Diabetes is an important metabolic disease inducing different effects on body organs, especially reproductive system. Increased oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity changed in diabetes induce infertility and decrease the sperm parameters. This study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of hydro alcoholic extract of Ferulago angulata on reproductive parameters in diabetic male rats. In this experimental study, we used 30 male Wistar rats (230- 250g) with an average age of 10 weeks. A total of 24 rats were made diabetes type I by 40 mg/kg streptozotosin. Animals were divided into 5 groups of control, diabetic, and diabetic+ Ferulago angulata extract (100, 200 and 400mg/kg). Sperm parameters, serum testosterone level, seminiferous tubules diameter, and germ line epithelium maturity were assayed at the end of study. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA test and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Our results showed serum testosterone level and sperm parameters, including count, viability, progressive motility, and normal morphology as well as seminiferous tubules diameter and germ line epithelium maturity of diabetic male rats increased at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses of Ferulago angulata extract (P<0.05). The hydroalcoholic extract of Ferulago angulata, an herbal plant with abundant antioxidants, improved the quality of sperm and reproductive parameters in diabetic male rats.

In this work we introduced a new two phase freezing (TPF) method coupled with gas chromatography for the extraction, clean up and determination of methadone (MT) in human milk samples. TPF procedure was optimized for extraction of MT from immature milk sample. The extraction of MT was performed from 1.0 ml of milk that contain 0.2 ml of Briton Robinson buffer (pH=2.5) and 0.3 ml of acetonitrile. For separation of acetonitrile from aqueous solution, the solution was placed in refrigerator at −40 °C. The MT was analyzed by gas chromatography. The results demonstrated that the amount of MT that transferred to milk is significantly different from other published reports. The immature milks of six women who were used MT (dose of 90 mg/day) in duration of 1, 2, 3, and 5 h after consumption were analyzed. Our data demonstrated that, before one hour and also 5 h after MT consumption the breastfeeding is safe and between 2-4 h after consumption dose not safe neither.

In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic potential of fractions (F1-F5) isolated from hexane extract of the seeds of N. sativa on human ovarian carcinoma cell line, A2780. F2 showed an outstanding potent cytotoxic effect against A2780 cells. Next, this fraction was purified to obtain six sub-fractions (SF1-SF6) and their cytotoxic effects were then evaluated. The obtained results showed that SF2 had strong cytotoxic effect against A2780 cell line. The effective sub-fraction (SF2) was determined to be linoleic acid (LA) according to spectroscopic analyses. In the next set of experiments, the apoptotic potentials of LA were investigated. Induction of apoptosis by LA was accompanied by an increase in activation of caspase-3, -9 and reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in A2780 cells. It can be concluded that LA, inhibited the growth of human ovarian carcinoma cells, A2780 and induced mitochondrial-related apoptosis.

Rapid, highly efficient, and reliable liquid–liquid microextraction (LLME) methods followed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection were developed for the extraction, preconcentration, and determination of valproate in human plasma and urine samples. Proteins of plasma sample are precipitated by adding methanol and urine sample was diluted prior to performing the microextraction procedures. Fine organic solvent droplets were formed by repeated suction and injection of the mixture of sample solution and extraction solvent into a test tube with a glass syringe. After extraction, phase separation was performed by centrifuging and the enriched analytes in the sedimented organic phase were determined by the separation system. The main factors influencing the extraction efficiency including extraction solvent type and volume, salt addition, pH, and extraction times are investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed method showed good precision (relative standard deviation less than 8%). Limits of detection and lower limits of quantification for valproate were obtained in the ranges of 0.05.0.22 and 0.1.0.5μg mL^-1, respectively. The linear ranges were 0.5–500 and 0.1–200 μg mL^-1in plasma and urine, respectively (r² ≥ 0.9995). The relative recoveries varied from 98–102 % and 93-100 %, respectively for plasma and urine samples. The mean relative standard deviations for intra-assay and inter-assay precisions were 3.4 % and 6.0 %, respectively. Preconcentration factors were in the range of 7-44. Good recoveries (55–86%) were obtained for the spiked samples. The proposed method was successfully used to analyze plasma and urine samples of epileptic receiving sodium valproate.

A library of eighteen amide containing Schiffs bases has been synthesized and screened for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antinociceptive activities. The compound 2 (COX-1 IC₅₀ = 63.23 μM; COX-2 IC₅₀ = 1.80 μM; SI = 35.12) exhibited potent selective COX-2 inhibition as compared to indomethacin (COX-1 IC₅₀ = 3.60 μM; COX-2 IC₅₀ = 7.50 μM; SI = 0.48). The compounds 2 and 7 reduced the COX-2 level to 7.5 ±0.35 nmole/min/ml and 6.8 ± 0.32nmole/min/ml respectively. The compounds 6 exhibited reduced the TNF-α level to 3.36 ± 0.18pg/ml. The compounds 2, 6, 7, 13 and 17 did not induce any gastric ulceration in comparison to the standard drug indomethacin.

