فصلنامه طب مکمل
سال چهارم شماره 3 (پیاپی 12، پاییز 1393)

Wound healing is the process of skin repair after injury. Myrtus herb has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study، wound healing activity of methanol extract of Myrtus Communis leave extract cream in Wistar rats was investigated. In this experimental study، 10% extract of Myrtus Communis was prepared in Paraffin oil. A full thickness wound in the dorsal area of rats was made. Wounds were treated with the prepared cream once a day. Histological analysis was performed on average of new skin thickness، hair follicle number، collagen fibers diameter، and blood vessel numbers. Results were analyzed by one way ANOVA through SPSS 11 software. Results revealed that in experimental group compared to control group، a significant increase was seen in wound closure، hair follicle numbers، and blood vessel numbers. Also increased skin thickness and diameter of collagen fibers was seen. These findings showed the acceleration of wound healing in the treated samples. Effect of the cream on accelerating the transition from inflammatory to fibroblasts hyperplasia phase maybe due to an increase in synthesis of collagen and blood vessels which occurs in this stage.

A common problem in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery is changes in physiological indexes following anxiety and pain due to surgery، which have negative consequences. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of foot reflexology massage on physiological indexes of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 52 patients undergoing surgery. Data collection tool was a demographic questionnaire and physiological indexes checklist. Patients were randomly assigned into treatment and control groups. Patients in treatment group received massage once for 30 minutes. Patients` physiological indexes were measured twice with a 30-minute interval. Data was analyzed by Chi-square، and paired and independent t-tests in SPSS software version 16. The mean systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced in treatment compared to control group after intervention (p=0. 046). In treatment group the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures showed significant differences before and after intervention (p<0. 001، p=0. 022 respectively). But the mean diastolic blood pressure had no significant difference between the two groups after the intervention. However، heart rate and respiration showed no significant difference between the two groups after intervention. Foot reflexology was effective in reducing systolic blood pressure in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery، but had no effect on other physiological parameters. More studies in this area are recommended.

Myocardial infarction is one of the major health problems worldwide that may be associated with hemodynamic instability and cardiac arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Peppermint aroma on vital signs and cardiac arrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This is a randomized clinical trial. 126 patients with AMI were enrolled in the study with purposive sampling and randomly divided into two groups. In intervention group، pads saturated with 0. 2 ml of peppermint oil and in control group pads with normal saline were attached to the patient''s clothes on front of chest. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire and visual analog scale for nausea. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 19 by Chi-square، independent t-test، and Generalized Estimating Equations. In this study، the mean age of patients was 62/1±12/3. Most subjects were male، non-smokers، with no history of motion sickness. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of demographics and risk factors. Results showed، although the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in intervention group was lower than control group but the difference was not significant. Also، there was no statistical difference between the two groups regarding vital signs. Peppermint aromatherapy is noninvasive، safe، and convenient. It works rapidly and provokes nearly no side effect and is well accepted and tolerated by patients. However، further studies should be performed to investigate the possible effect of aromatherapy on arrhythmias and vital signs in patients with AMI.

Middle age impacts quality of life (QOL) in women. The main symptom of this period is hot flashes. This can disrupt feeling good and healthy، and affect overall quality of life. This study was done to investigate the effect of fish oil supplement on quality of life in middle aged menopausal women. This is a randomized، double blind، placebo controlled clinical trial performed on 68 middle aged menopausal women between 45-60 years old which were randomly assigned into intervention (fish oil) and control (placebo) groups. Fish oil capsules (1000 mg) or placebo was given to the participants for eight weeks on a daily basis. Data was collected by a demographic questionnaire، food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and WHO-QOL questionnaire. Data was analyzed using t، Chi-square، Friedman and Mann-Whitney tests. The two groups had no significant difference in terms of demographic characteristics; food form and also QOL total score. Total QOL was significantly higher in intervention group after eight weeks of taking f ish oil capsules (p<0. 001). Taking fish oil supplement can improve middle aged menopausal women`s quality of life.

