Background: Peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of chemotherapeutic agents. This study aimed to assess the impact of hydroalcoholic extract from Capparis spinosa fruit on mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia induced by vincristine. Methods: Vincristine (0.1 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) was used to induce peripheral neuropathy in rats for 2 weeks. The rats received treatment with the hydroalcoholic extract of Capparis spinosa fruit (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, orally) or pregabalin (20 mg/kg, orally) for 2 weeks. Assessments of thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia were conducted using the hot plate, open field, footprint, grip strength, and von Frey hair tests. To investigate the roles of opioid and serotonergic pathways in anti-nociceptive and locomotor activities, naloxone (1 mg/kg) and cyproheptadine (5 mg/kg) were administered in conjunction with the extract. Results: Two weeks post vincristine administration, there was a significant decrease in thermal and mechanical nociceptive thresholds, muscle strength, and locomotor activity in rats compared to untreated groups. In all tests, pregabalin mitigated vincristine's effects; notably, the Capparis spinosa extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly reduced neuropathic behavioral changes compared to animals that received vincristine. The efficacy of the extract at the 400 mg/kg dose was diminished by naloxone in the von Frey filament test (P < 0.01), hot plate test (P < 0.05), and grip strength test (P < 0.001). Additionally, cyproheptadine reversed the extract's effect in the grip strength (P < 0.0001) and von Frey filament tests (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the hydroalcoholic extract of Capparis spinosa fruit may counteract vincristine-induced neuropathic pain through opioidergic and serotonergic pathways. The extract's beneficial effects are likely due to its flavonoid and phenolic compound content.

The exceedingly large genus Euphorbia is broadly distributed in all phytogeographical units and various habi-tats all over Iran. Iranian Traditional Medicine has referred to a variety of its biological properties, including pain alleviation. This study aimed to investigate the antinociceptive activity of four Iranian endemic Euphor-bia species (E. malleata, E. gypsicola, E. caspica, and E. sylvicola) for the first time. We used two pharmacologi-cal pain tests; tail-flick and writhing tests in mice. E. malleata showed the best effect among the species and was selected for further studies. The antinociceptive effects of different fractions of the methanolic extract of E. malleata were analyzed using the tail-flick test. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antinocicep-tive activity and was selected for phytochemical analysis. This led to the isolation of six compounds, includ-ing oleanolic acid (1), methyl gallate (2), scopoletin (3), (2S)-5,7,3',5'-tetrahydroxyflavanone (4), (-)-catechin (5), and hyperoside (6). The structures of the compounds were identified by NMR and mass spectrometry. In addition, the antinociceptive activities of the compounds were assessed by the tail-flick test. Compounds 4 and 6, which have flavonoid structures, showed the best antinociceptive effects with ED50 values of 5.0 and 4.9 mg/kg, respectively. Pretreatment with naloxone (an opioid antagonist) attenuated the antinociceptive effects of each isolated compound in the tail-flick test. The molecular docking study showed that compound 6 had the best interaction with the active site of the mu-opioid receptor (5C1M). Based on findings, it can be concluded that E. malleata has antinociceptive effects. The reduction of the antinociceptive effect of the iso-lated compounds by naloxone, as well as the affinity for binding to the active site of mu receptor in docking study, suggest that opioid receptors may be involved in the antinociceptive effect.& COPY; 2023 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory ailment characterized by bronchospasm, airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, and recurrent episodes of breathing complications. Due to the high incidence of this disease, there has been a surge in the use of complementary branches of medicine such as Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) in recent times. Objectives: In this study, the efficacy of an ITM polyherbal formulation (Compound Honey Syrup) in the management of allergic asthma was explored. Methods: 60 Balb/c mice were divided into five groups (n = 12) as follows: G1, ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized; G2, PBS-treated; G3, OVA + oral Compound Honey Syrup; G4, OVA + inhalational compound honey; G5, OVA + inhalational Budesonide. Subsequently, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) was assessed using methacholine test, cytokines levels were determined in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and eosinophilia was assayed in blood and BALF. Also, histological transformation of the lungs was analyzed. Results: Oral Compound Honey Syrup prevented the development of AHR. Both oral and inhalational Compound Honey Syrup significantly diminished eosinophil counts in blood and BALF specimens. Moreover, both types of Compound Honey Syrup treatments remarkably reduced the levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF and blood samples in comparison to the OVA-received animals (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The present data show that Compound Honey Syrup is an effective herbal formulation to alleviate asthma-induced inflammatory response and therefore can be a promising remedy for the management of this disease.

