Adriamycin (Adr) is a cytotoxic anthracycline agent that is utilized to manage many types of tumors, but its clinical use is undesirable due to severe cardiotoxicity. The present study aimed to investigate the cardioprotective effect of Achillea fragrantissima (A. fragrantissima) against Adr-induced cardiotoxicity through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory metabolic pathways. A single dose of Adr was injected in rats to induce cardiotoxicity. Rats are divided into 5 groups, control, A. fragrantissima 800, Adr, A. fragrantissima 400 + Adr, and A. fragrantissima 800 + Adr. 72 h after Adr administration, electrocardiographic (ECG) study was performed for all rats. Serum and hearts were then collected for biochemical and histopathological studies. A. fragrantissima ameliorated Adr-induced ST-segment elevation. It reduced Adr-induced elevation in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and IL-6. It also protected against Adr-induced histopathological changes. Pretreatment with the extract increased heart tissue contents of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and reduced glutathione (GSH). Phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed that it is rich in phenolic and flavonoid active constituents. The results of this study revealed that A. fragrantissima extract ameliorates Adr-induced cardiotoxicity via an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Further studies are warranted in order to recognize the precise active constituents of this natural extract which are responsible for the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.

This study aimed to assess the nutritional knowledge and attitudes of physician interns graduated from King Abdul-Aziz University. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 physician interns who graduated in 2019, 2020, and 2021. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. A modified version of a validated questionnaire was used and provided to the participants in both Arabic and English versions, of which participants could choose one. This questionnaire consisted of three sections, including demographic data (five questions), attitude (47 questions), and knowledge (40 questions). A total of 100 (54 female and 46 male) participants completed the questionnaire. The nutrition and diabetes axis had the highest percentage of correct answers among the knowledge axes (55.6%), while the percentage of correct answers for the axis of nutrition and heart disease was the lowest (44%). There were no significant differences among most of the knowledge axes according to sex. However, there were significant differences between the averages of the answers of the male and female groups in the axis of nutrition and obesity only, where the male group had more correct answers than the female group. The average attitude of the study participants was almost good, with slight differences between males and females. A total of 51% of the participants were satisfied with the medical nutrition curriculum. The inadequacy of the nutritional curriculum among medical students was reflected in their satisfaction with their college programs and thus in their knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in providing nutritional counseling to patients. Intern physicians need to improve their clinical nutrition knowledge and skills to be able to provide patients with appropriate nutrition advice.

Since the World Health Organization announced the Corona Pandemic in March 2020, the world has faced many challenges and fundamental lifestyle changes. This study aims to identify lifestyle changes such as diet, marketing habits, daily activities, and sleep patterns in the western region of Saudi Arabia (SA) during the COVID-19 quarantine period. Besides, this work aims to investigate the relationship between lifestyle changes and weight changes. A retrospective cross-sectional study conducted i

Purpose: To examine Costus afer leaf extract (CALE) protective effects against naproxen-induced gastric ulcer and the mechanisms of protection. Methods: Rats with naproxen-induced ulcer were pretreated with either CALE (800 mg/kg), pantoprazole (20 mg/kg), or a combination of both. Then the ulcer index, total gastric acidity, gastric pH, and curative index were evaluated. In addition, gastric mucin, pepsin, prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide, reduced glutathione, lipid peroxide, and superoxide dismutase were quantified. The gastric pathological change was also evaluated. Results: Rats treated with CALE, pantoprazole, and their combination significantly decreased ulcer index, total gastric acidity, and gastric pH. All treatments induced a significant curative index in favor of the combination. The CALE significantly increased gastric mucin, prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide, reduced glutathione, and superoxide dismutase. However, the CALE significantly decreased pepsin and lipid peroxide product. Conclusion: These results reveal that CALE protects the stomach against naproxen-induced ulcer. This action is linked to increased gastroprotective factors, increased antioxidants, and decreased lipid peroxidation. The CALE may be used as an adjunctive treatment for ulcers caused by NSAIDs. Keywords: Costus afer, Naproxen, Gastric ulcer, Antioxidants, Lipid peroxidation

Since the dawn of time, several viral epidemics have swept the globe, among them the current COVID-19 outbreak. The ongoing emergence and propagation of novel viral illnesses have compelled researchers to seek new therapeutic approaches that can get beyond the drawbacks of antivirals that are available right now. Medicinal plants have historically offered treatments for a range of illnesses. These bioactive compounds serve as the foundation for many "modern" pharmaceuticals. One o

This research was focused on developing a suitable and optimizing model, for dried meat preservation (storability), through the application of natural essential oils and extracts. The dried meat (beef) samples were treated with onion peels extract (OPE), onion peels oil (OPO), plantain peels extract (PPE), and plantain peels oil (PPO), in accordance with concentrations and hybridization levels, provided by Central Composite Design (CCD) model. Two basic independent variables – treatment type and storage time – were evaluated, to establish their impact on six responses: total bacterial viable content (TBC), Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., total viable fugal content (TFC), aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin B2. Based on the CCD optimization guidance, the meat samples were treated with 10 different natural additives, and coded T0 to T9, respectively. Nutritional and microbial evaluations of the samples were done by utilizing standard procedures. Specifically, the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) approach was used to explore the B vitamins and aflatoxins concentrations. The results specified that the plantain and onion waste products safeguarded the meat nutritional integrity and public health safety. Additionally, the optimization result depicted that the hybridized PPO and OPO treatment (T9), demonstrated the optimal efficacy in inhibiting microbial growth, and formation of aflatoxins. The maximum TBC and TFC populations of 3,130 and 2,180 cfu/g, were recorded in the control (T1) meat samples, respectively. The study found that the essential oils and extracts, effectively reduced the aflatoxins B1/B2 levels, in preserved beef to safe limits, established by the World Health Organization for meat products suitable for human consumption. This study’s results have highlighted the effectiveness of using oils and extracts derived from discarded onion and plantain peels, in improving meat quality, integrity and inhibiting pathogens survival.