried out on a reversed phase ACE 5 C18 with eluting at a flow rate of 1 ml/min using a gradient with O-phosphoric acid 0.25% : acetonitrile for 42 min. UV spectra were collected across the range of 200-900 nm, extracting 360 nm for the chromatograms. The method was validated according to linearity, selectivity, precision, recovery, LOD and LOQ. RESULTS: The method was selective for determination of rutin, hyperoside, isorhamnetin and kampferol. The calibration graphs of flavonols were linear with r2 > 0.999. RSDs% of intra- and inter-day precisions were found 1.3&3.4 for rutin, 1.5&2.8 for hyperoside, 1.3&3.3 for isorhamnetin and 1.7 & 2.9 for kaempferol which were satisfactory. LODs and LOQs were calculated as 1.73 & 8.19 for rutin, 0.09 & 4.19 for hyperoside, 2.09 & 6.3 for isorhamnetin and 0.18 & 0.56 for kaempferol. The recovery averages of above-mentioned flavonols were 90.3%, 97.4%, 98.7% and 90.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The simplicity of the method makes it highly valuable for quality control of C. chinensis according to quantization of flavonols.

The Most Competent Plant-Derived Natural Products for Targeting Apoptosis in Cancer Therapy.

Cancer is a challenging problem for the global health community, and its increasing burden necessitates seeking novel and alternative therapies. Most cancers share six basic characteristics known as "cancer hallmarks", including uncontrolled proliferation, refractoriness to proliferation blockers, escaping apoptosis, unlimited proliferation, enhanced angiogenesis, and metastatic spread. Apoptosis, as one of the best-known programmed cell death processes, is generally promoted through two signaling pathways, including the intrinsic and extrinsic cascades. These pathways comprise several components that their alterations can render an apoptosis-resistance phenotype to the cell. Therefore, targeting more than one molecule in apoptotic pathways can be a novel and efficient approach for both identifying new anticancer therapeutics and preventing resistance to therapy. The main purpose of this review is to summarize data showing that various plant extracts and plant-derived molecules can activate both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways in human cancer cells, making them attractive candidates in cancer treatment.

Effect of Honey-Lemon Spray Versus Benzydamine Hydrochloride Spray on Radiation-Induced Acute Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Pilot, Randomized, Double-Blind, Active-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Oral mucositis (OM) is the most prevalent side effect in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). It causes an obvious decrease in quality of life (QoL) in these patients, so different medications have been recommended for OM, however, without optimal response. This randomized trial aimed to assess the effects of a honey-lemon spray compared with benzydamine hydrochloride in prevention of radiation-induced OM in patients with HNC. Materials and Methods: Forty-six patients with HNC received external beam radiotherapy for 5 days per week. Patients were randomized to treatment with either benzydamine hydrochloride spray or honey-lemon spray for 5 weeks and continued for 1 week after the end of treatment. The oral cavity was examined weekly, with a score given to each site based on the degree of mucositis using a 4-point scale, and a mean mucositis score was calculated as the primary outcome. Occurrence of OM, pain, QoL, and adverse effects were defined as secondary outcomes. Patients, therapists, and outcome assessors were blinded to group allocation. Results: No significant group differences occurred in the mucositis score, pain, or QoL. Mucositis occurrence rates were higher in the benzydamine hydrochloride group compared with the honey-lemon group (hazard ratio = 2.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.1 to 4.2). Two patients in the honey-lemon group had mild nausea and burning throat; no adverse effects occurred in the benzydamine hydrochloride group. Conclusions: There were no significant group differences in mucositis severity between patients treated with honey-lemon spray and benzydamine hydrochloride. The potential preventive effects of honey-lemon spray need to be confirmed in further trials. The trial registration number is IRCT20161024030467N1.

Scientific Evaluation of Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Cervicitis (Qorohe- Rahem) in Iranian Traditional Medicine.

Cervicitis is an inflammatory condition of the cervix associated with upper genital tract infection and reproductive complications. Treatment for cervicitis in conventional system is the use of antibiotics and antifungal therapies and surgical interventions, but none of these treatments provides the definite efficacy in spite of high cost and side effect. So there is a need for an alternate therapy which is safe, effective, easily available and free from side effects. This review focuses on medicinal plants mentioned in main Iranian Traditional Medicine reference books. Medicinal plants mentioned in Iranian Traditional Medicine for treatment of Cervicitis were elicited and searched in electronic databases including Pub Med, Scopus, Science direct and Google Scholar to find studies that confirmed their efficacy. The findings included 31 plants belonging to 21 families. Research findings showed that the plants mentioned in Iranian Traditional Medicine resources can contribute to the recovery and treatment of cervicitis through anti- inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and anti- fungal, wound healing and analgesic effects. Finding the medicinal plants effective on cervicitis based on ITM could suggest a better strategy for relieving and management of cervicitis symptoms especially in recurrent or persistent condition.

