Determination of some B vitamins in sour cherry juice using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method [DLLME] combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection [HPLC-UV] was used to determine thiamine [B[1]], nicotinamide [B[3]] and pyridoxine [B[6]] in sour cherry juice. This method was rapid, simple and sensitive. Separation was accomplished using a C18 column. The optimum chromatographic conditions were found to be: mobile phase consisted of 8% methanol and 92% aqueous phase [1% [V/V] acetic acid water solution]; flow rate, 0.7 mL/min; detection wavelength, 260 nm and pH, 3.3. The extraction efficiency of thiamine, nicotinamide and pyridoxine was influenced by factors such as: additional salt effect, the kind and volume of disperser and extraction solvents. In this research, the limit of detection [LOD] and quantification [LOQ] were 0.9 and 3 ng/mL for thiamine, 1.5 and 5 ng/mL for nicotinamide, 0.9 and 3 ng/mL for pyridoxine. The relative standard deviations [RSDs] were less than 2.87% [n=3]. An appropriate linear behavior over the observed concentration range was obtained with the value of R²>0.996 for the target vitamins. This method was successfully applied to the sour cherry juice samples. Sour cherry var. Gise [Prunus cerasus var. Gise], which was used in this research, was a local variety of the sour cherry with large stone, double flowers, double fruits, dark red skin and dark red juice. This variety was identified in high altitude areas of Isfahan province after five years of study, since 2005, by Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Isfahan

Anti-viral evaluation of sesquiterpene coumarins from ferula assa-foetida against HSV-1

Several complications attributed with Herpes virus related infections and the emergence of drug resistant viruses prompt scientists to search for new drugs. Several terpenoids and coumarins have shown and HSV effects while no sesquiterpene coumarins have been previously tested for HSV treatment. Three sesquiterpene coumarins badrakemin acetate [1], kellerin [2] and samarcandin diastereomer [3] were isolated from the gum resin of Ferula assa-foetida, a herbal medicine with antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antiviral effects. Compounds were identified by ID and 2D- NMR spectroscopies and comparison with literature data. A comparative evaluation of cytotoxicity and antiviral activity showed that kellerin [2] could significantly inhibit the cytopathic effects and reduce the viral titre of the herpes virus type 1 [HSV-1] DNA viral strain KOS at concentrations of 10.5 and 2.5 microg/mL

effects of different doses of ketamine on quality of normal ejaculated sperm

Background: Ketamine, an injectable anesthetic in human and animal medicine, is also a recreational drug used by young adults. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ketamine on membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation and sperm parameters in humans

Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 40 males with normal semen samples over one month [August 2012]. Subjects were randomly allocated to four groups [Control and case I, II and III] whose semen samples were adjusted to different concentrations of ketamine [1, 3, 5 microL] for one hour. Sperm analysis was performed for routine parameters, motility and morphology. Evaluation of membrane integrity and DNA fragmentation was done by eosin-Y staining and the sperm chromatin dispersion [SCD] test, respectively. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's tests. P

Results: Total sperm motility in all case groups were significantly lower compared with the control group. In case group III, progressive motility showed significant difference with case group II. After addition of ketamine, sperm had evidence of coiled tails in all case groups compared to the control group however this observation was not significant. Evaluation of membrane integrity showed the rate of necrospermia increased in all case groups. However, ketamine only significantly affected membrane integrity in case group III. SCD staining showed that in the control group nucleoids with medium halos [63.44 +/- 1.2] were significantly different compared to the case groups I [15.44 +/- 0.45], II [9.05+/-1.16] and III [10.55 +/- 1.14], respectively. Between case groups, nucleoids with large and medium halos showed significant differences in case groups II and III compared with case group I. Nucleoids with medium halos were significantly different between case groups II and III

Conclusion: Ketamine, through its effect on membrane integrity and DNA fragmentation, decreased sperm viability and caused abnormal sperm parameters in progressive motility

Efficacy of a combined rosemary and lavender topical ointment in the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee

