Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:6 Issue: 1, Nov 2011

The available Razi Institute antivenom is still, empirically, used by intramuscular (IM) or intravenous (IV) administration for the treatment of human scorpion envenoming by 6 medically dangerous scorpion species including Hemiscorpius lepturus (H.lepturus). The aim of this study was to assess the neutralizing ability of the antivenom upon the hemolysis effects of the venom from H. lepturus under in vitro conditions in rat. In vitro studies were including evaluation of hemolysis potency of the venom on rat washed RBC, assessment of antihemolytic potency of antivenom on rat washed RBC suspension and time profile of antihemolytic effectiveness of antivenom on treated rat washed RBC with venom, respectively. The in vitro results showed that the antivenom (at 10µl/ml of rat washed RBC suspension) reduced the concentration-dependent hemolysis of 1% rat washed RBC produced by venom from 71 to 43 % after 24 hours of incubation. Time profile of in vitro antihemolytic effectiveness of 10 µl available antivenom against hemolysis produced by 10µg of venom was dependent on the duration of incubation. In conclusion the findings of this study on animal model demonstrate that in vitro results were not correlated well with clinical findings in human.

Lycopene is a pigment principally responsible for the characteristic deep-red color of ripe tomato fruits and products. It, as a natural source of antioxidants, has attracted attentions due to its biological and physicochemical properties. In this study tomato paste prepared from tomato cultivated in Dezfoul (Khozestan) was dehydrated with methanol, then lycopene was extracted with methanol-carbon tetrachloride mixture. Pure lycopene was obtained by twice crystallization of crude product from benzene through addition of boiling methanol. Further purification was achieved using column chromatography with alumina as the adsorbent. Identification of chemical structure of the isolated lycopene was done using UV, IR, NMR and Mass spectroscopy. Average quantity of extracted pure lycopene was calculated as 2.313 mg per 100 g tomato paste.

Maternal diabetes is responsible for many types of embryonic defects. Increased oxidative stress has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of disturbed embryogenesis in diabetic pregnancies. The Nigella sativa seeds are used in folk medicine all over the world for treating many diseases. Regarding to antioxidant properties of Nigella Sativa, it was of interest to determine whether Nigella sativa extract has any effect on spinal cord neuroepithelium of diabetic rat's embryos. Rats were distributed to 4 groups, two diabetic and two control groups. Diabetes was induced by intrapritoneal injection of STZ. Rats were mated overnight and treatment with Nigella sativa extract or vehicle from 1 to day 17 of gestation at a dose of 1mg/kg body weight by gastric gavages. On the 17th day of gestation, rats were sacrificed. In offspring of vehicle-treated diabetic rats, a significantly decreased means (CRL) observed, in comparison with offspring of nondiabetic rats. Treatment with Nigella sativa slightly increased but did not normalize CRL compared with control group. No abnormal changes in histology of neural tube were seen in evaluation of neural tube in all groups. Micrograph of diabetic rats treated with vehicle showed some abnormal projection on the apical surface of neuroepithelial cells. These changes were not seen in other groups. It seems Nigella sativa has a protective effect against diabetic embryopathy and fetal loss.

Concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (β,γ,δ HCH), dichlorodiphenyl trichloro ethane (pp¢, op¢DDT) and its metabolites (pp¢DDE, pp¢DDD), aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, endosulfan isomers (α, β) and metoxychlor were determined in Benni fish collected from Shadegan, Mahshahr and susangerd cities at Khozestan province in Iran. All the collected fish were contaminated by 14 investigated organochlorine pesticides. The highest and lowest mean concentrations of organochlorine pesticides belonged to β- HCH (65.36 μg/kg) and op¢ DDT (0.13 μg/kg) and were found in Mahshahr and Shadegan Benni fish respectively.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most serious infectious diseases among human races worldwide. It is estimated that nearly 5% of world population are chronic carriers of HBV. Derivation of the hepatitis B vaccines from yeast and mammalian cells are tedious and expensive, so it can limit the use of these vaccines in developing countries. Biological studies have revealed information that plants are known to act as bioreactors that might successfully be able to offer economical ways for the production and boosting of recombinant proteins. Production of vaccines via plant expression system seems to be effective and promising process which can help to mitigate laborious and cost effects. In this study the appropriate primers were designed concerning highly plant expression sequence at the both sides of HBsAg gene and adequate restriction sites. HBsAg gene was cloned in a plant expression vector; pCAMBIA1304, to deploy constructs which they then were introduced into Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 using freeze-thaw procedure and leaf disk technique for transforming into cotyledonary explants of tomato. Transgenic lines were screened and regenerated from selection media containing cephotaxim and hygromycin and CTAB method used to isolated genomic DNA of the transgenic plant. The use of PCR technique and sequencing at the further examination could detect and made a proof of the presence of HBsAg gene in the transgenic plant.

One of the most important sources of human nutrition is cereals such as rice, wheat, corn and barley. Baby food supplements mostly consist of cereals. If these products are improperly prepared, they may get contaminated with various aflatoxins such as AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the aflatoxins contamination of baby food supplements such as Mamana and Ghoncheh, which are widely used in Iranian markets. In this study 14 samples of Mamana and 15 samples of Ghoncheh were investigated for aflatoxin B1, B2, and G1. According to the CB method, extraction was carried out and then qualitatively and quantitatively by TLC-Scanner aflatoxins B1, B2 and G1 were identified and measured. The results of this study showed that 2 of 15 samples of Mamana and 2 of 14 samples of Ghoncheh were contaminated with aflatoxin B1 and B2. (< 2ppb).

The aim of this study was to investigate swelling, erosion and drug release behavior of tablets containing pectin and inulin (polysaccharide) compared with different grades of hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HMPC) in the preparation of slow-release tablets. In this study, theophylline was used as a drug model. HPMC K100 and HPMC K4M and high methoxylated pectin were selected as extended release matrix formers. Tablets were prepared by using direct compression. After determination of mechanical properties, swelling, erosion and drug release studies of matrix tablets were carried out in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) and distilled water. The results of study showed a pH-dependent formation of hydrogel for the pectin tablets so that swelling of tablets in SIF was much more compared to SGF. Tablets made of HPMC K100 released the total drug in 12 h while drug release from pectin-based tablets at the same time was only 65%. Other formulations released their drug less than 12 h. Among the formulations, tablets containing pectin and HPMC K100 had high swelling, low erosion and slow drug release and therefore they were suitable as extended release systems.