Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Using plants and natural products as medicine is increasing every day. The reason might be a tendency that the societies mostly have toward natural and original products especially natural drugs. Essential oils are referred to aromatic composition found in different parts of a plant and can be used for different remedial and hygienic purposes. One of the plants which have been used a lot in folk medicine is Arctium lappa. This study is aimed at identifying the composition of its root and leaf essential oils. The essential oils from the roots and leaves of A. lappa (Asteraceae), collected from Mashhad (Farms of Agriculture School, Ferdowsi University), were extracted by hydrodistillation and then the composition was determined by GC/MS. Totally, 31 and 57 components (92.4 and 93.2% of essential oils of root and leaf) were identified, respectively. The root oil contains mainly 1, 3 cyclo-octadiene (33.2%), E-caryophllene (6.8%), β-selinene (5.6%) and 9, 10-dehydro-isolongifolene (5.5%), whilst β-thujone (11.6%), caryophyllene oxide (8.3%), cuminaldehyde (7.7%), comphor (5.3%), dihydroEdulan II (5.3%), β -ionone (4.7%), and α- Thujone (3.4%) were major components in the leaf oil. Identification of the components was based on comparison of their mass spectra with standards. The chemical composition of essential oils from the herbs is being reported for the first time in Iran.

Nowadays silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used as antimicrobial due to its well known physical, chemical, and biological properties. A large collection of bacterial cells adhering to a surface is called bacterial biofilm. Exposure to silver nano particles (AgNPs) may prevent colonization of new bacteria onto the biofilm. In the present work, we have investigated whether the biofilm formation of some hospital isolates of pathogenic bacteria could be influenced by AgNPs. Also we examined the susceptibility of the isolates to some antibiotics in combination with AgNPs. Standard strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, in addition to nine hospital isolates for each species were used. Tube double serial dilution method for determination of MIC of AgNPs against isolates was performed. Biofilm formation was evaluated by end smooth 96 cells micro titer plates. A disc diffusion method was used to assay the various antibiotics and combinations for bactericidal activity against the isolates. Mean MICs of AgNPs for Ps. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, E. faecalis and S. aureus were 3.125, 6.25, 6.25 and 12.5 ug/mL. , respectively. AgNPs exhibited more than % 90 inhibitory effect on biofilm formation of the examined species. The results indicated that AgNPs have strong anti bacterial and anti biofilm activity against the examined pathogens. Synergistic effects of AgNPs in combination with gentamicin, kanamycine, cephalosporin and penicillin were observed in different cases. Ps. aeruginosa and S. aureus showed more sensitivity (increase in fold) to examined antibiotics plus AgNPs compared to A. baumannii and E. faecalis. Our results demonstrated that AgNPs showing promising anti biofilm activity on hospital isolates of Ps. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, E. faecalis and S. aureus. The study also demonstrated a possible combination of examined antibiotics with AgNPs which concluded as synergism.

Allium Jesdianum (AJ) is the native plant mostly grown in Middle East region that has the excellent pharmacological properties. In this study, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effect of hydroalcoholic extract of AJ on liver injury induced by Bromobenzene (BB) in male mice. Animals were randomly divided into five groups, control group received normal saline plus olive oil, groups 2-4 received (500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg) AJ extract plus BB for 5 days and 5th group received BB (460 mg/kg). On the fifth day all groups received hexobarbital sodium (25 mg/kg, i.p). It should be noted that sleeping time of the all mice were recorded. After 24 hours the mice were sacrificed. By serum and tissue biomarkers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and histopathological studies were measured. The results showed that BB significantly increased sleeping time, ALT, AST, and MDA levels besides and decreased GSH level compared with the control group. AJ extract at doses1000and 2000 mg/kg showed a significant alter in all studied endpoints and dose 2000 mg/kg showed a marked improvement in histopathological examination. The present finding indicated that administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of AJ could prevent hepatotoxicity induced by BB via improvement serum and tissue parameters and histopathological alterations in liver tissue.

