Health benefits of pendant from the viewpoint of Persian medicine

Background:Reviewing historical evidence in the various schools of traditional medicine shows that numerous methods have been used to maintain human good health and treatment of diseases.Persian medicine(PM)scholars have been employed different methods to prescribe medications,which can be classified into two main groups:internal uses,including oral,parenteral,and anal,and also external uses such as topical,transdermal,and applying pendants.In this study,we aim to introduce some of the therapeutic pendants.Methods:We reviewed the most famous PM textbooks and current evidence in relevant databases such as PubMed,Science Direct,Scopus,Google scholar and SID related to the topic.Results:In this study,about 100 traditional therapeutic substances were found and finally,thirty-two of them were represented.They were often stones,and some of them were other materials such as metals,gums,and herbs.According to the PM,the utilization of pendants,in addition to cosmetic purposes,has been considered to maintain the health and treatment of some diseases.Therapeutic pendants can be considered as a kind of external medication use in which therapeutic materials are hung on the body surface.The external use of pendants could have curative effects with their close contact to the body surface.Conclusion:Pendant therapy may probably be considered as a non-invasive and easy-to-use treatment with unnoticeable side effects that can be utilized along with other therapies.

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.

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.

Developing evidence-based medicine in Persian medicine: obstacles, challenges, and solutions andsolutions

Introduction:Considering the importance of evidence-based medicine(EBM)and the emphasis of Persian medicine(PM)experts on its use,this study was designed;to investigate the practice of PM specialists,the obstacles,challenges,and solutions of developing and using EBM in PM were also the aims of the present study.Method:In the present study,98 PM specialists,who work in Iran completed the electronic Persian version of the evidence-based medicine.The effective factors in the practice of specialists were assessed by Spearman correlation and Mann-Whitney U tests.Results:The mean±standard deviation of age,graduation time,and clinical experience were 44.52±6.45,3.26±2.28,and 6.76±5.27 years,respectively.Evaluating the data showed,that 52 participants(53.1%)had not passed any EBM training courses.Social media,general and medical databases,textbooks,colleagues,and journal articles were used frequently in clinical practices,but the specific EBM-specific resources were neglected.Conclusions:More attention must be paid to produce scientific evidence,improving the infrastructures and health policies,and empowering PM specialists to apply EBM in their clinical practices.

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.

Introduction to the book of"Atamat al-Marza":a manuscript about the role of food in Persian medicine

Nutrition is one of the most important principles in Persian medicine,and Persian scholars have written various books and treatises on this subject.Atamat al-Marza by Hakim Roshan Zamir is one of these books.Hakim Roshan Zamir was a wise Persian scholar who lived in 12th-13th centuries AH(18th-19th centuries AD).He described the details of food-based treatment carefully in his book,Atamat al-Marza.This article tries to introduce this book and the role of foods in Persian medicine and represent recommendations and viewpoints of Hakim Roshan Zamir in this field.

Similarities and differences between kaiy in Persian medicine and moxibustion in Chinese medicine

Kaiy(medieval cautery)is an ancient method of heat therapy in traditional Persian medicine(TPM).Some of its important applications have been neglected during the medical revolution.Meanwhile,different treatment modalities that incorporate heat,including moxibustion,have progressed in traditional Chinese medicine.In this study,we reviewed the main TPM textbooks that were written specifically in the field of kaiy.We considered the traditional teachings in the context of contemporary information,gathered from the scientific literature about moxibustion and modern cauterization.Some surgical therapeutic indications of kaiy(e.g.,debridement and coagulative procedures)have been advanced by the innovation of electro-cauterization.However,those therapeutic applications that were based on the TPM humoral theory for relieving body coldness or myofascial pains—which are similar to moxibustion usages—have not received the same attention.Apart from the broad similarities of kaiy and moxibustion as thermal therapies with similar indications,there is a striking correspondence between kaiy point mapping and acupoints.Therefore,further research on different kaiy aspects is recommended.