Sleep problems are common in medical students. One of the methods to improve the quality of sleep is lavender aromatherapy. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Lavender aromatherapy on sleep quality of nursing students in Arak University of Medical Sciences. This is a clinical trial performed on 66 female nursing students selected through purposive sampling. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups (34 in intervention and 32 in control group). Sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Scale. Intervention group used Lavender oil and control group used water. After intervention، sleep quality was assessed with the same questionnaire. Data was analyzed with SPSS using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that 78% of participants did not have a good sleep quality. Results showed that the mean score of sleep quality before and after aromatherapy with lavender was significantly different in intervention group (p<0. 05)، but in control group the difference was not significant. Also there was no significant difference between intervention and control groups after intervention. Findings showed that despite positive effect of Lavender aromatherapy in intervention group، there was no significant difference between intervention and control groups after intervention. Further studies in this regard are recommended.

Despite recent increase in the use of complementary medicine among general population and patients، there are a few studies about physicians’ attitude in this area. This study was carried out to study medical students’ attitude toward complementary medicine. This cross-sectional study was carried out using a researcher-made questionnaire regarding medical students` attitude about complementary medicine on 110 first and last year medical students of Birjand University of Medical Sciences in 2011. Data was analyzed by SPSS 16 using descriptive statistics، Chi-square، and independent t-test at significant level of 0. 05. 63 (57. 3%) of students were in their first year of education. In the studied students، the most positive attitude was toward prayer therapy (14. 5%)، the most average attitude was about herbal medicine (73. 6%) and the weakest attitude was toward leech therapy (85. 5%). There was significantly higher week attitude in last year students comparing to first year students about herbal medicine (31. 9% versus 7. 9 %)، leech therapy (93. 6% versus 79. 4 %) and dry cupping (87. 2% versus 68. 3 %). R esults showed that the majority of students had an average to positive attitude about complementary medicine، b ut negative attitude toward complementary medicine، especially Iranian traditional medicine، was higher in last year students. Some educational courses for being familiar with complementary medicine can be useful.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) encompasses a wide variety of cyclic and recurrent physical and emotional symptoms that occur before menstruation and has negative impact on activities of daily living and quality of life. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Omega-3 on the severity of physical and mood symptoms in premenstrual syndrome. This is a double-blind clinical trial. It is carried out on 100 female students which were randomly divided into two groups including omega-3 group and control (placebo) group. Every student took the drug during three subsequent menstural cycles. They took capsules daily in the first cycle for one month، and in the second and third cycles from eight days before menstruation to two days after that. They recorded the severity of their symptoms in a questionnaire. Data analyses was performed by SPSS version 17، using t-test. Data showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups before intervention but 1، 2 and 3 months after taking Omega-3 capsules، the severity of physical and mood symptoms was significantly lower than than control group (p<0. 001). Omega-3 significantly reduced the severity of physical and mood symptoms in premenstrual syndrome.

Menopause is a normal stage of life; however during this stage women experience many problems such as sleep problems. This study is performed to investigate the effect of Hypericum perforatum oral capsules on sleep problems during menopause. This triple blind clinical trial was conducted on 82 postmenopausal women with complaints of sleep problems. Samples were randomly divided into two groups each including 37 participants. The intervention and control groups received two capsules containing 450 mg Hypericum perforatum and two starch capsules respectively، two times a day in 4 weeks. The mean sleep problems score was determined by Pittsburgh questionnaire. Data was analyzed using t، Chi-square، Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. Results showed that the mean score of sleep problems; before intervention، and 4 and 8 weeks after intervention was 6. 68 ± 1. 97، 3. 38 ± 1. 36، 0. 94 ± 0. 94 (significantly different p<0. 0001) in intervention group، and 6. 95 ± 1. 95، 6. 7 ± 1. 79، 3. 37 ± 1. 87 (with no significant difference) in control group، respectively. After 4 and 8 weeks، a sleep score improvement of 3 and 6 was seen in the intervention group. Results showed the positive effect of Hypercum capsules after one month on sleep problems in postmenopausal women. Therefore، its use is recommended for menopausal women.