The prevalence and associated factors of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in South-eastern of Iran: a cross-sectional study based on Rafsanjan cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has become a major health issue in both high and middle-income countries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality. Risk of obesity is related to both unchangeable factors such as genetics and gender, and modifiable lifestyle factors. Most importantly, finding the major modifiable lifestyle factors which contribute to obesity may provide valuable benefits to every society. This study aimed to determine the association of demographic and lifestyle parameters with overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in a population of Iranian adults. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, adult participants of Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS) (as one of the district areas of the PERSIAN cohort (Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN) included the study population. RCS is a population-based prospective cohort of men and women aged 35-70 years, launched in August 2015. Individuals were recruited from four urban and suburban areas of Rafsanjan, south-eastern of Iran. Trained experts interviewed each participant and completed the related questionnaires about his/her socioeconomic status, demography, anthropometric features, personal habits, physical activity and medical history. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between overweight/obesity/abdominal obesity and associated factors. RESULTS: From 9980 participants, 1974 (42.42%) males and 2115 (39.70%) females were overweight, 784 (16.85%) males, 2223 (41.73%) females were obese and 1895 (40.73%) males and 989 (18.57%) females were normal weight. Also, 832 (17.9%) males and 4548 (85.4%) females had abdominal obesity and 3819 (82.1%) males and 778 (14.6%) females didn't have abdominal obesity. Based on the adjusted multiple logistic regression, overweight/obesity (BMI > 25) was associated with age > 45, female gender, education ≥ 13 years, heavy physical activity, wealth status index (WSI), alcohol consumption, current cigarette smoking and opium consumption compared to reference group. Also, odds of abdominal obesity displayed a significant association with age > 45, female gender, education > 5 years, physical activity, WSI, current cigarette smoking, alcohol and opium consumption compared to reference group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results recommend local public health strategies that promote training the society on the health benefits of avoiding alcohol, getting more physical exercise and gaining more personal education on the health-threatening lifestyle.

Sleep duration, hypnotic drug use, and risk factors: cross- sectional study.

Both short sleep duration (SSD) and long sleep duration (LSD) are associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Here, we aimed to assess the prevalence of sleep duration disturbances among adults in association with demographic, medication use, personal habits, and chronic diseases, while also considering the impact of hypnotic drug use. We performed a cross-sectional study of 9991 adult participants of the Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS), as part of the Prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran (PERSIAN). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between short (< 6 h) and long (> 9 h) sleep duration with demographic and lifestyle parameters and common non-communicable diseases. Additionally, we performed stratified analysis to investigate the association of sleep duration with the abovementioned factors and diseases, in groups with and without hypnotic drug use. We found higher odds of SSD significantly associated with age (P < 0.001), BMI (P < 0.001), physical activity (P < 0.001), and depression (P = 0.023). LSD displayed a positive association with the female sex (P < 0.001), opium consumption (P < 0.001), and history of MI (P = 0.045), and a reverse connection with education (P = 0.007), physical activity (P < 0.001) and alcohol consumption (P = 0.027). Stratifying for the hypnotic drug use, our sensitivity analyses indicated that in hypnotic drug users, education (P = 0.034) and physical activity (P < 0.001) were associated with LSD, in this group, significantly increased odds ratio of LSD were associated with opium consumption (P = 0.046) and thyroid dysfunction (P = 0.037). Our findings demonstrated the demographic and lifestyle factors and diseases associated with long and short sleep duration in the population of the RCS. Additionally, after stratifying for hypnotic drug use, our results indicated that some diseases are only associated with abnormal sleep duration upon using hypnotic drugs.

Neuroprotective effect of Achillea millefolium aqueous extract against oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by chronic morphine in rat hippocampal CA1 neurons.

Chronic opioid abuse can impair the hippocampal region of the brain. This study evaluates the neuroprotective effect of Achillea millefolium (Ach) on chronic morphine­induced learning and memory impairment, oxidative stress, and neuronal apoptosis in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus. Thirty­two male Wistar rat rats were classified into four treatment groups (n=8). Morphine sulfate was administered chronically. The treatment groups were given Ach aqueous extract (100, 250, and 500 mg/kg), orally, each day. After 28 days, the Morris water maze test was performed on all subjects. Caspase­3, Bax, and Bcl­2 proteins expression in the CA1 region of hippocampal tissue was analyzed using the western blot method. Also, malondialdehyde concentration, glutathione peroxidase activity, and superoxide dismutase activity were evaluated. The results indicated that Ach extract can improve spatial learning and memory defects in morphine­treated rats. Ach administration also ameliorated apoptosis and oxidative stress indicator levels in hippocampal CA1 of morphine­treated animals. Based on the present study, Ach improved spatial learning and memory defects, and reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis in the hippocampus CA1 region, in chronic morphine­treated animals.

Aqueous extract of Achillea millefolium significantly affects mesenchymal stem cell renewal and differentiation in a dose dependent manner.