One of the preservative treatments of knee osteoarthritis is the use of topical medications. This study is aimed to clinically evaluate the effect of topical products containing essential oils of rosemary and lavender herbs on the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Rosemary and lavender essential oils were prepared by steam distillation method and inserted into the ointment with the hydrophilic base. In this study, 15 patients with knee osteoarthritis were treated with this ointment for three months. The results were assessed using WOMAC and Lequesne indices and were evaluated by the Wilcoxon statistical test. At the week of admission to the hospital, mean WOMAC index was equal to 71.4, mean Lequesne index was equal to 18 and the average time of passing through the distance of fifty feet by patients was equal to 19.4. After 4, 8 and 12 weeks, all these indices significantly decreased [p

Reproductive outcome following thawed embryo transfer in management of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

The purpose of the study was to compare clinical pregnancy and delivery rates with fresh and frozen embryo transfer in patients admitted to Shiraz- Human Assisted Reproductive Center with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome [OHSS]. OHSS patients randomly divided in two groups, group A [n=50] with fresh embryo transfer and group B [n=50] with frozen embryo transfer. We used vitrification method for freezing the embryos. Patient age, combination of female and male factors, total number of retrieved oocytes, number of cryopreserved embryo, number of transferred embryos, clinical pregnancy and delivery rates were recorded for all patients. All statistical calculations were done using SPSS software. Generalized linear model was used to adjust the confounding factors to compare the clinical pregnancy and delivery rates between two groups. The p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Mean [ +/- SD] ages of these patients were 26.78 +/- 3.5 and 28.42 +/- 4.2 yrs in fresh [A] and frozen [B] embryo transfer groups respectively. Combinations of male and female factors were 28.3% and 32.1% respectively. Average numbers of oocytes retrieved in two groups were 22.14 +/- 4.3 and 21.02 +/- 4.9, and after fertilization, embryos cryopreserved per patient yielded averages of 13.82 +/- 3.5 and 12.5 +/- 4.3. Thaw and ET were performed and the means for transferred embryos were 3.22 +/- 0.6 and 4.1 +/- 0.7. We didn't find any significant differences in implicit parameters between the two groups. The pregnancy and delivery rates in OHSS patients were significantly higher in frozen embryo transfer, 63.1% and 45.6%, compared with fresh embryo transfer, 55.1% and 35.4%, respectively. The pregnancy and delivery rates in OHSS cases, both fresh and subsequently with frozen embryo transfer, were exceptionally high. There was statistically significant difference of pregnancy and delivery rates between fresh and frozen embryo transfer. As a result, an elective embryo freezing policy to moderate the severity and duration of OHSS has compromising outcomes for women at risk of OHSS

effects of laser assisted hatching on pregnancy rates

For infertile women aged over 35 years, failure of the ZP [zona pellucida] to rupture is believed to be associated with a decreased implantation rate in vitro fertilization [IVF] or intra cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]. In this research, laser assisted hatching [LAH] was offered to patients with advanced maternal age to evaluate a possible benefit. Nine hundred thirty two cycles of IVF/ICSI in females were analyzed. Women included in this study were allocated in 4 groups. In group I and II, embryos were cultured and transferred with and without LAH in women aged /= 35. Laser manipulations were performed using a suturn-Tm3 system using 2-3 pulses of 0.8 millisecond with 400 voltage duration. The size of the hole made in the zona was measured to be 5-10 micro m, depending on the zona thickness of each individual embryo. The performance of LAH significantly increased clinical pregnancy rates in all patients. In group I and II, the chemical [50.99% and 31.61% respectively], clinical [50% and 30.69% respectively] and multiple pregnancies [22.27% and 5.94% respectively] significantly differ between these groups. In the patients with advanced female age >/= 35 the performance of LAH significantly increased chemical [30.12%] and clinical pregnancy [27.71%] rates compared to whom without LAH [18.96% and 16.37% respectively]. Our data demonstrate in the patients who were less than 35 years old, multiple pregnancy rates were significantly increased compared to other groups who aged over 35 years old. In addition benefit of LAH in improving pregnancy rates after IVF or ICSI in women of advanced age [>/= 35] was shown

Production of rosmarinic acid in echium amoenum fisch. and C.A. Mey. cell cultures

