نشریه دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند
سال بیست و نهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 92، پاییز 1401)

Screening tests (UDSTs) for the diagnosis of psychoactive drugs can identify drug abuse, improve workplace safety, ensure community health, and play a critical role in therapeutic drug monitoring. Nonetheless, correct interpretation of the results of these tests requires a full awareness of the principles of testing methods, drug kinetics, and various leading causes of false results. Among the advantages of these screening tests (based on the immunoassay technique), we can refer to their high sensitivity in the detection of psychoactive substances, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, these kinds of urine drug screening are recommended as the first line of detection in all reliable related guidelines. This method can reliably detect common drug abuse, such as opiates/opioids, amphetamine/methamphetamine, cocaine, cannabinoids, phencyclidine, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines, with high sensitivity. Although the immunoassay technique is sensitive to the presence of drugs/drug metabolites and has relatively good specificity, false negative and positive results may occur in some cases. Therefore, careful attention to proper sample collection methods and tests to determine the integrity nature of the urine sample can identify a wide range of abusers' attempts to produce false negative/positive test results. Finally, unexpected positive test results should be checked with confirmatory methods, such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Herbal mouthwashes can improve the oral mucosal wound healing process. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effect of aqueous extracts of Malva sylvestris and Malva neglecta leaf with common mouthwashes on the oral mucosal wound healing process.

In this Lab trial, an incision was made into the buccal mucosa of 36 Wistar rats using a surgical blade to a depth of superficial fascia and length of 5 mm. Then, 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash, 10% Malva neglecta, 10% Malva sylvestris, and normal saline were used for rinsing the rats' mouths three times a day in four experimental groups. On the 4th, 7th, and 10th days, three rats from each study group were randomly selected. Incisional biopsies were made and evaluated using an optical microscope regarding the number of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, collagen density, and the wound healing process. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS software (version 19) using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests.

Groups treated with M. sylvestris and M. neglecta showed the best statistical, clinical, and microscopic healing results with lower inflammatory cells, and more fibroblasts and collagen density compared to other groups (P<0.001).

Based on the results of this study, M. sylvestris and M. neglecta extracts can be used in mouthwashes to accelerate the healing process of oral wounds.

Acetaminophen is a common anti-analgesic and antipyretic medication that in high doses leads to liver and kidney necrosis in humans and animals. Phlomis cancellata, from the mint family, is a plant that has antioxidant properties. In the present study, the hepatoprotective effect of Phlomis cancellata hydroalcoholic extract on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats was investigated.

In this study, 36 male rats were divided into six groups, each including six rats: control group, negative control group, and positive control group (receiving silymarin at a dose of 200 mg/kg) and three experimental groups. All groups, except the control group, were treated with acetaminophen at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight, and the treatment groups of 1, 2, and 3 received a hydroalcoholic extract of Phlomis cancellata (at 200, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg body weight), respectively. After 24 h, all rats were anesthetized and blood was drawn from the heart to examine albumin and bilirubin, and liver enzymes of (ALP, AST, and ALT). Sections of the liver were removed for histological studies. The collected data was analyzed in Minitab software (version 16). The findings were compared using post hoc Tukey and one-way ANOVA tests.

The results indicated that in the treatment and positive control groups, the amount of liver enzymes decreased significantly compared to the negative control group (P<0.001). Histopathologically, necrosis and lymphocytic infiltration were reduced in the groups receiving Phlomis cancellata extract and silymarin.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Phlomis cancellata had a protective role in improving acute acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome affected by the hippocampal function. Mesenchymal stem cells-conditioned medium (MSC-CMs) has shown antioxidant and neuroprotective potentials in treating various diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of MSC-CMs on the thermal treatment of reserpine-induced FM and evaluate the concentration changes of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the hippocampus of rats under these conditions.

220 g. Animals received reserpine (1 mg/kg) in the FM groups, and subcutaneous injection of normal saline in other groups, once a day for 3 consecutive days. Then, the rats received MSC-CM (0.3 and 0.5 mg/ml protein content, intraperitoneally) once a week for three weeks. The thermal pain threshold of mice was evaluated using tail flick and hot plate tests at the beginning and end of the experiments. TNF-α concentration in the hippocampus was determined by an ELISA kit at the end of the experimental period.