Introduction: Achillea millefolium is an Iranian herbal medicine with various effects on the human cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the aqueous extract of Achillea millefolium (AEAM) on the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Methods: In this study, bone marrow-MSCs (BM-MSCs) were obtained from Wister rat bone morrow and then cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium /Nutrient Ham's Mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12) media. Then, the isolated MSCs were cultured in either osteocyte or adipocyte differentiation media containing 0.2 or 2 mg/mL AEAM and assessed using specific staining method. Results: The isolated BM-MSCs exhibited fibroblast-like morphology and were positive for CD73, and CD90, while negative for CD34 and CD45. AEAM significantly increased self-renewal of BM-MSCs at low dose (0.2 mg/ml, P= 0.001) and increased the pool stem cells in both osteocyte and adipocyte differentiation media. Conclusion: AEAM at low doses may be used in cases where there is a need for large number of stem cells, via increased numbers of MSCs, and help tissue repair and immunomodulation.

The Effect of Phytosterols and Fatty Acids of Pistachio (Pistacia vera) Oil on Spermatogenesis and Histological Testis Changes in Wistar Adult Male Rats.

PURPOSE: Oilseeds and their related products are known to have various bioactive and health-promoting ingredients. In this research, we investigated the effects of phytosterols and fatty acids of Pistacia vera on spermatogenesis process and testis histological changes in Wistar male rats for the first time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total number of 64 adult male Wistar rats were divided randomly into eight groups including one control group, and seven test groups. Test groups received phytosterols, fatty acids, and pistachio oil orally for 30 days. Then, LH, FSH, and serum testosterone levels were determined. Also, the spermatogenesis process and changes in testicular tissue in rats were investigated. RESULTS: The results of this research suggest that phytosterols in doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg reduce the spermatogenesis process. Fatty acid in a low dose of 10 mg/kg increases spermatogenesis, but when a high dose of 50 mg/kg was used, it harmed the spermatogenesis process. When low levels of phytosterols and fatty acids are used simultaneously in dose 5 mg/kg, improvement in spermatogenesis process is observed but when these were used together in the dose of 25 mg/kg, the spermatogenesis process was disrupted. Using pistachio oil alone also improved spermatogenesis process. CONCLUSION: It seems that phytosterols reduce spermatogenesis at high and low doses, while fatty acids increase spermatogenesis when used in low doses and reduce this process when used in high doses. The use of fatty acids extracted from pistachios to treat infertility in men seems hopeful.

Achillea millefolium is beneficial as an add-on therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease for which to date there is no cure and the existing disease-modifying drugs just slow down the disease progression. PURPOSE: In this clinical trial we evaluated the efficacy of Achillea millefolium (A. millefolium) aqueous extract in MS patients. METHODS: A triple-blind randomized placebo-controlled parallel group trial was conducted on 75 MS patients. The patients were randomized into three groups including placebo and two groups receiving A. millefolium with two different doses, i.e. 250  mg/day and 500  mg/day, for 1 year. The primary outcome was the annualized relapse rate. Also, number and volume of lesions were obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Furthermore, we performed a comprehensive neurological and cognitive tests as follows: changes in the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), the multiple sclerosis functional composite (MSFC), fatigue severity scale (FSS), Ashworth spasticity assessment, Beck depression test, State-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), mini-mental status examination (MMSE), Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), tower of London test (TOL), word-pair learning, paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) and standard laboratory tests. RESULTS: This study showed one year administration of A. millefolium (both doses) decreased the annual relapse rate in MS patients. The mean volume change of lesions significantly decreased in the 500 mg A. millefolium group. The add-on therapy also increased time to first relapse and the MSFC z-score; it decreased the EDSS score and improved performance in word-pair learning, PASAT, and WCST. CONCLUSION: We found beneficial effects of A. millefolium aqueous extract as an add-on therapy in MS patients.

Beneficial effects of Thymus vulgaris extract in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: Clinical, histological and cytokine alterations.

The imbalance between pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines plays an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Thymus vulgaris (thyme) as a traditional medicinal plant has been reported to exert antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, this study evaluated the modulatory effects of Thymus vulgaris on the clinical symptoms, histopathological scores, and the production of some anti-inflammatory (TGF-ß, IL-4, and IL-10) and pro-inflammatory (IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-17) cytokines in EAE model. EAE was induced by MOG35-55 peptide and mice were treated intra-peritoneally (i.p) with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) in the control group or thyme extract (50 or 100 mg/kg of body weight, every other day) in thyme-treated EAE groups, from day 0 to +21 of post MOG immunization. Mice were sacrificed at day 22, and splenocytes were isolated and re-stimulated in vitro with MOG in order to measure the cytokine production and proliferation of re-stimulated cells by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and WST-1 reagent, respectively. The clinical symptoms and histopathological scores of the CNS were lower in thyme-treated than EAE control group. Furthermore, the production of IFN-γ and IL-6 by splenocytes was lower in thyme-treated EAE than in the control group. The production of IL-10 and TGF-ß increased in mice treated with thyme extract compared to the control group. In this study, we showed for the first time that the immunomodulatory effects of Thymus vulgaris in EAE model. Thus, the possible therapeutic potential of thyme for treatment of MS could be considered in future research.

