Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 causes severe acute respiratory syndrome prompting worldwide demand for new antiviral treatments and supportive care for organ failure caused by this life-threatening virus. This study aimed to help develop a new Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) -based drug and assess its efficacy and safety in COVID-19 patients with major symptoms. Methods: In February 2022, a randomized clinical trial was conducted among 160 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 admitted to Emam Reza (AJA) Hospital in Tehran, Iran. During their hospitalization, the intervention group received a treatment protocol approved by Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME), consisting of an Iranian regimen, Ficus carica; Vitis vinifera, Safflower, Cicer arietinum, Descurainiasophia seeds, Ziziphus jujuba, chicken soup, barley soup, rose water, saffron, and cinnamon spices. All patients were compared in terms of demographics, clinical, and laboratory variables. Results: One hundred and sixty COVID-19 patients were divided into two groups: intervention and control. In baseline characteristics, there was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups (p>0.05). Using SPSS software version 22, statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in four symptoms: myalgia, weakness, headache, and cough (p<0.05). During the 5-day treatment period, the control group had significantly lower C-reactive protein (p<0.05). Conclusion: While more research with a larger sample size is needed, the proposed combination appears to be effective in the treatment of symptoms as well as inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein in COVID-19 patients.Iranian registry of clinical trials (IRCT) IRCT20220227054140N1.
OBJECTIVES: Fatigue is a common problem in modern-day life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Delphinium denudatum (Jadwar) on fatigue. METHODS: This study was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial between healthy normal university students. In each group, participants were given one capsule of either WEACURE® (containing 500â¯mg of Jadwar root powder) or placebo for 15 consecutive days. Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) questionnaire was used before and after the intervention to evaluate different aspects of fatigue. RESULTS: A total number of 64 participants completed the study. Data analysis showed decrease in the scores of all five domains of fatigue in Jadwar group (13.31⯱â¯3.05-7.75⯱â¯2.66, 12.31⯱â¯3.55-7.63⯱â¯2.62, 12.22⯱â¯4.26-6.97⯱â¯2.06, 11.56⯱â¯4.21 to 7.28⯱â¯2.37, 12.91⯱â¯3.09-7.34⯱â¯2.13 in general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation, and mental fatigue domains, respectively) which was statistically significant (P value<0.0001). This situation was significantly superior to the placebo group. Prescribed dosage of WEACURE® capsule was well tolerated. CONCLUSION: As a complementary tonic agent, Jadwar have a potential to reduce fatigue in normal population. However, objective evaluation of its anti-fatigue effect should be further evaluated.
Delphinium/chemistry , Fatigue/drug therapy , Plant Preparations/therapeutic use , Adult , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Surveys and Questionnaires , Treatment Outcome , Young Adult
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one the frequent musculoskeletal issues among adults mostly without a specific etiology. In this study, we investigated a traditional Persian remedy for back pain which is based on topical application of a mixture of sesame oil (SO) and white lily (LSM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical profile, phenol content, and antioxidant activity of the herbal samples were determined using GC-MS, total phenol content (TPC) assay, and DPPH assay, respectively. Clinical efficacy of the herbal samples by a double-blind placebo was examined. RESULTS: TPC of SO and LSM was 45 ± 5.7 and 68.3 ± 11.2 mg GAE/g oil mixture, respectively. The SO could inhibit 59.7% of free radicals, whereas LSM showed a radical inhibition rate of 74.7% in DPPH assay. LSM could reduce the pain feeling and obtained the lowest pain scores (Oswestry disability index and numeric rating scale) in weeks 4 and 8 of therapy in comparison to other treatment groups (diclofenac gel and SO) and placebo control (Vaseline). CONCLUSIONS: The results implicate the LSM as a novel therapeutic alternative for the therapy of the CLBP.