The thermal pain threshold of rats in the FM group decreased significantly (P<0.01) in both pain tests compared to that of the control group. A significant increase (P<0.01) was observed in the level of TNF-α in the hippocampus of rats in the FM group compared to that of the control group. Treatment with MSC-CMs significantly reduced reserpine-induced pain and hippocampal TNF-a concentration despite the effect of fresh and conditioned medium on control rats.

Treatment with MSC-CMs could control thermal pain in the rat model of reserpine-induced fibromyalgia by controlling the TNF-a level in the hippocampus.

immune system in elderly people. This study aimed to investigate the effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and low-intensity continuous training (LICT) along with Citrus aurantium (CA) extract on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in soleus muscle tissue of aged female rats.
 

A total of 42 aged female rats were divided into (1) control (C), (2) LICT, (3) HIIT, (4) LICT+CA, (5) HIIT+CA, (6) CA, and (7) sham (normal-saline) groups. During eight weeks, HIIT was performed with an intensity of 85-90% of maximum speed and LICT with an intensity of 65% of maximum speed for five sessions per week, and 300 mg/kg/day of Citrus aurantium extract was daily intraperitoneally injected. The collected data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc statistical tests (P≤ 0.05).

TNF-α in LICT (P=0.001), HIIT+CA (P=0.004) and LICT+CA (P=0.007) groups were significantly lower than the C group. In the LICT group, TNF-α was significantly lower than the CA (P=0.001), HIIT (P=0.001), LICT+CA (P=0.02), and HIIT+CA (P=0.014) groups. It was also lower in the LICT+CA (P=0.007) and HIIT+CA (P=0.011) groups than the HIIT group. IL-6 levels in HIIT+CA group were significantly lower than the control group (P=0.02).

It seems that the training (continuous and interval) along with CA extract has favorable effect on TNF-α compared to HIIT; however, investigating the mechanism of intensity and type of training as well as different dosage of CA on IL-6 requires further studies.

Diazinon is an organophosphate insecticide that causes oxidative stress. However, physical activity improves the antioxidant status of the heart. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of an eight-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the indices of oxidative stress in the heart tissue in male rats exposed to diazinon.

In this experimental study, 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats with a weight of 150 to 200 gm and an average age of eight weeks were randomly divided into three groups )n=8), including 1) control (C), 2) diazinon (D), and 3) HIIT and diazinon (HD). Groups 2 and 3 received diazinon 1.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally for five days a week for eight weeks. Group 3 also underwent HIIT with an intensity of 85% to 110% of VO2max and a speed of 15-25 m/min for eight weeks. After eight weeks, Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) gene expression were measured in the heart tissue. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 22) and running the Shapiro-Wilk statistical test, one-way analysis of variance, and Tukey’s post hoc tests. Moreover, a P-value of ≤0.05 was considered significant.

The findings showed that diazinon significantly increased MDA (P=0.001) and decreased SOD and CAT (P=0.001) in the heart tissue. On the other hand, HIIT led to a decrease in MDA (P=0.001) and an increase in the antioxidant indices of SOD (P=0.001) and CAT (P=0.01) in the heart tissue of rats exposed to diazinon.

It seems that regular HIIT had protective effects against heart tissue damage by diazinon poisoning by reducing oxidative stress indicators and increasing antioxidant activities in the heart tissue.

Vitamin D has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of vitamin D on Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), testosterone hormones and testicular tissue changes induced by methotrexate in adult male rats.

In this experimental study, 30 adult male Wistar rats weighing 230-260 g were divided into six groups (n=5). Control group: They received no extract or solvent, sham group: 1 ml of distilled water as a solvent, treatment group 1: methotrexate (5 mg/kg) (gavage), treatment group 2: vitamin D (1000 IU/kg), treatment group 3: methotrexate (5 mg/kg) + vitamin D (500 IU/kg), and treatment group 4: methotrexate (5 mg/kg) + vitamin D (1000 IU/kg). After 28 days of treatment in the form of gavage, blood was taken directly from the heart to measure the serum concentration of LH, FSH, and testosterone hormones. The testes were removed and tissue changes were examined with hematoxylin-eosin staining. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS (version 18), one-way analysis of variance, and post hoc Tukey's test.

