To characterize the poisoning cases admitted to the Loghman-Hakim Hospital Poison Center (a teaching reference hospital of poisoning) in Tehran, Iran. All admitted acutely poisoned patients from January to December 2003 were evaluated retrospectively. Information of socio-demographic characteristics, agents and cause of poisoning, and the mortality rate were collected from medical records of the hospital. During this period, 24 179 cases were referred to the emergency department that 10 206 of them were admitted. Of the admitted cases, 51% were male and 49% female. The majority (38%) of cases were in the age range of 21—30 years. Most (79%) of poisonings were intentional and 21% were unintentional. The most important agents of acute poisoning were drugs (69.13%) especially sedative-hypnotics followed by opioids (12.34%) and pesticides especially organophosphates (OPs) (6.21%). The mortality rate was 1.3% (318 patients). Death was mostly occurred by opioids (41.54%), followed by drugs (28%) and pesticides especially OPs (12%). The prevention and treatment of poisoning due to opioids, pesticides specially OPs and sedative-hypnotics drugs should merit high priority in the health care of the indigenous population of Tehran.Human & Experimental Toxicology (2007) 26, 753—756

Background: Silymarin has intracellular antioxidant property and inhibits activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in low concentrations and reduces tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 levels, cyclooxygenase (COX), and angiogenesis. Selenium is one of the necessary trace element nutrients for human and animals. Selenium nanoparticles (nano-Se) have more bioavailability with less toxicity. Aims: To investigate the combination effect of silymarin and nano-Se on inhibition of NF-κB, proinflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress biomarkers in the experimental colitis. Methods: Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) was used to induce colitis. After TNBS instillation, rats were distributed into six groups, containing silymarin and nano-Se alone or in combination, dexamethasone, negative control with no treatment and the last one was normal sham rats. All drugs were administered for 7 days. Colon samples were scored macroscopically and microscopically. The levels of activated NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α, myeloperoxidase (MPO), lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl (PC), and the antioxidant power of the colon homogenates were determined. Result: A significant decrease in NF-κB activity in treated groups was observed. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, MPO, lipid peroxidation, and PC were reduced and an improvement in antioxidant power of treated groups was seen. Combination of silymarin and nano-Se were more effective than each one alone in improvement of NF-κB, TNF-α, antioxidant power, and lipid peroxidation values, although this difference was not significant in other factors. Conclusion: Co-administration of silymarin and nano-Se with a good antioxidant profile and inhibition of NF-κB is a possible candidate for better management of inflammatory bowel disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of acute exposure to various doses of diazinon, a widely used synthetic organophosphorus (OP) insecticide on plasma glucose, hepatic cells key enzymes of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, and oxidative stress in rats. Diazinon was administered by gavage at doses of 15, 30 and 60 mg/kg. The liver was perfused and removed under anaesthesia. The activities of glycogen phosphorylase (GP), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were analysed in liver homogenate. Administration of diazinon (15, 30 and 60 mg/kg) increased plasma glucose concentrations by 101.43% (P=0.001), 103.68% (P=0.000) and 160.65% (P=0.000) of control, respectively. Diazinon (15, 30 and 60 mg/kg) increased hepatic GP activity by 43.5% (P=0.05), 70.3% (P=0.00) and 117.2% (P=0.02) of control, respectively. In addition, diazinon (30 and 60 mg/kg) increased hepatic PEPCK by 77.3% (P=0.000) and 93.5% (P=0.000) of control, respectively. Diazinon (30 and 60 mg/kg) decreased liver TAC by 38% (P=0.046) and 48% (P=0.000) of control, respectively. Also diazinon (30 and 60 mg/kg) increased hepatic cell liver lipid peroxidation by 77% (P=0.05) and 280% (P=0.000) of control. The correlations between plasma glucose and hepatic cells TBARS (r²=0.537, P=0.02), between plasma glucose and ChE activity (r²=0.81, P=0.049) and between plasma glucose and hepatic cells GP activity (r²=0.833, P=0.04) were significant. It is concluded that the liver cells are a site of toxic action of diazinon. Diazinon increases glucose release from liver into blood through activation of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis as a detoxication non-cholinergic mechanism to overwhelm diazinon-induced toxic stress. The results are in accordance with the hypothesis that OPs are a predisposing factor of diabetes.

Background: Intra articular (IA) injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are of the new methods in the management of hip osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of IA injections of PRP, HA and their combination in patients with hip OA. HA and PRP are two IA interventions that can be used in OA in the preoperative stages. Due to the different mechanisms of action, these two are proposed to have a synergistic effect by combining.Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial with three parallel groups. In this study, patients with grade 2 and 3 hip OA were included, and were randomly divided into three injection groups: PRP, HA and PRP + HA. In either group, two injections with 2 weeks’ interval were performed into the hip joint under ultrasound guidance. Patients were assessed before the intervention, 2 months and 6 months after the second injection, using the visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Lequesne questionnaires.Results: One hundred five patients were enrolled randomly in HA, PRP and PRP + HA groups. All three groups showed significant improvement in WOMAC, VAS, and Lequesne at 2 months and 6 months compared with baseline. Comparison of the 3 groups demonstrated significant differences regarding WOMAC and Lequesne total scores and the activities of daily living (ADL) subscale of Lequesne (P = 0.041, 0.001 and 0.002, respectively), in which the observed improvement at 6th month was significantly higher in the PRP + HA and PRP groups compared to the HA group.Conclusion: Although all 3 interventions were associated with improvement of pain and function in patients with hip OA, the therapeutic effects of PRP and PRP + HA injections lasted longer (6 months), and the effects of these two interventions on patients’ performance, disability, and ADL were superior to HA in the long run. Moreover, the addition of HA to PRP was not associated with a significant increase in the therapeutic results.Trial registration: The study was registered at Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) websitehttp://www.irct.ir/, a WHO Primary Register setup, with the registration number of IRCT20130523013442N30 on 29/11/2019.

Regarding the role of free radicals in pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we were interested to investigate the effects of Teucrium persicum with approved antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in an experimental model of colitis. Immunologic colitis was induced by rectal administration of a mixture of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) and ethanol through rubber cannula into rats. Three different doses of Teucrium (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) were gavaged in a duration of 10 days to rats. Endpoint markers of colitis included macroscopic and microscopic examination of colon tissue and measuring colonic cells concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interlukin-1β (IL-1β), total antioxidant power as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and lipid peroxidation as thiobarbitoric acid-reactive substance (TBARS). Teucrium at all doses improved both macroscopic and histological damages of rats with colitis. Teucrium reduced colonic MPO activity and concentrations of cellular lipid peroxides, TNF-α, and IL-1β, with a concomitant increase in FRAP value in rats with colitis. It is concluded that beneficial effects of Teucrium in experimental colitis is mediated through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials. Examination of this herbal medicine in patients with IBD as a supplement would further reveal the potential of Teucrium.