Background and purpose: Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common adverse effects of cancer chemotherapy. Vincristine is prescribed to treat a variety of carcinomas, including lymphoma and leukemia, and may cause progressive peripheral neuropathy due to the damage of microtubules and mitochondria of neurons and affects inflammatory processes. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Lavandula angustifolia hydroalcoholic extract (LHE) of aerial part on vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy in a rat model. Experimental approach: Neuropathy was induced in rats by daily intraperitoneal administration of vincristine (0.1 mg/kg for 2 weeks). Following the induction of neuropathy, animals were treated with the LHE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) or pregabalin (20 mg/kg, IP) for 2 weeks, and their responses to vincristine-induced hyperalgesia and locomotor impairment were measured. Findings/Results: LHE, at the dose of 400 mg/kg, showed analgesic effects in response to thermal hyperalgesia, tactile allodynia, and gait impairment. Also, pregabalin (20 mg/kg, IP) improved the symptoms of vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy. Conclusions and implications: According to the results, we can conclude that LHE alleviates neuropathic symptoms of vincristine and the effect is probably related to the presence of phenols and flavonoids in the extract.

Background: Cancer is the second cause of death in developed countries. Colon and breast cancers are among the most prevalent ones. Research focusing on finding new natural products with fewer side effects to fight cancer is increasing. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of Centaurea albonitens Turrill methanol extract and its fractions against colon and breast cancer cell lines and a normal cell line of bovine kidney cells. Methods: The methanol extract and petroleum ether, chloroform and aqueous fractions were provided from the aerial parts of C. albonitens by maceration method in three days. Each day the solvent was refreshed. Colon (HT-29) and breast (MCF-7) cell lines were treated with the extract/fractions for 48 h for evaluating the cytotoxic activity by MTT assay. The apoptotic induction potential was also evaluated with the Hoechst 33258 staining method. Results: The most considerable effect was reported from the chloroform fraction with IC50 values of 25.6 and 25.1 μg/mL in MCF-7 and HT-29 cells, respectively. In Hoechst staining, condensed chromatin of the apoptotic cells was observed in both cell lines. Conclusion: Centaurea albonites can be suggested for further cancer research studies.

Background and objectives: The roots of Centaurea behen L., (Asteraceae) known as Radix Behen Albi are used as an aphrodisiac, anti-lithiasis and general tonic. It is available as dried or powdered roots in the herbal markets of Iran. Confirming the identity of this medicinal root using conventional methods is challenging because of lack of the diagnostic characters and market samples are easy to misidentify or adulterate. Methods: This study aimed to authenticate 13 Radix Behen Albi samples purchased from different herbal markets in Iran and to identify the potential adulterants through DNA barcoding. Nuclear (nrITS) and plastid (trnL-F spacer, matK and rbcL) DNA regions were used as barcoding markers. A reference database was compiled using sequences from herbarium voucher specimens and publicly available sequences. Results: Among used barcode regions nrITS was the best marker for species identification followed by trnL-F spacer. MatK and rbcL were able to identify samples to the family level. This study showed that none of the market samples belonged to the authentic Centaurea behen L. Sixty-nine percent of samples were Cousinia spp. (Asteraceae), 23% Korshinskya spp. (Apiaceae) and 8% Crambe spp. (Brassicaceae). This substitution does not only hinder consumers obtain the desired medicinal effects of Radix Behen Albi but also raises concerns about the pharmacovigilance of this medicinal root sold in the markets. Conclusion: The present study shows the need for monitoring and authentication of crude herbal drugs in the markets of Iran, and that DNA barcoding is a suitable tool for this purpose.

目的:抗癫痫药往往具有较多且严重的副作用.伊朗传统医学中,草药用于治疗癫痫已有数百年的历史.检索伊朗五部最重要的传统医学古籍Canon、al-Hawi、al-Abniah an Haqaeq al Adwia、Tuhfat al-Mu'minin和Makhzan ul-Adwia中记载的治疗Sar-e(意为癫痫)的药物,发现25种药用植物被用于治疗癫痫.通过检索现代药理学研究文献,寻找其有效性的依据,发现11种植物有较为明确的药效学研究数据,可为后续研发抗癫痫药物奠定基础.