Twelve vegetables used for prevention and treatment of hemorrhoids in Persian Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To review the role of vegetables to prevent and treat hemorrhoids in Persian Medicine(PM).METHODS: We search main Persian Medicine manuscripts, including the books of Liber Continens,Canon of Medicine, Great Elixir, Akbarie’s Medicine,Storehouse of Medicaments and Present for the faithful. Also, it was considered by searching in reference books and published papers with the help of PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar databases.RESULTS: Twelve vegetables, relating to 8 plant families, have been found in PM that their effectiveness involved in laxative, anti-inflammation, antimicrobial, analgesic and wound healing.CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that 12 Persian Medicine vegetables can be used to prevent and treat hemorrhoids.

Gastroprotective herbs for headache management in Persian medicine:A comprehensive review

The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that exists between the brain and gut. Several studies claimed that some types of headaches are associated with various gastrointestinal(GI) disorders.In Persian medicine(PM), physicians believed that gastric disturbances could stimulate headache and introduced some herbs for boosting gastric function as a therapeutic remedy for headache. Here we review the current evidence for the gastroprotective and antiheadache effects of herbs used in PM.Herbs used for their gastrotonic effects in PM were identified from selected Persian medical and pharmaceutical textbooks. Pub Med, Scopus and Google Scholar were used to search for contemporary scientific evidence relating to the gastric and neurologic effects of these plants. A total of 24 plants were recorded from the selected sources included in this review, most of which belonged to the Rosaceae family.Phyllanthus emblica, Zingiber officinale, Boswellias errata, Punica granatum and Hypericum perforatum had the most recent studies related to GI disorder and headache, while current research about quince, rose,apple, hawthorn and pear was limited. Reducing Helicobacter pylori growth, gastritis, erosion of the stomach lining, hemorrhage and perforation, improving gastric mucosal resistance, antisecretary, antiulcer,antipyretic, analgesic, sedative, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, neuroprotective and antioxidant effects as well as improvement in memory scores were some of the gastrotonic and neuroprotective mechanisms described in the current research. These results confirmed that medicinal plants prescribed in PM may improve headache in patients through the management of GI abnormalities.However, further studies are recommended to investigate the efficacy and safety of the mentioned medicinal plants.

Melancholia in medieval Persian literature: The view of Hidayat of Al-Akhawayni

"Melancholia" seems to be the oldest term used to describe the manifestations of depression. Throughout the history of medicine, melancholia has been the focus of consideration of many scholars who have provided varying definitions of this disorder and its manifestations. This continual process has resulted in the gradual development of the concept of melancholia over time. Persian scholars were among the scientists who have studied the melancholia and contributed to its concept. One figure, Al-Akhawayni Bukhari(?-983 AD), a Persian physician whose reputation was based on the treatment of patients with mental problems, investigated this disorder. He described Melancholia and explained its clinical manifestations and treatment methods. AlAkhawayni provided an early classification of the patients suffering from this disorder. Since the medieval Persian concept of melancholia is not well-known, this paper aims to review Al-Akhawayni's 10 th century knowledge on melancholia which can represent the early concept of this disorder in the Near East.

Liver tonics:review of plants used in Iranian traditional medicine

Considering the fact that liver is one of the most important organs in our body,it deserves special attention and protection.Among various recommended supplements,complementary and alternative medicines particularly herbal remedies have received much attention owing to their truly healing properties.This review profits from Iranian traditional medicine and presents advantageous herbal guide directions for liver protection.According to credible Iranian medical literature such as Al Qanun Fil Tibb.Al-Havi and Makhzan-al-Aadvia.a wide spectrum of plants have been found to be useful for cleansing and protecting the liver.Some herbs such as ghafes(Agrimonia eupatoria),kasni(Cichorium intybus),anar(Punica granatum),darchin(Cinnamomum zeylanicum),za'feran(Crocus sativus),gole-sorkh(Rosa damascena) and zereshk(Berberis vulgaris) appeared to get strong consideration and were well documented as outstanding liver tonics.We conducted a comprehensive review of available Iranian medical resources such as scientific information database and medical sciences databases which cover all in vitro and in vivo studies of medicinal plants as liver tonics and hepatoprotcctive candidates.Literature survey was accomplished using multiple databases including PubMed,ISI web of knowledge,and Google Scholar.