In the group receiving methotrexate, the level of testosterone hormone, the number of spermatogonia (P>0.001), spermatocytes (P>0.001), sperm (P>0.001) and Leydig cells (P>0.001) decreased and the serum level of LH (P>0.001) and FSH (P>0.001) increased significantly compared to the control and sham groups. In groups receiving methotrexate + vitamin D, vitamin D was able to compensate for the adverse effects caused by methotrexate.

Our results showed that vitamin D could improve LH, FSH, testosterone hormones, and testicular tissue changes induced by methotrexate in adult male rats.

Cadmium (Cd) is a nephrotoxic environmental pollutant, and microRNAs have been recently investigated as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and pathology study of certain diseases. The present study aimed to determine the protective effect of aerobic physical activity on the changes of mir-21 and mir-146-b in renal tissue caused by cadmium chloride in male rats.

This experimental study was conducted on 32 healthy adult male Wistar rats with a mean weight of 250±30 grams and an age of 12 weeks. They were randomly assigned to four groups (n=8):   1- control group (C), 2- Exercise group (E), 3- Cadmium chloride group (CC), and 4- Cadmium+exercise group (CE). Aerobic exercises were performed five times a week for five weeks. It was run at a speed of 27 meters per minute with a zero slope for 16 min. During the study period, the rats received the cadmium chloride as gavage (a daily dose of three milligrams per kilogram of body weight diluted with distilled water orally). The mir-21 and mir-146-b were measured by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 24) using a one-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni's post hoc test at a significance level of 0.05.

The present study demonstrated a significant lower expression of miR-21 (P=0.001) and a higher expression of miR-146-b (P=0.014) in the cadmium group than in the control group. Compared to the control group, aerobic training illustrated a more balanced state through a significant increase in miR-21 gene expression, as well as a significant decrease in miR-146-b.

The obtained results indicated that regular moderate-intensity exercise in cadmium-treated rats leads to microRNA secretion regulation associated with renal toxicity.

Pistacia atlantica is one of the medicinal plants native to Iran and known for its antimicrobial properties. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal effects of the aqueous extract of P. atlantica leaves on clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and Candida albicans in vivo.

In this descriptive-cross-sectional study, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/ fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) of aqueous extract of pistachio leaf were determined on 60 isolates of E. coli and 60 isolates of C. albicans, according to CLSI protocol at concentrations of 0.125-100 mg/ml. The obtained results were analyzed using R software at a significance level of 0.05.

The mean minimum inhibitory concentrations of coriander extract for E. coli and C. albicans clinical isolates were obtained at 45.3±1.0 and 43.7±1.1 mg/ml, respectively. The comparison of the minimum concentration of growth inhibitor and lethality of clinical isolates with standard E. coli strain was not significantly different (P=0.65); nonetheless, the standard strains of C. albicans were significantly different from the clinical isolates of this fungus (P<0.001).

As evidenced by the results of the present study, the aqueous extract of P. atlantica leaves has inhibitory effects on the clinical isolates of E. coli and C. albicans. Therefore, it is possible to use the aqueous extract of this plant in isolation or in combination with other drugs to treat urinary tract and vaginal infections.

May-Turner syndrome is a relatively uncommon anatomical variation in which patients develop iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) due to venous occlusion. In this syndrome, the left common iliac vein is compressed against the fifth lumbar vertebra by the right common iliac artery. The real incidence/prevalence of May-Turner syndrome is not precisely known, but it is estimated to be between 22 - 32% based on imaging studies. However, this syndrome is hardly ever considered in DVT diagnosis, especially in individuals with other risk factors. This venous occlusion may cause several symptoms such as leg swelling, venous thrombosis, or even more serious complications including pulmonary embolism.  The use of systemic anticoagulants alone is inefficient for the treatment of May-Turner syndrome, and more aggressive approaches are necessary to prevent clots recurrence. In this article, we described a case of a young woman suffering from pain and progressive swelling of the left lower limb without any provoking factors. With a comprehensive diagnostic approach including Doppler ultrasound and seeing a thrombus in the external iliac and left femoral veins and obstruction of the left common iliac vein in the venography images, it was determined that she has iliac vein compression syndrome. When facing unilateral venous thromboses, especially in younger age groups, the differential diagnosis should also consider May-Turner syndrome.