OBJECTIVE： There is increasing interest in complementary and alternative medicine generally, and especially by those affected by chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus. We aimed to determine the prevalence and p...OBJECTIVE： There is increasing interest in complementary and alternative medicine generally, and especially by those affected by chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus. We aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of complementary and altemative medicine use among patients suffering from diabetes mellitus in Shiraz, southern Iran. Another objective was to explore associated factors for use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with diabetes mellitus. METHODS： A 19-item semi-structured questionnaire （open- and close-ended） was administered to 239 patients with diabetes mellitus in this cross-sectional study. It was carried out in two outpatient diabetes clinics affiliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. RESULTS： One hundred and eighty patients （75.3%） used at least one type of complementary and alternative medicine in the last year prior to the interview. Patients with diabetes mellitus who were living in a large family （〉 5 members）, not taking insulin, and believed that complementary and alternative medicine have synergistic effects with conventional medicine, were independently and significantly （P values： 0.02, 0.04, and 0.01, respectively） more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine. Most of the users （97.7%） reported use of herbal preparations, and 89.4% of users did not change their medication, neither in medication schedule nor its dosage. CONCLUSION： The use of complementary and alternative medicine, especially herbal remedies, is popular among diabetes patients in Shiraz, Iran. This use is associated with patients＇ family size, type of conventional medications and their view about concomitant use of complementary and conventional medicine.展开更多
Objective: This study investigated the biochemical, histopathological and physiological effects of Citrullus colocynthis on peripheral neuropathy in rats with streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes.Methods: Seventy adul...Objective: This study investigated the biochemical, histopathological and physiological effects of Citrullus colocynthis on peripheral neuropathy in rats with streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes.Methods: Seventy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in the present study. Diabetes was induced in 60 rats, with a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ(65 mg/kg). After 4 weeks, the diabetic rats were assessed for neuropathy. Then, the diabetic rats with neuropathy were randomly divided into 6 groups for a 4-week treatment with gabapentin, oral administration of C. colocynthis fruit pulp powder(100 and 300 mg/kg per day), topical preparations as oil-based solution and ointment, or placebo.Changes in metabolic, physiological, biochemical and histological parameters were considered as treatment outcomes.Results: Metabolic outcomes(body weight and blood glucose level) were improved in the C. colocynthistreated groups as compared to placebo. Tail-flick and hot-plate tests also had lower latency in the C. colocynthis-treated groups. Measurement of oxidative stress markers(malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and catalase) showed the antioxidant effect of C. colocynthis. Histological evaluation of the sciatic nerve showed that C. colocynthis decreased the number of demyelinated and degenerated nerve fibers.Among the C. colocynthis-treated groups, the one receiving 100 mg/kg power per day orally had the best treatment outcomes.Conclusion: The present study showed that C. colocynthis fruit, through its antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities, has a positive effect in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.展开更多
Background： Lipid-lowering effect ofRhus coriaria L. （Rhus） has been investigated in multiple animal stud- ies with promising results. Nonetheless, its clinical efficacy has not been adequately examined. Objective...Background： Lipid-lowering effect ofRhus coriaria L. （Rhus） has been investigated in multiple animal stud- ies with promising results. Nonetheless, its clinical efficacy has not been adequately examined. Objective： The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid-lowering effects of Rhus among patients with hyperlipidemia. Design, setting, participants and interventions： The study was designed as a two-arm, double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, using a parallel design. Eighty patients with primary hyper- lipidemia were randomly assigned to receive Rhus capsules or placebo for 6 weeks. Main outcome measures： The serum lipid levels, apolipoprotein-A1 （Apo-A1） and apolipoprotein-B （Apo-B） were measured. Results： Mean serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） and Apo-Al levels were significantly increased in the Rhus group, compared with the placebo group, after 6 weeks of intervention （P= 0.001）. The analysis of covariance test including age, gender, body mass index （BMI）, and smoking as co-variables revealed that the increase in HDL-C and Apo-A1 levels remained significant, and increases in HDL-C were dependent on the increase in Apo-A1 levels. No significant difference was observed between Rhus and placebo groups in terms of mean reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipopro- tein cholesterol and triglyceride levels; however, more significant improvement was observed among obese patients （BMI≥ 30 kg/m^2）. Conclusion： The study showed significant increases in HDL-C and Apo-Al levels in response to Rhus sup- plementation in patients with hyperlipidemia. Trial registration： ClinicalTrials.gov ID： NCT02295293.展开更多