Background and objectives: The second cause of death in the world and the third cause in Iran is cancer which requires special attention for treatment. The previous reports of Gypsophila genus show significant toxic effects on different cancer cell lines. In this study, bioassay-guided fractionation was applied to determine the cytotoxic activity of root and aerial parts extracts and fractions of Gypsophila ruscifolia Methods: n-Hexane, chloroform, and methanol: H2O (8:2) extracts of root and aerial parts were prepared. Inhibition of cell growth determined by MTT assay in MCF-7, HT-29, A-549, and AGO-1522 cell lines. The most effective extract was fractionated by column chromatography. The cytotoxic effect of fractions was evaluated by MTT assay and apoptotic property of the cytotoxic fraction was determined by annexin V/PI assay in MCF-7 cell line. Results: The chloroform root extract of G. ruscifolia showed cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells with IC50 value of 111.6 ±11.78 μg/mL. MTT assay of five of fractions demonstrated that F3 and F4 with IC50 values of 73.09 ±14.22 and 67.98 ±15.31 μg/mL on MCF-7 cell line, respectively showed cytotoxic effects. Also, F4 demonstrated apoptotic potential in MCF-7 cell line. Conclusion: Considering the results of cytotoxicity and apoptosis studies, isolation and identification of responsible compounds in the chloroform root extract of Gypsophila ruscifolia can be useful in cancer research studies.

Background: Malaria is one of the most important parasitic diseases in the world caused by Plasmodium species. The malaria parasite digests hemoglobin in vacuole to amino acids and heme. Plasmodium has got several detoxification mechanisms to protect itself from toxic heme. The most important mechanism is heme polymerization. Identifying compounds that inhibit heme polymerization is an approach for detecting antimalarial drugs. Objective: This work has intended to screen some plants from Lamiaceae family for mechanism of antimalarial by ITHD (Inhibition Test of Heme Detoxification). Method: Inhibition of heme polymerization of total methanol extracts from seven plants of Lamiaceae family have been evaluated by the ITHD method. Hemin Chloride, tween 20 and samples were added in each well of a 96-well plate with ratio 9:9:2, and incubated at 60ºC for 24 h. The plate was read with a micro-ELISA reader at 405 nm, and percentage of heme polymerization inhibition was calculated. The fractions including petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, methanol: water (7:3) and water were obtained by maceration and the inhibition of heme polymerization evaluation were assessed using the ITHD. Results: Total methanol extracts of Marrubium astracanicum Jacq. and Phlomis caucasica Rech.f. demonstrated inhibition of heme polymerization, 40 and 35% respectively. The aqueous fraction of P. caucasica inhibited heme polymerization 100%. Conclusion: P. caucasica could be a selective candidate for drug discovery program in malaria.

Plants from Asteraceae family have been reported with cytotoxic and apoptotic properties. In the present study, Achillea filipendulina, a member of this family was selected for assessment of its toxic potential on cancerous cell lines. Methanol extract of A. filipendulina was evaluated for cytotoxicity by MTT assay in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell lines. The ability of the extract to induce programmed cell death was examined with annexin V assay. The alterations in SubG1 fraction in the breast cancer cell cycle were also evaluated. A. filipendulina demonstrated cytotoxicity on both cell lines with IC50 values of 386 and 248 μg/mL against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468, respectively. The early and late apoptotic cells were detected in annexin V assay and; increase in subG1 was observed in the cell cycle analysis for both breast cancer cell lines. Our results revealed that A. filipendulina is capable of inducing cell death via apoptosis.

Background and objectives: There are several methods to assess the in vitro capability of heme inhibitory activity of antimalarial compounds; most of them require some specific equipment or toxic substances and sometimes the needed materials are not accessible. Regarding the necessity and importance of optimizing and standardizing experimental conditions, the present study has intended to improve the in vitro assessment conditions of the beta-hematin formation inhibitory activity for screening herbal samples. Methods: Hemin, tween 20, and samples (9:9:2) were incubated in different conditions including: hemin concentration (30, 60, and 120 mu g/mL), duration (4, 24, 48, and 72 h), pH of buffer (3.6, 4, 4.4, 4.8, and 5), and temperature (37 and 60 degrees C) in 96-well plates. Also, a total of 165 plant extracts and fractions were tested in the most suitable conditions. Results: The reaction time and the incubation temperature were determined as the critical factors. The effective conditions for beta-hematin formation were found to be 60 degrees C after 24 h incubation. In this method, proper correlations with respect to negative (69%) and positive (67%) predictive values were obtained in comparison with the anti-plasmodial assay. Antimalarial activities of Pistacia atlantica, Myrtus communis, Pterocarya fraxinifolia, and Satureja mutica were found to correlate significantly with inhibition of the heme detoxification assay. Conclusion: These results support a rapid, simple and reliable approach for selecting and identifying a number of herbs for further related antimalaria investigations.