Effect of Aslagh Capsule, a Traditional Compound Herbal Product on Oligomenorrhea in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Three-Arm, Open-label, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Oligomenorrhea is a common complaint in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). There are some useful medicinal recommendations such as Aslagh product (include fennel fruits, carrot seeds, chaste tree fruits) in Iranian traditional medicine for the treatment of oligomenorrhea in PCOS. Hence, the present investigation was designed to compare Aslagh capsule with metformin on the oligomenorrhea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred fifty women aged between 18-43 years with oligomenorrhea due to PCOS were randomly divided into Aslagh, metformin, and Aslagh + metformin groups. The occurrence of menstrual bleeding was considered as the primary outcome. Menstrual cyclicity, duration, and volume of the bleeding were also evaluated. RESULTS: Occurrence of menstrual bleeding was 87.2% in all patients, with no significant difference between the three groups (P> 0.05). Menstrual cyclicity significantly improved from baseline in Aslagh and Aslagh + metformin groups (P=0.02). Duration of menstrual bleeding was significantly higher in Aslagh group in the first and the second menstrual bleeding cycle compared to the other two groups (P<0.05). No significant change was observed in the volume of the bleeding after the intervention in any of the three groups. The occurrence of menstrual bleeding in Aslagh group was significantly (P=0.03) higher than the other two groups in the fourth month (drug-free period). CONCLUSION: Aslagh capsule showed beneficial effects similar to metformin in the treatment of oligomenorrhea in PCOS women and could be suggested for use as an alternative treatment in these patients.

Medicinal Properties of Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn. in Traditional Medicine and Modern Phytotherapy: A Review Article.

BACKGROUND: Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn (Maidenhair fern) is an herb belonging to the family Pteridaceae. It is named as "Pare-siavashan" in medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of Iranian Traditional Medicine. The fronds of Maidenhair fern were mainly administrated by ancient physicians as single medicine or in combination with other plants in multi-herbal formulations for curing different diseases. Because of different chemical compositions, the herb fronds were also assessed for its numerous pharmacological effects. Therefore, the current study was done to review the traditional usage and modern pharmacological and toxicological effects of Maidenhair fern. METHODS: Scientific databases and publications including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, Cochrane Library, SID (for Persian papers) and medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of traditional medicine as well were searched for "Adiantum capillus-veneris", "Maidenhair fern" and "Pare-siavashan" without limitation up to 2016. RESULTS: Maidenhair fern exhibited to possess anti-diabetic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, hypocholesterolemic, goitrogenic, anti-thyroidal, antibacterial, antifungal, wound healing, antiobesity, anti hair loss, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal and antispasmodic, antioxidant as well as diuretic, anti-urolithiatic and detoxifying effects in modern medicine. Ancient physicians declared some of the confirmed pharmacological effects. CONCLUSION: Maidenhair fern frond can be a good candidate for clinical purpose. Therefore, future researches on the other mentioned effects in traditional medicine are recommended.

Traditional and modern aspects of hemorrhoid treatment in Iran: a review.

Hemorrhoidal disease is a prevalent anorectal condition which is generally not managed well with current pharmacologic interventions. However, in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) there are numerous plants with hemorrhoid-healing properties. The present research assembled plants with hemorrhoid-healing properties in ITM; their related pharmacological effects, phytochemical constituents and mechanisms of action in the modern medicine were also gathered. For this purpose, leading ITM textbooks were searched for plants with hemorrhoid-healing effects. Further, in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies on the most cited species were considered using scientific databases. Studying ITM textbooks revealed 37 medicinal plants with hemorrhoid-healing effects. Among the mentioned herbal medicines, six species, including Allium ampeloprasum, Phyllanthus emblica, Aloe vera, Terminalia chebula, Vitis vinifera and Commiphora mukul, had the largest number of related pharmacological effects documented in scientific databases. These herbs from ITM should be considered as important resources for producing novel drugs for hemorrhoid treatment.

Effect of Aromatherapy with Peppermint Oil on the Severity of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: A Single-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nausea and vomiting are common complaints in the first half of pregnancy. These symptoms can significantly affect a person's personal and professional life. Aromatherapy is one of the types of complementary medicine that is used in the treatment of nausea and vomiting. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of aromatherapy with peppermint oil on the severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP). METHODS: This was a single-blind clinical trial that was conducted on 56 pregnant women with mild to moderate severity of NVP and 6 to 20 weeks of gestational age. After the determination of gestational age and base severity of NVP in each woman, they were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: peppermint oil (n=28) or placebo (n=28). Inhalation aromatherapy was done for four days and at the end of each day, they responded to the Pregnancy Unique Quantification of Emesis/Nausea questionnaire (PUQE). The data obtained were analyzed with Mann-Whitney test and ANOVA with repeated measures using SPSS software version 22. Also, the level of significance was p<0.05. RESULTS: Although the severity of NVP in each intervention group significantly decreased (p<0.001), the comparison of the severity of NVP during the study period and at the end of it was not statistically significant between the placebo and intervention groups. CONCLUSION: According to the possibility of neurological mechanisms causing NVP, the effect of aromatherapy with peppermint oil and placebo were the same in this study. This similarity can be due to psychological impacts of intervention on pregnant women.