Digestion process and causes of indigestion based on Avicenna's view and modern medicine

The process of food digestion is one of the most important physiologic processes in human body. In this review, we are seeking the views of Avicenna, the most distinguished Persian medical scholar about digestion and indigestion. Avicenna’s view was based on the humoral theory. Avicenna has focused scrutiny on the process of digestion. He divided this process into four phases including gastric, hepatic, intravascular and intra-organ digestion. A defect in any of these phases can lead to disturbance in other stages. Avicenna approached the problem of indigestion through factors of diet, lifestyle and inherent structural characteristics of digestive organs. Modern medicine confirms Avicenna's opinion about the start of digestion from the mouth, the role of the stomach in digestion and the role of the liver in the metabolism of foods. Overeating or eating certain foods, snacking between meals, eating variety of different foods together, intense physical activity, sexual activity after a meal, stress and sleep insufficiency are among factors that may be linked to indigestion in modern medicine viewpoints and also have been mentioned in Avicenna's teachings. It seems rational to consider the medical approaches recommended by Avicenna for future studies in the field of digestive disorders.

Conceptual Comparison of Infectious Diseases of TIBBE-AKBARI and Modern Medicine: Akhlat and Mezaj Theory

Background: Treating infectious diseases (ID) is the priority of health systems. Traditional Persian medicine (TPM) has diagnostic and preventive comments in most diseases. Readout TPM gives opportunity to know the viewpoints of ancient Iranian scholars for using these opinions in treating ID. In this regard returning to TPM options and modalities can be useful at least as complementary method in treating ID. For understanding the concepts of ID in TPM first of all it is needed to trace ID in TPM and translate them into western medicine language which is the goal of this report. Methodology: This research includes 80 ID mentioned in TIBBE-AKBARI (one of Persian Medicine textbook) for rewriting and comparing with conventional medicine findings. Findings: The majority of clinical signs, symptoms and physical examinations of ID are comparable with modern medicine except the viewpoint of TPM about aetiology which is based on Akhlat and Mezaj theory. By considering no option for antibiotic therapy in ancients time so there is a completely different opinion in treating ID with modern medicine. Conclusion: IDs have different names in TPM and conventional medicine. In contrast to modern medicine in which micro-organism are as etiologic agents, Akhlat and Mezaj theory of TPM has main role for description of ID, the subject which must to be decoded. Although they have completely different opinions in treatment, but with regard to the increasing of antibiotic resistance issue, TPM treatment comments may be useful in future in ID as complementary method beside antibiotics.

Effects of herbal medicine in gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Pyrosis and regurgitation are the cardinal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Severalherbs have been used for treating gastrointestinal disorders worldwide. This systematic review was conducted toinvestigate the effects of medicinal herbs on gastroesophageal reflux disease and adverse events. Methods:MEDLINE (via PubMed;The United States National Library of Medicine, USA), Scopus, ScienceDirect,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Magiran, and Scientific Information Databasewere systematically searched for human studies, without a time frame, using medical subject heading terms such as“gastroesophageal reflux disease”, “reflux”, “esophagitis” and “herbs”. Manual searches completed the electronicsearches. Results: Thirteen randomized controlled trials were identified, including 1,164 participants from 1,509publications. In comparing herbal medicine to placebo, there were no significant differences in terms of heartburn(P = 0.23 and 0.48), epigastric or abdominal pain (P = 0.35), reflux syndrome (P = 0.12), and effective rate (P =0.60), but there was a significant difference in terms of acid regurgitation (P = 0.01). In comparing herbal medicineto drugs, there was a significant difference in terms of effective rate (P = 0.001), and there was one trial thatreported a significant difference in terms of epigastric pain (P = 0.00001). Also, in comparing herbal medicine todrugs, there were no significant differences in terms of acid regurgitation (P = 0.39). Conclusion: Thismeta-analysis showed that herbal medicines are effective in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease. Furtherstandardized researches with a large-scale, multicenter, and rigorous design are needed.

