The potential role of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) in prevention of threatened abortion via immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory abilities: a hypothesis

Threatened abortion is a common problem in early pregnancy. This early vaginal bleeding happens in about 25% of pregnant women. The medications including progesterone, uterine muscle relaxant or human chorionic gonadotropin have essential effects in developing pregnancy, but the clinical data are insufficient to prescribe them. In recent decades, medicinal herbs can help us to present new treatments. Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) can protect the fetus from the perspective of Persian medicine. So, we hypothesize about the salutary effects of grape in miscarriage prevention. We found five standard expected mechanisms of grape to prevent threatened abortion: immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-contraction, hormonal and anti-stress activities. Grape reduces nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, expression of nuclear factor κB and other pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL (Interleukin)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α. It also elevates anti-inflammatory mediators and expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ. Grape polyphenols have a crucial role in fetus protection with high antioxidant power and other functions such as prevention of stress-triggered abortion with proanthocyanidins, or hormonal effects and inhibition of uterine contractions with resveratrol. So according to these studies, grape probably has effects on the immune and endocrine factors involved in threatened miscarriage.

Evaluation of scientific evidence for abortifacient medicinal plants mentioned in traditional Persian medicine

Background:Miscarriage or spontaneous ending to a pregnancy takes place at the early stages of pregnancy without intervention.Pregnant women may use medicinal herbs to relieve some of the symptoms of pregnancy as they believe that all herbs are safe.Some abortion-inducing herbs were mentioned by the famous Iranian philosophers,Avicenna and Aghili,in documents of traditional Persian medicine titled Al-Qanun Fi Al-Tibb(The Canon of Medicine,written by Avicenna in the 11th century)and Makhzan Al-adviyah(The Storehouse of Medicaments,written by Aghili in the 18th century).Methods:Electronic databases such as PubMed,Scopus,Google Scholar,Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched to find new scientific evidence that these plants are toxic during pregnancy.Data was collected from 1831 to 2019.Results:Twenty-one plants were found to be abortive according to Al-Qanun Fi Al-Tibb(The Canon of Medicine)and Makhzan Al-adviyah(The Storehouse of Medicaments).Scientific research has shown that these plants possess abortifacient effects by the mechanisms of toxic alkaloids,uterine stimulants,and emmenagogue that interferes with implantation and results in fetus toxicity.These studies included in vivo or in vitro studies.Some of these plants showed abortifacient effects by more than one mechanism.Ruta graveolens,Nigella sativa,Curcuma longa,Lupinus termis,Apium graveolens,Mentha longifolia,and Peganum harmala possess uterine stimulant properties.Ruta graveolens,Juniperus sabina,Cicer arietinum,Piper longum,Artemisia absinthium,and Citrullus colocynthis interfere with implantation.Ruta graveolens,Nigella sativa,Curcuma longa,Tanacetum parthenium,Piper longum,Laurus nobilis,Apium graveolens,Mentha longifolia,and Cinnamomum iners exhibit emmenagogue effects.Lupinus termis,Delphinium staphisagria,Laurus nobilis,Trigonella foenum-graecum,Zataria multiflora,and Artemisia absinthium contain toxic alkaloids and possess teratogenic effects.Conclusion:The results of this study of traditional Persian medicine resources have been confirmed with new scientific evidence.Therefore,pregnant women should avoid consuming herbs without knowledge of their safety.

Effects of oral Shilajit tablets on sexual function and sexual quality of life among reproductive-aged women: a triple-blind randomized clinical trial

Background:Shilajit is mentioned in the“Kama Sutra”as a potent enhancer of sexual desire.This study aimed to investigate the effects of oral Shilajit tablets on sexual function and sexual quality of life among women of reproductive age.Methods:Forty-eight reproductive-aged women participated in a placebo-controlled triple-blind clinical trial.The intervention group took oral Shilajit tablets(200 mg)twice daily for 60 days and the control group took the placebo.Data collection tools were Sexual Quality of Life-Female and Female Sexual Function Index.Data were collected before the intervention,30,60,and 90 days after the start of the study.Results:Forty-three women completed the study.The mean score of total sexual function in the intervention group was significantly higher than before the intervention(P<0.001).The mean score of sexual function was 28.93 after 90 days in the intervention group while it was 22.09 in the control group.This finding was observed in most domains of the sexual function index.The mean score of sexual quality of life increased after 60 days of intervention in both groups;however,the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.094).Conclusion:The study indicated that Shilajit,as a complementary therapy,may improve sexual function and most of its domains;while there was no effect on improving the quality of sexual life.

Methods of preparation of egg and therapeutic uses:a review perspective of Persian Medicine

Background:The nutrients in eggs play an important role in the health of different body organs like the brain,cardiometabolic system,musculoskeletal system,skin and eyes and so the eggs can be considered as functional foods.In order to maintain the highest nutrient content of an egg,it is recommended to cook it properly,but no specific clinical research has been carried out yet on the role that the cooking of an egg plays in its food and health properties.For this reason,this study has collected and discussed the topics related to a variety of methods of cooking eggs,based on the texts of Persian Medicine,and conducted a comparison with modern sources of nutrition.Methods:The present study is a review in which sources of Persian Medicine(PM)were searched in software JamiTib(Version 1.5)and Persian electronic banks,sites of PubMed,Google Scholar,ScienceDirect,and Embase and websites of health reference of American food and water.Finally,the results obtained were classified and a content analysis was carried out.Results:In the PM books,in addition to referring to the different properties of eggs,different effects of different egg preparation have been investigated.The wise men of the school of medicine have proposed at least five methods of egg preparation,including very soft boiled,soft-boiled,hardboiled,fried,and omelet.In the texts,the healing properties of each case and the quality of digestion in the body were separately investigated.Among the five main methods of preparation eggs,the therapeutic and digestive effects of soft-boiled eggs are emphasized to a greater extent,because easy digestion leads to more beneficial effects of the yolk of the eggs.Conclusion:Though the wise men of Persian Medicine have proposed a variety of methods to cook eggs,ease of digestion is one of the most important factors in their decision-making while proposing the type of cooking method for therapeutic prescriptions.In contrast,in modern nutrition research,regardless of the method of cooking eggs,the effect of its use on diseases like heart disease or diabetes has been studied.Owing to the fact that many cases of eggs,as mentioned,have been confirmed in PM texts during modern scientific surveys,it appears that clinical studies on the relevant issues of eggs in this context are useful in better understanding therapeutic effects.

Etiologies of heavy menstrual bleeding: a comparison between current and Persian Medicine

Purpose:Heavy menstrual bleeding(HMB)is one of the common causes of women in reproductive age referring to gynecology centers.Methods:In this review study,the causes of HMB were assembled from reliable books of Persian Medicine(PM).To compare with new scientific evidence,the HMB characteristics were searched using databases including PubMed,Google Scholar and Scopus as well as valid references of current medicine books.Results:The causes of HMB in PM,similar to current medicine,are divided into three categories including functional,structural and drugs.Functional and drug causes in both schools of medicine are almost concordant.In the structural category,we can consider the presence of a mass in uterus,cervix,and vagina,as mentioned in PM,equivalent with polyps and leiomyomas.Also in PM,mucosal disturbances in this tissues match cervicitis and vaginitis properties.For some causes mentioned in PM such as Akele,Hekke,and weakness of uterus and its tissues,no equivalent was available in current medicine.Conclusions:There are more similarities in menstrual bleeding in both current and Persian Medicine.In some cases,patients present with HMB for which there is no known cause in current medicine.In these cases,the etiologies mentioned in Persian Medicine and their treatment can be used.