Jentashapir Journal of Cellular and Molecular Biology
Volume:5 Issue: 4, Aug 2014

In Iranian folk medicine Ruta graveolens has been used for female and male contraceptive. There are few studies about the effect of this plant on spermatogenesis.. In this study the effect of long term administration of aqueous extract of RG on spermatogenesis has been investigated.. Animals were allocated into 1) control: which did not receive anything, 2) vehicle which received only normal saline and 3) experiment: which received Ruta extract (300 mg/kg administered by gavage once a day for 100 days). A day after last gavage all the individuals were killed by euthanasia. The right testes and epididymis were extruded. The sperm motility was assessed and classified as progressive, no progressive.. There was a significant decrease in the number of spermatogonia (P < 0.01), primary spermatocyte (P < 0.05) and spermatid (P < 0.05) in experimental group as compared to control and vehicle. As shown in Table 3 the sperm count ± SD in 1 gram of epididymis was 2597.5 ± 172.39 in vehicle, 2671.8 ± 38.57 in control groups and 607.4 ± 520.19 in experimental group. Therefore group 3 has a significant lower sperm count in comparison with other groups (P < 0.05). Sperm with progressive motility was 55.25 ± 2.81 in vehicle, 53.42±1.82 in control group and 11.16 ± 2.17 in experimental group. Statistical analysis show that rats in experimental group have a significant lower sperm motility in comparison with other groups (P < 0.05). There was no difference between other groups (P > 0.05).The fertilization capacity of sperm of rats in experimental group was significantly lower than other groups (P > 0.05).. It is concluded that the aqueous extract of Ruta graveolens diminishes the reproductive system activity and might be a useful substance for birth control process..

The ethanolic extract of Myrtus communis Linn. leaves was assayed in vitro as a growth inhibitor against opportunistic fungi such as Candida and Aspergillus species. Myrtus communis Linn. (Family, Myrtaceae) is an aromatic evergreen shrub or small tree. It is native to the Mediterranean region.. This study aimed to assess antifungal activity (in vitro) of the ethanolic extracts of Myrtus communis leaves as a growth inhibitor against 24 clinical isolates of Candida, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. tropicalis also three species of Aspergillus, including A. niger, A. flavus, and A. terreus.. The ethanolic extract of myrtle leaves was prepared by maceration method and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Myrtus communis leaves extract was determined by agar-well diffusion technique. Amphotericin B and clotrimazole were used as the positive control in this assay.. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MICs) values of Myrtus communis leaves extract ranged 0.625-5.0 µg/µL and 5-40 µg/µL against tested Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp., respectively.. Results revealed that the ethanolic extract of Myrtus communis leaves have antifungal potency against both pathogenic tested fungi, and it can be used as a natural antifungal agent..

Juvenile ossifying fibroma is a benign, bone-forming neoplasm with aggressive local growth that is distinguished from other fibro-osseous lesions primarily by its age of onset, clinical presentation and aggressive behavior. Although a benign entity, juvenile ossifying fibroma is known to be locally aggressive and has a high tendency to recur. Two distinctive microscopic patterns have been described: a trabecular variant and a psammomatoid variant. This latter variant is predominantly a craniofacial lesion and occurs rarely in the jaws. Treatment plans include a range of enucleation to total resection.. Reported here is a case of a huge psammomatoid juvenile ossifying fibroma of the maxilla in a 19-year-old man. Right maxillectomy was done while brain exposure in sphenoid and ethmoidal region was covered with fat and bone graft. After 1 year follow up, an endosseous dental implant was inserted in right lateral pterygoid plate.. Six months later an obturator was made over that osseointegrated implant to reconstruct the anatomic defect, achieving functional rehabilitation and satisfactory facial appearance..

Gradenigo’s syndrome consists of ophthalmoplegia, facial palsy, and facial pain due to involvement of abducens and facial nerves as well as the trigeminal ganglion. This involvement is due to infections of ipsilateral middle ear and mastoid bone.. A 14-month-old girl was referred to a private clinic with chief complaint of acute and sudden-onset right ophthalmoplegia. There was a history of upper respiratory tract infection and subsequent otitis media one week ago. Right mastoiditis was seen in brain MRI.. The presence of facial palsy and facial pain is usual in Gradenigo’s syndrome; however, in this case, the only sign was abducens nerve palsy and subsequent ophthalmoplegia, which is very rare and unusual presentation of this syndrome..

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can reduce risk factors and mortality rate and improve physical functions. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is commonly performed for patients with coronary disease.. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of CR program on quality of life in patients with cardiac disease who had undergone CABG..Patients and Twenty patients with cardiac disease who had undergone CABG participated in this study. The coronary revascularization outcome questionnaire (CROQ) was used to evaluate health outcomes and quality of life after CR. The patients filled the questionnaire before and after 20 sessions of CR.. CR improved the overall quality of life in patients with cardiac disease who had undergone CABG (P < 0.05). The results also demonstrated a significant improvement in subscores of symptoms, psychosocial and cognition functions after CR. However, no significant difference was found in subscore of physical function in patients who had undergone CABG.. CR can improve the quality of life in patients with diabetes and cardiac disease who had undergone CABG and can be considered as a treatment intervention for patients with cardiac disease..