Umbilical displacement: a mini review

Background:Umbilical displacement is a known disorder in folk medicine of different cultures.The various causes,clinical signs and symptoms are attributed to this disorder and different diagnostic and therapeutic methods are mentioned.Methods:To follow the aim of the study,Persian medicine literature,Google Scholar,Google,PubMed,Scopus and Web of Science were searched with no limit of the publication date and the article type(original papers and literature reviews).The searched terms were Navel,Umbilicus and other synonyms in Persian,Turkish,Russian,German,Chinese and Indian language,Dislocation,Sliding,Displacement,Deviation,Falling,Ptosis,Folk medicine and combination of these words.We also corresponded with several experts in traditional medicine via LinkedIn.All available descriptive evidence related to umbilical displacement was retrieved,and the contents were presented as categories including the disorder name,attributed signs and symptoms,and the diagnostic and therapeutic methods.Results:This disorder is called“Taharok-e-Sorre”in Persian medicine,“Nawikkatin”in Erbil(Iraq),“Dharan or Nabhi Sarakna”in Hindi,“Göbek düşmesi”in Turkish,Bēn tún in Chinese and“Cirro”in the people of Mayan community and Spanish,and“смещенпупок”in the folk medicine of the Kurgan Bashqir.Hard work,pregnancy,childbirth,fear,lifting heavy objects,rapid and sudden movements,trauma or fall and slipping of the foot are said to be causes of umbilical displacement.Umbilical displacement is associated with several symptoms such as diarrhea,constipation,abdominal pain,anorexia,anxiety,and depression.Conclusion:In this mini-review,umbilical displacement was expressed from the viewpoint of different cultures.New cases of umbilical displacement has been reported in new articles,and the pathology of umbilical displacement has been explained from the perspective of Persian medicine.

Excess mortality in Northeast Iran caused by COVID-19:Neglect of offset community transformations of health

Objective:To make evidence-based decisions based on broad mortality trends for Razavi Khorasan province,Iran.Methods:In order to determine the baseline number of deaths,we used univariate time series analyses for monthly data from the monthly vital statistics reports(From April 2015 to March 2022).For excess mortalities,these baselines were subtracted from reported deaths with a 95%prediction interval.To compare time and causes,a P-score was calculated.Results:From March 2020 to March 2022,there were 61949 registered deaths,and the estimated deaths with a 95%confidence interval(CI)were 43246.16(35718.28,50774.05).So,in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022,the death counts were 35.15%and 51.33%higher than projected.A total of 18666 cardiovascular diseases were reported and a total of 15704.46(12006.95,19401.96)was estimated.The P-score for this duration was 14.49%and 23.23%higher than expected.Infectious and parasitic diseases plus COVID-19 were 16633 and estimated to be 1044.87(456.77,1632.96).A total of 4420 diseases of the respiratory system were reported,and 4564.94 deaths were predicted(2277.43,6852.43).In the first year of the pandemic,the P-score dropped to-35.28%and in the second year,it jumped sharply to 22.38%.Conclusions:Excess mortality,along with cause-specific mortality,can be helpful for monitoring trends and developing public health policies at the local,national,and international levels.

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.

The potential effects of Caper (Capparis spinosa L.) in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy(DN)is the most common form of neuropathy worldwide,with its prevalence rising alongside diabetes,and being characterized by sensory,motor or autonomic symptoms.DN is considered to be an incurable complication of diabetes,the management of which mainly consists of improving glycemic control,managing pain relief and ensuring continuous foot care.Although gabapentin,duloxetine and tricyclic antidepressants are commonly used to reduce patient symptoms,they do not affect the pathophysiology and progression of neuropathy.Furthermore,these drugs can have various side effects including insomnia,decreased appetite,arrhythmia,heart failure,and suicidal behavior.According to traditional Persian medicine,DN is recognized as a type of“Khadar”or“Esterkha”(a sensory or motor disorder,respectively)that occurs due to the accumulation of sugars in the peripheral nerves.Capparis spinosa L.,commonly known as the caper plant,has been recommended in authentic sources of traditional Persian medicine to treat such disorders.In this study,we reviewed the pharmacological properties of C.spinosa using the Web of Science,PubMed,Scopus and Google Scholar databases,and found that Capparis spinosa L.could affect several pathways involved in DN pathogenesis,including aldose reductase activity,the secretion of inflammatory mediators(IL-17,TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6),oxidative stress,hyperlipidemia,hyperglycemia and advanced glycation end product formation.Based on these findings,we hypothesize that Capparis spinosa L.,may prevent the progression and reduce the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy,and so can be considered as a complementary treatment in this disorder.This hypothesis should be evaluated in well-designed in vitro and in vivo studies,and through clinical trials.