Background and Purpose: Botanical science is one of the bases of pharmacy and pharmacology. Because of Mongol conquest of Khwarizmi and crusades, important social and political changes happened in Islamic territory during the 7th century A.H. However, few investigations have been done on botanical works of this period. The aim of this study was to introduce these works. Methods and Materials: This library research was done by extracting botanical compilation and translation works from selected bibliographic resources. Results: The results showed that 61 botanical books and treaties were written in the 7th century A.H. Among these works, only 45 of them have one or more physical manuscripts. Conclusion: In spite of social and political adversities, it seems that scientists of 7th century A.H. actively investigated botanical topics. Their activities were reflected in a number of botanical books and treaties written in this era. Historical evidences show that most of these works are original.

Evaluating the effect of herbal extracts has been always interesting for cancer researchers considering that these natural materials could be suitable sources for finding new anti-cancer agents. In the present study, Acroptilon repens methanol extract had been evaluated for its cytotoxic effects in two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468, using MTT assay. The apoptosis potential had also been evaluated using annexin-V/propidium iodide assay, Hoechst 33258 staining and evaluating the cell cycle with flow cytometery. The MTT results showed cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 69.2 and 32.6 μg/mL for MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cells, respectively. The results of the apoptosis assays confirmed the apoptosis potential of the plant extract in the breast cancer cell lines suggesting A. repens for further cancer studies.

Background and objectives: Plants have been used to treat diseases like cancer for many years and today the trend towards their use is increasing. One of the most effective mechanisms of plants against cancer is inducing apoptosis. Apoptosis is a programmed cell death which acts opposite to cell division. It starts in response to some stimuli. Despite the effectiveness of apoptosis inducing agents, their use has been limited due to side effects and resistance to these treatments; so, applying medicinal herbs due to their lower cost and toxicity has drawn attentions. Recent research at the Traditional Medicine and Materia Medica Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences on two medicinal plants Acanthophyllum bracteatum and A. microcephalum has shown cytotoxic effects of these two species, but the mechanism of their toxicity has remained unknown; thus, the present study was designed to evaluate the apoptotic potential of Acanthophyllum bracteatum and A. microcephalum. Methods: In the present study, the cytotoxic effects of the methanol extract of Acanthophyllum bracteatum and A. microcephalum was evaluated against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cells by MTT assay; furthermore, their apoptosis potential has been evaluated by annexin-V/propidium iodide assay and Hoechst 33258 staining in the same cell lines. Results: The methanol extract of A. microcephalum and A. bracteatum showed cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines with IC50 values of 64, 159 and 102, 250 μg/mL, respectively. The results of the apoptosis assays confirmed the potential of the two plants extracts to induce apoptosis in both cell lines while A. microcephalum demonstrated more considerable results. Conclusion: A. microcephalum could be a suitable choice for further breast cancer studies.

Background: Asthma is a chronic relapsing airways disease that represents a major public health problem worldwide. With the high incidence of asthma, there has been a surge in the use of complementary therapies, such as compound honey syrup in Traditional Persian Medicine, in the treatment of asthma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Iranian poly herbal formulation (compound honey syrup) in the treatment of mild to moder­ate pediatric asthma. Materials and Methods: The study was a randomized clinical trial that was conducted on 80 patients with mild to moderate asthma assigned to two groups (n=40 for each group) for eight weeks. Control and experimental groups received classical treatment of asthma with fluticasone spray; in case of worsening of symptoms, salbutamol spray was used for short term. The experimental group also received compound honey syrup (the combina­tion of honey and an extract of the following five medicinal plants: ginger, cinnamon, saf­fron, cardamom, and galangal). Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) items and total scores of ACQ were evaluated before and after treatment. Results: To this end, 72 patients complet­ed this study. There was no significant difference between the experimental and the control groups in baseline data such as age, sex, body mass index, ACQ items, and ACQ scores. Total scores and all items of ACQ, with the exception of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%), were significant between groups (P<0.05). No serious adverse effects were ob­served in the two groups. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal that compound honey syrup can be a safe and effective complementary drug for the treatment of pediatric asthma [GMJ.2017;6(4):291-301] DOI: 10.22086/gmj.v6i3.884