There has not been any published literature in Iran about the evaluation of hemodialysis patients’ knowledge in relation to dietary sources of protein, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and fluids.. Therefore, the present study was performed with this aim, in patients with renal failure treated with hemodialysis..Patients and Fifty hemodialysis patients were recruited. Demographic information, and anthropometric characteristics, were collected and measured. Awareness of nutrition in six parts (fluids, proteins, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and cooking methods) was analyzed through a validated questionnaire.. The mean age of the participants was 47.5 ± 14.9 years. In total, 26% of the patients had a poor knowledge of nutrition, 58% had a moderate understanding, and only 16% had good nutritional knowledge. In addition, the level of nutritional knowledge was significantly greater in patients with higher educational levels than those with primary education or lower. The mean score of knowledge about dietary sources of phosphorous and potassium was significantly lower than that of the other parts (P < 0.001). Furthermore, nutritional awareness regarding dietary sources of protein did not significantly differ from fluids restriction; however, it was significantly lower than sodium and cooking methods (P < 0.001) and significantly higher than phosphorus and potassium (P < 0.01).. Patients’ knowledge scores about dietary sources of phosphorous and potassium were significantly lower than those of other parts. It is worth noting that qualified doctors, nurses and dieticians, should educate hemodialysis patients in relation to their literacy levels, especially when describing dietary sources of phosphorus, potassium and protein..

Nasal septal deviation (NSD) can cause upper airway obstruction, which results in hypoxia and therefore, pulmonary vasoconstriction, ventricular hypertrophy and right-sided heart failure.. The aim of this study is to determine the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) of the patients with NSD and the effect of septoplasty on pulmonary arterial pressure..Patients and Thirty five patients with NSD (mean age, 31.37 years; 19 men and 16 women) were included in the study. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure was measured in the preoperative period and after third month postsurgery.. The preoperative mPAP value (23.43 mmHg [SD, 3.84]) was higher than postoperative values (20.17 mmHg [SD, 3.36]). There was a significant decrease in mPAP after the surgery (3.26 mmHg). P-value in our study was smaller than 0.001.. Nasal septal deviation like other causes of upper airway obstruction such as adenotonsillar hypertrophy affects mPAP. Nasal septoplasty is effective in reduction of mPAP in patients with NSD..

In Iranian traditional medicine, Punica granatum, cabbage, and plantago have been used to prompt wound healing. The effects of cabbage, Punica granatum, and Plantago in wound healing have been investigated to some extent, but no experimental study has been performed to assess the impact of an ointment containing all these three substances on wound healing.. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of an ointment prepared from a mixture of cabbage, Punica granatum, and plantago on local wound healing in Wistar rats.. This experimental study was performed on 21 male Wistar rats. Firstly, a full thickness wound was created on rats flank, near the spine by a bistoury blade and forceps. Then they were randomly divided into three groups of seven rats as the control group, a positive control group (the treatment group with phenytoin), and the third one received a treatment with studied ointment. The wounds were evaluated on days three, six, nine, and 12. Results were compared by SPSS software using ANOVA test.. The average percentage of wound healing in different groups on days 3, 6, 9 and 12 were as follows; 21.3%, 37.87%, 67.39% and 77.17% in control group; 24.98%, 34.21%, 70.74% and 88.55% in positive control group; and 32.35%, 61.27%, 94.53%, and 99.91%, in case group. A significant difference was observed between the control and case groups (P < 0.05)..

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy is the most common type of generalized idiopathic epilepsy. Sodium valproate is the first line of medications, but has many complications and 15% of patients are resistant to this medicine. This is a lifelong disease and in case of stopping the medication, relapsing of seizures is seen in more than 80% of cases.. Analysis the effectiveness of these two drugs on controlling patients seizures by comparing them in mono therapy treatment of JME and to represent levetiracetam as a replacement of sodium valproate for first line medication of JME..Patients and In this study we compared the effectiveness of sodium valproate and levetiracetam for 66 patients having juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and followed them for 6 months.. Comparison of mean generalized tonic colonic attacks in two groups with didn’t show meaningful differences (P = 0.95), also, by comparing the mean of myoclonus attacks in patients of two groups before starting study, no meaningful difference was gained (P = 0.71).. It became clear at the end of the study that the effectiveness of two drugs were the same and they didn’t have any meaningful difference. According to the result gained from this study, levetiracetam is a proper alternative treatment instead of sodium valproate which has appropriate effectiveness along with lower complications..