Jadwar(Delphinium denudatum Wall.):a medicinal plant

Delphinium denudatum Wall.is one of the important medicinal herbs of traditional Persian medicine and is known as Jadwar.Medicinal plants are the most widely used drugs in traditional Persian medicine and has been used for various diseases since earlier times.The medicinal uses of Delphinium denudatum Wall.date back to over 1,000 years ago.Rhazes(845–925 C.E.)was the first Persian physician and scientist who reported the use of Delphinium denudatum Wall.as a herbal remedy.During the following centuries,the usages of Delphinium denudatum Wall.in the treatment of various diseases has been mentioned in the books and references of traditional Persian medicine for cures to various diseases such as neurologic and psychiatric disease,gastrointestinal disease,fever,pain,and poisoning.According to modern studies,the dried roots of Delphinium denudatum Wall.have antipyretic,antimicrobial,anticonvulsant,hepatoprotective,antioxidant,and pain-relieving properties.Biomolecules from roots of Delphinium denudatum Wall.were also identified as potential cures for central nervous system diseases as well as for the amelioration of morphine addiction.Delphinium denudatum Wall.,with its properties involving the prevention of mitochondrial dysfunction,reduction of oxidative stress,and inflammation and immune dysregulation,can be utilized in curing inflammatory disorders.The effective therapeutic influence of root extract of Delphinium denudatum Wall.against several diseases needs to be confirmed through controlled clinical trials.This article reviews the different features of Delphinium denudatum Wall.and focuses on the well-known therapeutic effects of this herbal drug on various human disorders and animal disease models.

The protective effect of a standardized hydroalcoholic extract of Prosopis farcta (Banks & Sol.) J.F.Macbr. fruit in a rat model for experimental ulcerative colitis

Background:Investigating new therapies for inflammatory bowel disease among natural products has recently been gaining attention.Although Prosopis farcta has repeatedly been mentioned in traditional Persian medicine as a therapeutic option for inflammatory bowel disease,no evidence-based investigations have been conducted on this topic.The aim of this study was to assess the impact of P.farcta on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats.Methods:A hydroalcoholic extract of P.farcta fruits was prepared.Thirty-six adult Wistar rats were divided into six groups,and colitis was induced in five groups,except the sham group,using acetic acid solution.The animals received distinctive daily doses of P.farcta(50,75,and 100 mg/kg/day,p.o.)and dexamethasone(1 mg/kg/day,i.p.)as standard treatment for two progressive days,starting from colitis induction.Microscopic and histopathological examinations were performed on inflamed colonic tissue.Tissue concentrations of interleukin-1βand tumor necrosis factor-αwere assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.To identify the role of oxidative stress in ulcerative colitis,the levels of malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase were measured in colon tissues.Results:Treatment with all concentrations of P.farcta attenuated inflammation and ulcers compared with saline treatment in the control group(P<0.01 for 50 mg/kg;P<0.001 for 75 and 100 mg/kg/day).The best suppression of tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βwas observed at a dose of 100 mg/kg P.farcta(P<0.001).This dose showed the best effect in reducing myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde in ulcerative colitis-induced rats(P<0.001).Conclusion:P.farcta can be considered a promising candidate for treating ulcerative colitis;thus,it requires further confirmation by clinical trials.