The efficacy of Jujube syrup on the prevention of drug-induced hepatotoxicity in pulmonary tuberculosis patients: A pilot randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Liver injury is the most common complication of anti-tuberculosis drugs that can cause significant problems. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Jujube syrup on the prevention of antituberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity (DIH). This pilot randomized double-blind study was conducted based on a placebo-controlled design in patients with tuberculosis (TB). The patients were divided into two groups based on the block random allocation method and received 10 cc of jujube or placebo syrup per day. The liver enzyme levels were assessed as primary outcomes, and the severity of cough, anorexia, and nausea along with the quality of life (QOL) was assessed as secondary outcomes. Finally, eight and nine patients in the jujube and placebo groups completed the study, respectively. In the second week of the study, 27.3% of the patients in the placebo group developed hepatotoxicity. Moreover, there was no liver toxicity in the jujube group. This difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = .037). Furthermore, the severity of cough in patients in the jujube group decreased significantly during weeks 2 and 4. The QOL significantly improved in the jujube group, compared to the placebo group. This study suggested that Jujube syrup could prevent anti-TB DIH. It can also improve the severity of cough and the QOL in pulmonary TB patients.

A Comprehensive Review on the Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of Mentha aquatic L (water mint) as a Wild Shallow Vegetable.

Mentha spp. are aromatic plants and have been used in the medical, cosmetics, and food industries. These plants have been used as a traditional herbal medicine for various types of diseases. Mentha aquatica L. (water mint) is a perennial plant used as a wild vegetable and a culinary herb. As its name suggests, it grows in the shallow margins and channels of streams, rivers, wet meadows, etc. It has been used as a tonic plant, sedative, and soothing for intestinal parasites, constipation, diarrhea, stomach troubles, biliousness, liver diseases, impotence, low or high blood pressure, and expelling intestinal worms in children, enhancing longevity. Researchers from all over the world have studied the chemical composition and pharmacological activities of this plant, such as its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities. In addition, the neurochemical properties, larvicidal activity, and phytochemical analysis of the plant have also been reported. However, there is no review article available that gathers all the information and provides insights for future studies on M. aquatica. Against this backdrop, the present research is conducted to categorize the published studies and to offer more suggestions to researchers for future studies.

Potential therapeutic applications for Terminalia chebula in Iranian traditional medicine.

Terminalia chebula (family: Combretaceae) is widely used in the traditional medicine of India and Iran to treat diseases that include dementia, constipation, and diabetes. This tree is known in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) as halileh or halilaj and the fruit is used to develop treatments. It is described in ITM as an astringent that has a "cold" and "dry" temperament. References to the medicinal properties of Terminalia chebula were collected from important ITM sources and from modern medical databases (PubMed, Scirus, ScienceDirect, and Scopus). The medicinal properties described for this tree in ITM were compared with those reported in studies of modern phytotherapy. The results confirm that the tree referred to as halileh in traditional books is the Terminalia chebula used in present-day studies. Treatments that have not been evaluated in modern phytotherapy but have been traditionally treated with Terminalia chebula include fever, and psychological and psychiatric issues. This article confirms the medicinal uses of Terminalia chebula.