Enalapril maleate (EPM) was used for hypertension and congestive heart failure. In this way, an innovative delivery system with mPEG–PCL was synthesized and the release profile of the EPM from the drug-loaded polymersomes was evaluated. Di-block methoxy-poly (ethylene glycol) - poly (caprolactone) (mPEG-PCL) copolymers were synthesized and used to prepare polymersomes for the controlled release of EPM as hydrophilic model drug. mPEG-PCL copolymer was characterized in vitro by HNMR, FTIR, DSC, and GPC techniques. The resulting polymersomes were characterized further by various techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of TEM show the polymersomes formed had spherical structure and the size of polymersomes is 80 nm. The loading and encapsulation efficiency of EPM were determinate by HPLC at 215 nm with loading and encapsulation efficiency 19.8% ± 2.12% and 85.6% ± 1.26%, respectively. In vitro release of EPM from polymersomes was clearly sustained in all the time tested for this purpose. The sustained release of drug was hypothetically due to the entrapment of EPM in core of polymersomes. The results indicate the successful formulation of EPM loaded m-PEG/PCL polymersomes. Overall, the results demonstrated that m-PEG-PCL polymersomes can be considered as a promising carrier for hydrophilic drugs such as EPM.

This study presents the results of anatomic-morphological examination of vegetative (leaves) and generative (flowers, fruits) organs of the endemic plant Crataegus almaatensis Pojark – family Rosaceae, growing in the foothills of Ile Alatau mountains, Almaty region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The plant Crataegus almaatensis Pojark was examined during the phenological phase of flowering and fruit ripening periods. The macroscopic and microscopic diagnostic features were established, which will allow for the standardization of this herbal plant in order to ensure its quality, safety, and efficacy and to avoid adulteration, misuse in the process of medicines’ preparation on its basis. For the first time significant diagnostic macroscopic and microscopic features of the dried vegetative and generative organs of Crataegus almaatensis Pojark were described in detail. Currently not much is known about this species and this manuscript brings the information which are studied for the first time, according to the authors’ knowledge.

Cigarette smoke contains around 4000 chemical substances including free radicals and carcinogens, which are xenobiotic agents in the body, affecting the reproductive system. Purple sweet potatoes contain the color pigment anthocyanin. The purple color pigment (anthocyanin) in purple sweet potatoes is a beneficial antioxidant because it can react with free radicals that can cause damage in the body. The goal of the research was to understand the effects of purple variety sweet potato (Ipomoea Batatas L) anthocyanin on the expression of estrogen receptor-α in the endometrium and endometrium thickness on white rats (Rattus norvegicus) exposed to cigarette smoke. The White rats used for the 5 groups were 30 white rats. Exposure to cigarette smoke was given at a rate of 2 sticks/day (each cigarette ± 4 minutes), for 8 weeks after the rats were found to be in the proestrus phase. Endometrium thickness was examined and measured using a Dot slide Olympus XC 10 light microscope and the Olyvia software. Expression of ER-α in the endometrium was measured by using the antibody ER-α (C-311) SC-787 and the immunohistochemistry and calculated by the Immunoratio software. Data were analyzed with the Shapiro-Wilk’s test, t-test and one-way ANOVA (F test). It was found that the average value of ER-α expression in the endometrium for the treatment group given purple variety sweet potato anthocyanin of a dose of 40 mg/Kg BW (15.51 ± 2.65) could increase ER-α expression in the endometrium of female white the rats exposed to cigarette smoke. The average value of endometrium thickness for the treatment group given purple variety sweet potato anthocyanin at a dose of 40 mg/Kg BW (152.51±9.59 μm) showed an increase in the endometrium thickness of female white rats exposed to cigarette smoke. The dose of purple variety sweet potato anthocyanin that could increase ER-α expression in the endometrium and endometrium thickness of rats exposed to cigarette smoke was a dose of 40 mg/Kg BW. The higher the dose of purple variety sweet potato anthocyanin, the greater the effect on the prevention of the reduction of estrogen receptor-α expression and the prevention of the reduction of endometrium thickness on female white rats exposed to cigarette smoke.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the most important causes of death in the world. There are variety of plans and strategies to treatment and prevention of CVD. Medicines have significant role in reaching the goals. Ensuring affordability of medicines is very crucial to success in these programs. The impoverishment method which focuses on the impoverishing effect of the purchasing of medicines is one of the most popular methods to quantifying affordability of medicines. We applied this method to measure affordability of cardiovascular medicines in Iran. We used two poverty lines 1.25 USD and 2 USD per day which are recommended by World Bank to access the affordability of medicines. Mono therapy with one anti platelet, Beta blocker, ACE inhibitor and Statin as well as combination therapy have been determined. Our study highlighted that the poorest households in Iran would be at risk of pushing under poverty line because of price of the medicines.