Silver compounds are known to be both toxic and carcinogenic. However, silver nanoparticles have been showed diagnostic and therapeutic value. They can be used as biological tags for a quantitative detection and/or be incorporated into wound dressings and cosmetics due to their antibacterial properties. Pakistani and Iranian traditional physicians still take the advantage of silver compounds, called silver Kushta, to treat dementia, leprosy, and skin cancers. The present study compared the physicochemical properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver Kushtas (Pakistani silver Kushta (PKAg) and Iranian silver) in terms of the morphology, silver content, chemical composition, and suspension stability. AgNPs were produced through a chemical reduction method using AgNO3 and NaBH4 at 4 °C. PKAg powder was purchased from Hamdard pharmaceutical company (Pakistan). IKAg powder was produced, using closed reactor (Aghili method). Physicochemical properties of all three compounds were examined by scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared, UV spectra Analysis, Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction. AgNPs were spherical-shaped and uniform in size. However, PKAg and IKAg particles show different sizes. Not only AgNPs but also IKAg & PKAg Particle sizes were less than 200 nm. According to EDX analysis, the silver contents of PKAg, IKAg, and were 66.24%, 50.43%, respectively. AgNPs, IKAg, and PKAg showed zeta potential values equal to -18.5 and -2.27, and -12 mV, successively. AgNPs, IKAg and PKAg sizes were 64.08, 190.4 and 51.72 nm, respectively. Moreover, XRD results indicated that the composition of IKAg and PKAg are completely different.

Physicians have been familiar with leishmaniosis for thousands of years. This disease could present in several different forms, one of which is cutaneous leishmaniosis. This type has been named as Rish-e-Balkhi (Balkh Wound) in Iranian traditional medicine texts. In this paper the description of the disease, its diagnostic methods and various treatment modalities are investigated in the light of relevant traditional medical texts.

Background and objectives: Cancer is the third leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Iran and kills out about 30000 people a year. The drugs used to treat cancer have many side effects. So developing novel and effective drugs with lower side effects has a great importance. Located in the north-west of Iran, Ardebil province has a rich plant diversity which the biological effects of most of them are unknown. In this study, the cytotoxic effects of 18 plants collected from Ardebil have been investigated. Methods: The cytotoxic effect of total methanol extract and petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol fractions were investigated by using MTT assay against 4 selected human cancer cell lines MCF7, HepG-2, A-549, HT-29 and also a normal cell line, MDBK. Results: Total methanol extract and chloroform fraction of the aerial parts of Onopordon acanthium showed significant cytotoxic effect against all cell lines with 12.51≤ IC50 ≤ 55.72 and 6.49≤IC50≤31.5, respectively. Conclusion: The plant could be a candidate for further investigations on its cytotoxicity mechanism and also identification of active ingredients.

Primula auriculata (Tootia) is one of the most important local medicinal plants in Hamedan district, Iran. To investigate cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction of crude methanolic extract and different fraction of it, we compared several methods on HT-29 human colon Adenocarcinoma cells. Cancer cell proliferation was measured by 3-(4, 5‑dimethylthiazolyl)2, 5‑diphenyl‑tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and apoptosis induction was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy (acridin orange/ethidium bromide, annexin V/propidium iodide staining, TUNEL assay and Caspase-3 activity assay). Crude methanolic extract (CM) inhibited the growth of malignant cells in a dose-dependent manner. Among solvent fractions, the dichloromethane fraction (CF) was found to be the most toxic compared to other fractions. With double staining methods, high percentage of 40 µg/mL of (CM) and (CF) treated cells exhibited typical characteristics of apoptotic cells. Apoptosis induction was also revealed by apoptotic fragmentation of nuclear DNA and activation of caspas-3 in treated cells. These findings indicate that crude methanolic extract and dichloromethan fraction of P.auriculata induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in colon cancer cells and could be used as a source for new lead structures in drug design to combat colon cancer.