In this study, a novel small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery system based on encapsulation of lipolexes was introduced. A Lipofectamine-2000–siRNA complex was encapsulated in particles of poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid; PLGA) by double micro-emulsion. Parameters such as surfactant concentration, the volume of the inner water phase and the outer water phase were evaluated to achieve high loading efficiency, small particle size and low polydispersity. The ratio of the internal to the external phase has a significant effect on the particle size and encapsulation efficiency. The various concentration of surfactant has a different effect on the particle size. In order to achieve optimum conditions for siRNA delivery, the luciferase siRNA was used as a reporter gene. The prepared formulations have a particle sizes in the range of 222 ± 5.2 nm to 900 ± 20 nm and loading efficiency in the range of 4% to 29%. lipoplex loaded PLGA particles (LPPs) had a zeta potential values ranging from −23±2.5 to −29±1.5 mV. S1 and S3 formulations showed greater efficiency compared to the lipoplexes. The gene silencing pattern of LPPs was different from lipoplex. The cytotoxicity of lipoplex loaded PLGA particles (LPPs) was lower than lipoplexes in H1299 cell line. LPPs showed better stability and higher level transfection in the presence of heparin than lipoplexes. The EGFR silencing of S1 formulation was greater than other formulation in A431 cell line. All together these properties suggest that lipoplex loaded PLGA particles have strong potential as a gene carrier for in vivo silencing angiogenesis and treatment of cancer.

A fast and simple method for extraction of carvedilol in human plasma samples based on salting out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) is described. The method involving extraction of carvedilol with water-miscible organic solvent acetonitrile when solvent phase separation occurs using NaCl as a salt. The extracted phase was analyzed by high- performance liquid chromatography with ultra violet detection at 240 nm. The procedure has been optimized with respect to type and amount of salt, volume of sample, extraction solvent and the pH of solution. In the optimal condition the linear calibration range was 5-500 μg L-1 and the correlation coefficient was 0.9965. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 1.0 μg L-1 and 3.3 μg L-1, respectively and a relative standard deviation of 3.5 % for five replicates were obtained. In spiking experiments on real samples, the average recoveries found by the present method were between 96.0% and 105.0%.

CYP2C9 and VKORC1-1639 G>A genes as the genetic factors significantly influence the warfarin dose requirement in individuals. The patients with genetic variations in CYP2C9 and VKORC1 are at increased risk of adverse warfarin-related events. A young patient with atrial septal defect being highly sensitive to normal daily dose of warfarin was subjected to the study. The patient consented to genetic testing. Furthermore, DNA was isolated and PCR-RFLP performed. The patient required low warfarin dose of 11 mg/week to achieve the target international normalized ratio (INR). Genetic testing revealed that the patient carried VKORC1-1639 AA and CYP2C9*1*2 genotypes. Our findings reaffirm the significance of pharmacogenetic analysis prior to the warfarin therapy to achieve an efficient treatment and the least side/adverse drug effects.

DNA vaccine is a new promising vaccine type which has many advantages among various conventional vaccines. DNA vaccine could induce the cellular immune response beside the humoral immune response. This vaccine is more stable in production, storage and distribution, which makes it as a cheaper vaccine. Although it has many added values, so far there is no FDA accepted human vaccine. There are some hindering factors that affect the efficacy of the DNA vaccine, such as immunogenicity, delivery system, administration route, and adjuvant choices. This review aims to describe the DNA vaccine mechanism of action and several factors that have important roles to increase the DNA vaccine efficacy. By optimizing these factors, an effective DNA vaccine could be developed.

The current therapies against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are only effective for a number of patients. Mutant viruses that are resistant to treatment and get created due to the errors in the reverse transcriptase mechanism cause for prolonged treatments. In this regard, recent studies have been focused on new therapeutic approaches especially herbal medications to overcome the problem in resistant patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Rhus coriaria L. (Sumac) aqueous extract on hepatitis B virus replication and HBsAg secretion in HuH-7 cell line after transfection by HBV. Huh-7 cell line was transfected by a plasmid (pCH-9/3091) containing HBV genome using Lipofectamine 2000. The aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L.was prepared and its cytotoxicity on transfected cells was assessed by MTT assay. The inhibitory effect of the aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L.on release of HBsAg as a consequence of HBV replication was measured by ELISA. Our results showed a significant lower concentration of HBsAg after exposure to Rhus coriaria L.extract compared to the untreated control group and positive control group treated with Lamivudine of HBV transfected Huh-7 cell line. This study represents the inhibitory effect of sumac aqueous extract on multiplication of HBV and its antigen secretion.

Malathion is an organophosphate (OP) pesticide that has been shown to induce oxidative stress in various organisms through the generation of free radicals and alteration of the cellular antioxidant defense system independent of its anticholinesterase effects. Satureja avromanica Maroofi species has been extensively investigated as a source of natural products with potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective role of hydroalcoholic extract effects of S.avromanica on interlokin17 (IL17), tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in male rats poisoned with malathion. Effective doses of malathion (150 mg/kg/day) and S.avromanica extract (1000 mg/kg/day) were administered alone or in combination for 7 days by intraperitoneal injection. At the end of the experiment, the plasma of the animals was separated. In the blood plasma, the (IL17), (TNFα), (TAC) and LPO were measured. The results showed that the S.avromanica reduced the level of IL-17 compared to the control group, but this difference was significant only compared to the malathion group. Also, receiving S.avromanica caused increased serum TAC levels in rats, which this difference was significant compared to both control and malathion groups. In addition, it was observed that S.avromanica group showed significantly decreased in LPO level, compared to the group treated with malathion. As the results display, S.avromanica plant improves the oxidative stress status and related immune system factors.