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by Candida albicans. Allium sativum (garlic) and Curcuma longa (turmeric) have been used as antifungal agents. The main aim of this study was to identify the effectiveness of these natural products towards C. albicans and on their pharmacological and toxicity aspects. Thus, agar disc diffusion method was used to study the antifungal activity of the ethanolic extracts. Fluconazole served as the positive control while solvent (ethanol) served as the negative control. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the plant extracts were tested by using two fold agar dilution method at concentrations ranging from 0.390g/L to 100g/L. As delivery agents, cream and gel formulations demonstrated good stability test results. Furthermore, both plants showed synergistic effects. Active compound of garlic and turmeric which is allicin and curcumin were observed through Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). Moreover, all the formulation resulted in optimum MIC at pH 5.5 and temperature 25.5ºC. Toxicity test using Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) showed that ethanolic extracts of both plants displayed LC50 values at 77.93μg/mL and 31.97μg/mL. Whereas, LC50 value of synergistic experiments of extract was 10.77μg/mL. Besides, synergistic cream formulation was most potent against brine shrimp larvae compared to others with LC50 value of 5.35μg/mL. Synergistic experiment using gel formulation also showed potency against brine shrimp larvae with LC50 value of 3.58μg/mL. As a conclusion, both plant extracts and preparations showed significant effectiveness against C. albicans and potency on shrimps.

The aim of the study was to identify the antiangiogenic activity of Phoenix dactylifera seeds methanolic extract in vivo and the probable anti-angiogenic mechanism of action. The date seeds were extracted with
methanol using cold method, the crude extract was tested on chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) as an in vivo anti-angiogenic assay. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FT-IR was carried to identify the functional group for the active chemical constituents. The results demonstrated significant inhibition of blood vessels growth, and FTIR showed the presence of different functional group such as OH, NH2 and phenols. From the data above the mechanism of action may relate to the presence of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, as they have direct perturbing action on blood vessels and prevent cell proliferation of endothelial cells growth via their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Acetaminophen carries a higher risk of overdose. A puzzling situation of acetaminophen toxicity was encouraging enough to explore the epidemiologic situation of acetaminophen toxicity and its outcomes among patients acquired poisoning. This cross-sectional study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 185 patients with acetaminophen poisoning referred to Loghman Hakim Hospital. Toxicity determined by acetaminophen serum concentration and time elapsed after drug ingestion. Demographics, laboratory markers, toxic hepatitis, renal failures, and liver enzyme elevations were compared between toxic and non-toxic patients. Twelve cases belonged to the former group and 173 patients fitted with the latter one. Having a mean age of 24.27±7.19 and 21.58±3.47 years, respectively, females were predominant. The average serum acetaminophen level was 70.37±61.92 and 24.90±26.36 within toxic and nontoxic patients, respectively. Median of consumed tablets were estimated as 40 for non-toxic and 18 for toxic patients (p=0.017). Mean hospital stay was 1.75±1.05 days for toxic patients and 1.35±3.25 days for the non-toxic group (p-value<0.001), and of whom 92.4 % were discharged within the first day. The laboratory assessments revealed no significant difference between groups. No death was recorded. Whereas hepatotoxicity was present in three toxic patients, renal failure was predominant in non-toxic patients. Rarely, a rise in liver enzyme was noticed; however, 33.33 % of toxic and 2.31 % of the non-toxic group had elevated AST; and 33.33 % of toxic versus 1.73 % percent of non-toxic patients had increased ALT. Acetaminophen toxicity is a worldwide noteworthy cause of poisoning which has distinct mortality and morbidity rates and showed an amazing and undebatable poisoning effect in the present study. A comprehensive study is required to examine the possible reasons for the difference between Iranian acetaminophen products with other non-Iranian company products.