The effect of local extremely low frequency magnetic field on student sleepiness.

Objectives Lack of high-quality sleep causes serious side effects. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of local extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) on sleep and drowsiness in healthy young adults. Methods Sixty-five young adults (32 males and 31 females, aged 18-24, participated voluntarily in this randomized crossover clinical trial. 200 microTesla MF (3 minutes duration) at three frequencies (10, 14 and 18 Hz) was applied to the skull in areas C3, Cz and C4, respectively. The Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) or Consciousness Test (CT), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test were used to evaluate drowsiness, sleepiness, and reaction time. These tests were done both before and after application of ELF-MF or sham operation. Results Minimum reaction time after exposure to ELF-MF increased compared to that before exposure (P = 0.03), while it was not significant for the sham group (P = 0.63). From the ESS questionnaire, the results indicated that there was no significant difference for males or females between the exposure and sham groups. The mean of the SSS scores was no different compared to that before exposure. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that exposure to ELF-MF may influence reaction time in young healthy people. However, as the results of ESS and SSS were not different between exposure and non-exposure groups, further studies using larger sample sizes are recommended in order to reach better interpretations of the effects of ELF-MF on sleepiness in young people.

Increase in mRNA Level of Orexin1 and 2 Receptors Following Induction of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Mice.

Orexin A and B are hypothalamic peptides with a wide variety of effects such as anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. Impaired function of orexin system has been reported in some neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson, Huntington and Alzheimer. In this study, the mRNA expression levels of some hypothalamic peptides were investigated in C57BL/6 female mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Animals were randomly divided into two control and EAE groups. EAE was induced by administration of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) with complete Ferund's adjuvant and pertussis toxin. Twenty-first days following immunization, mice were decapitated to remove the brains. Then, the expression profiles of prepro-orexin, orexin 1 receptors (OX1R) and orexin 2 receptors (OX2R) in hypothalamic region were assessed using real-time PCR method. In this study, we found a considerable increase in the mRNA expression of OX1R and OX2R following EAE induction in C57BL/6 mice. Elevation levels of OX1R and OX2R following EAE induction suggest that alteration in orexinergic system may involve in pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

The effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss hydroalcoholic extract and fractions in pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling in mice.

OBJECTIVE: At present, there are many antiepileptic drugs with a wide range of side effects on the human body. It was assumed that Zataria multiflora Boiss (Z. multiflora) with sedative, anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory activity may be effective in the treatment of epilepsy. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effect of Z. multiflora hydroalcoholic extract and its fraction extracts on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced chemical kindling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, eight separate groups of male albino mice were used. All groups received 11 separate intraperitoneal injections of PTZ (35 mg/kg) with two-day intervals. 30 min before the injection of PTZ, mice received vehicle, Z. multiflora hydroalcoholic extract (300 and 600 mg/kg), n-hexane, acetone, methanol fraction extracts (150 mg/kg), or diazepam (10 mg/kg). RESULTS: The kindled mice that were pretreated with vehicle showed a gradual increase in their seizure scores up to the end of the study. The hydroalcoholic extract of Z. multiflora (300 and 600 mg/kg) reduced seizure scores significantly. However, n-hexane, acetone and methanol extracts did not affect seizure scores significantly. CONCLUSION: The present findings demonstrate that the hydroalcoholic extract of Z. multiflora did reduce the severity of seizure attacks in PTZ-induced chemical kindling in mice.

Ginger Extract Reduces the Expression of IL-17 and IL-23 in the Sera and Central Nervous System of EAE Mice.

BACKGROUND: IL-17/IL-23 axis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and multiple sclerosis (MS). The immunomodulatory properties of ginger are reported in previous studies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of ginger extract on the expression of IL-17 and IL-23 in a model of EAE. METHODS: EAE was induced in C57BL/6 mice by immunization with myelin oligodendroglial glycoprotein and then treated with PBS or ginger extracts, from day +3 to +30. At day 31, mice were scarificed and the expression of IL-17 and IL-23 mRNA in spinal cord were determined by using real time-PCR. The serum levels of cytokines were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The mRNA expression of IL-17, IL-23 P19 and IL-23 P40 in CNS and serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23 were significantly higher in PBS-treated EAE mice than non-EAE group (p<0.003, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). In 200 mg/kg ginger-treated EAE mice the mRNA expression of IL-17, P19 and P40 in CNS and serum IL-23 levels were significantly decreased as compared to PBS-treated EAE mice (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). Moreover, 300 mg/kg ginger-treated EAE group had significantly lower expression of IL-17, P19 and P40 in CNS and lower serum IL-17 and IL-23 levels than PBS-treated EAE group (p<0.02, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.03 and p<0.004, respectively). CONCLUSION: Ginger extract reduces the expression of IL-17 and IL-23 in EAE mice. The therapeutic potential of ginger for treatment of MS could be considered in further studies.