Prevalence and predictors of the usage of complementary alternative medicine among infertile patients.

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, characteristics and the most frequently used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods among infertile couples. A secondary aim was to assess predictors and patients' attitude to disclose the usage of CAM. METHODS: This study was designed as a cross-sectional survey and conducted on patients admitted to infertility clinics of two hospitals. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of CAM among 324 infertile participants (162 couples) was 25.6 % (n = 83). 48 % of the infertile couples had experience with at least one type of CAM method and the most commonly used CAM was herbal products (84 %). The frequency of CAM tended to be higher among females compared to males (33 % versus 17 %, respectively; p = 0.02). Patients who failed to conceive with previous medical therapies were more inclined to use CAM (p = 0.01). After logistic regression analyses, only gender and previous unsuccessful ART treatment were found to be associated independently with CAM use. CONCLUSION: CAM use is common among infertile population. CAM users were more likely to be women at any age who had failed to achieve a pregnancy with previous artificial reproductive treatment(s), mainly used herbal products and mostly reluctant to report the use of CAM.

Traditional medicinal plants of Agri Province, Turkey.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: This study serves as the first investigation of the knowledge of traditional medicinal plants used in Agri Province. The mountainous and strongly fragmented area, diversity of local flora, limited access to modern medicines because of the people's seminomadic lifestyle, and harsh climatic conditions have prompted the locals to benefit from natural resources, principally plants. AIM OF THE STUDY: Although the use of medicinal plant is common in the area, documentation and inventory analysis are not available on the plant taxa used in traditional medicine in Agri Province. This study focused on the answer of the following question: What are the most medicinally valuable plant taxa in the province? Therefore, this study aimed to (i) document medicinal plant taxa used in Agri Province; (ii) determine the endemic plant species and their risk categories; (iii) determine the most widely used plant taxa for specific ailments to further contribute to drug discovery; (iv) determine the local names, plant part(s) used, preparation, and utilization methods of these local plant medicines to assist with pharmaceutical studies; and (v) reveal the origin(s) of traditional medicinal knowledge of Agri Province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ethnopharmacological field studies were conducted between 2014 and 2016 in 638 locations within Agri Province. Plant samples used in folk medicine were determined through face-to-face interviews with 120 local healers. Traditional medicinal plant samples were collected from wild areas with the help of the local healers and transported to Van Pharmaceutical Herbarium (Van, Turkey) for botanical identification. The statistical analyses of data were conducted using the informant consensus factor (ICF) method. RESULTS: In this study, 118 medicinal taxa belonging to 35 families of plants were determined to be used in Agri Province. Ninety-three different local names were recorded, which mainly described the plant's morphological characteristics. Data analysis (ICF) revealed that the traditional medicinal plants used in Agri Province might offer promising information for new pharmaceuticals. CONCLUSIONS: The local population in the study area has a preserved and comprehensive knowledge of traditional medicine because of its limited access to modern medicine, seminomadic lifestyle, isolated geographical position, traditional taste habits, climatic conditions, diversity of local flora, and mountainous and rugged geography. The medicinal plants presented in this study might provide valuable leads for the identification of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical use and represent a vast and underutilized resource for the development of newer and more efficient pharmacological treatments.

[Distribution of allergens among allergic rhinitis patients living in Mersin region]. / Mersin yöresinde alerjik rinitli hastalardaki alerjen dagilimi.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the distribution of allergens among allergic rhinitis patients living in the Mersin region. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated 346 allergic rhinitis patients (233 females, 113 males; mean age 32.3+/-14.1 years) who had symptoms and a positive prick test result. RESULTS: The history and clinical examination revealed that 161 patients (46.5%) had seasonal symptoms and 185 patients (53.5%) had perennial symptoms. Common pattern of multiple allergens were mite allergens (57.8%), grass mixture (32.1%), trees mixture (14.5%), cereals mixture (13.9%), weed mixture (7.2%), dog hair (5.5%), and cat fur (2.9%). According to the prick test results, sensitivity to one allergen was found in 96 patients (27.7%) and sensitivity to multiple allergens in 250 patients. CONCLUSION: The most common allergens were mites and pollens in the Mersin region. It was concluded that the distribution of allergens was associated with the climatic, environmental and socioeconomic features of the region.

The anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic activities of selenium in the prevention of myringosclerosis in rats.

The possible effect of selenium on the prevention or reduction in occurrence of myringosclerosis was investigated. Fifteen rats were myringotomized bilaterally and separated into two groups. Nine rats were treated with selenium in the study group. Six rats were administered physiological serum and formed the control group. The occurrence of myringosclerotic lesions and anti-apoptotic activity in the tympanic membranes of the two groups were compared otomicroscopically and histopathologically. The sclerosis was occasional in three, moderate in five and severe in three tympanic membranes in the control group. On the other hand sclerosis was observed in only two of 18 specimens in the study group and sclerosis was seen only occasionally in these two sections. Although Bcl-2 staining, which indicates apoptosis, was not statistically different between the groups, it was observed that apoptosis was slightly more apparent in the study group (eight of 18 tympanic membranes versus two of 12 tympanic membranes in the control group). In conclusion, the formation of myringosclerosis following myringtomoy in rats can be reduced by intraperitoneal selenium administration.