Echium amoenum Fisch. and C.A. Mey. [Boraginaceae] is a very popular medicinal plant which is used as a tonic, tranquillizer, diaphoretic, cough remedy, sore throat and pneumonia in Iran's traditional medicine. Callus culture of medicinal plants is one of the ways for production of secondary metabolites. In this study, callus culture of E. amoenum and its major secondary metabolite were investigated. The callus culture of E. amoenum was initiated and established from seeds in MS media with three different ratios of plant growth regulatories: kinetin, 2, 4-D and NAA. Methanolic extracts of freeze-dried calluses were compared by TLC and HPLC. The major secondary metabolite was separated by preparative HPLC and the structure of this pure compound was elucidated by UV, IR, one and two dimensional 1H and [13]C-NMR and Mass spectroscopy. Rosmarinic acid was identified by various spectroscopic methods from callus culture of E. amoenum. Rosmarinic acid is widespread within the plant cell tissue culture of the Lamiaceae and Boraginaceae families, although in insignificant quantities. Rosmarinic acid has an antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effect, which makes it a valuable product for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries

Cytotoxic effects of essential oils of some Iranian citrus peels

There have been efforts to overcome the problem in treatment of cancer using medicinal plants. It has been shown that Citrus essential oil of contains different terpens with antitumor activities. In this study we sought to determine the cytotoxicity of essential oils of Iranian Citrus limon [L.], C. medica [L.], C. sinsensis [L.] peels on cancer cell lines. Essential oils were prepared by hydrodistilation and characterized by GC-MS. The effects of C. limon [5-40 micro g/ml], C. medica and C. sinensis [0.25-10 micro g/ml] on two human tumor cell lines [MCF-7 and Hela] were determined. Different concentrations of essential oils were added to cultured cells and incubated for 72 h. Cell survival was evaluated using the MTT-based cytotoxicity assay. While limonene comprise about 98.4% and 98.8% of content of C. limon and C. sinensis essential oils respectively, its' percentage in C. medica was only 56.6%. In C. medica there was a considerable amount of beta-pinene, gamma-terpinene, alpha-terpinolene and trans-alpha-bergamotene. IC[50] of essential oil for MCF-7 cell line was: C. limon almost equal to 10 micro g/ml, C. medica almost equal to 1 micro g/ml and C. sinensis almost equal to 0.5 micro g/ml. For Hela cell line IC50 was: C. limon almost equal to 17 micro g/ml, C. medica almost equal to 1 micro g/ml and C. sinensis almost equal to 3 micro g/ml. Our findings revealed that C. limon and C. sinensis had a greater cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 than that on Hela cells. Also, comparing IC50, our findings indicated that C. medica and C. sinensis were more cytotoxic than C. limon. Comparison of the essential oil component of C. limon with C. medica, shows the presence of beta-pinene [16.3%], alpha-terpineol [11.3%], gamma-terpinene [4.4%], and trans- alpha-bergamotene [3.4%], which were not found in C. limon. Hence, it could be concluded that these components may have greater cytotoxic effects or they may also have synergistic effects with limonene

Volatile constituents of a medicinal plant of Iran, echium amoenum Fisch. and C. A. Mey.

Echium amoenum Fisch. and C.A. Mey. [Boraginaceae] is an endemic Iranian plant, that its dry violet-blue petals has long been used in traditional medicine of Iran. The chemical composition of the volatile fraction of the dried petals of this plant which was isolated by steam distillation extraction with pentane [in yield of 0.05%] was examined by GC-MS. The constituents were identified by their mass spectra and Kovats' indices. The major components except aliphatic alkanes which belong to sesquiterpenes were: sigma -cadinene [24.25%], viridiflorol [4.9%], alpha -muurolene [4.52%], ledene [3.8%], alpha -calacorene [3.04%], and

Composition of the essential oil of ferula ovina [Boiss] Boiss. from Iran

Water-distilled essential oil from aerial parts of Ferula ovina [Boiss.] Boiss. growing wild at the vegetative stage in Isfahan province Iran was analyzed by GC/MS. Forty-three compounds consisting 86.7% of the total components were identified in the oil which was obtained in 1.0% [v/w] yield. Among them, carvacrol [9.0%], alpha-pinene [8.2%], geranyl isovalerate [7.2%] and geranyl propionate [7.0%] were the major components