文摘OBJECTIVE： There is increasing interest in complementary and alternative medicine generally, and especially by those affected by chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus. We aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of complementary and altemative medicine use among patients suffering from diabetes mellitus in Shiraz, southern Iran. Another objective was to explore associated factors for use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with diabetes mellitus. METHODS： A 19-item semi-structured questionnaire （open- and close-ended） was administered to 239 patients with diabetes mellitus in this cross-sectional study. It was carried out in two outpatient diabetes clinics affiliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. RESULTS： One hundred and eighty patients （75.3%） used at least one type of complementary and alternative medicine in the last year prior to the interview. Patients with diabetes mellitus who were living in a large family （〉 5 members）, not taking insulin, and believed that complementary and alternative medicine have synergistic effects with conventional medicine, were independently and significantly （P values： 0.02, 0.04, and 0.01, respectively） more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine. Most of the users （97.7%） reported use of herbal preparations, and 89.4% of users did not change their medication, neither in medication schedule nor its dosage. CONCLUSION： The use of complementary and alternative medicine, especially herbal remedies, is popular among diabetes patients in Shiraz, Iran. This use is associated with patients＇ family size, type of conventional medications and their view about concomitant use of complementary and conventional medicine.
基金supported by the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences(grant number:11222-01-01-95).
文摘Objective: This study investigated the biochemical, histopathological and physiological effects of Citrullus colocynthis on peripheral neuropathy in rats with streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes.Methods: Seventy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in the present study. Diabetes was induced in 60 rats, with a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ(65 mg/kg). After 4 weeks, the diabetic rats were assessed for neuropathy. Then, the diabetic rats with neuropathy were randomly divided into 6 groups for a 4-week treatment with gabapentin, oral administration of C. colocynthis fruit pulp powder(100 and 300 mg/kg per day), topical preparations as oil-based solution and ointment, or placebo.Changes in metabolic, physiological, biochemical and histological parameters were considered as treatment outcomes.Results: Metabolic outcomes(body weight and blood glucose level) were improved in the C. colocynthistreated groups as compared to placebo. Tail-flick and hot-plate tests also had lower latency in the C. colocynthis-treated groups. Measurement of oxidative stress markers(malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and catalase) showed the antioxidant effect of C. colocynthis. Histological evaluation of the sciatic nerve showed that C. colocynthis decreased the number of demyelinated and degenerated nerve fibers.Among the C. colocynthis-treated groups, the one receiving 100 mg/kg power per day orally had the best treatment outcomes.Conclusion: The present study showed that C. colocynthis fruit, through its antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities, has a positive effect in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
基金supported by a grant from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences–Iran (Grant No. 92-5581)
文摘Background： Lipid-lowering effect ofRhus coriaria L. （Rhus） has been investigated in multiple animal stud- ies with promising results. Nonetheless, its clinical efficacy has not been adequately examined. Objective： The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid-lowering effects of Rhus among patients with hyperlipidemia. Design, setting, participants and interventions： The study was designed as a two-arm, double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, using a parallel design. Eighty patients with primary hyper- lipidemia were randomly assigned to receive Rhus capsules or placebo for 6 weeks. Main outcome measures： The serum lipid levels, apolipoprotein-A1 （Apo-A1） and apolipoprotein-B （Apo-B） were measured. Results： Mean serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） and Apo-Al levels were significantly increased in the Rhus group, compared with the placebo group, after 6 weeks of intervention （P= 0.001）. The analysis of covariance test including age, gender, body mass index （BMI）, and smoking as co-variables revealed that the increase in HDL-C and Apo-A1 levels remained significant, and increases in HDL-C were dependent on the increase in Apo-A1 levels. No significant difference was observed between Rhus and placebo groups in terms of mean reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipopro- tein cholesterol and triglyceride levels; however, more significant improvement was observed among obese patients （BMI≥ 30 kg/m^2）. Conclusion： The study showed significant increases in HDL-C and Apo-Al levels in response to Rhus sup- plementation in patients with hyperlipidemia. Trial registration： ClinicalTrials.gov ID： NCT02295293.
