This review focuses on the efficacy and safety of effective herbal medicines in the management of obesity in humans and animals. PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and IranMedex databases were searched up...This review focuses on the efficacy and safety of effective herbal medicines in the management of obesity in humans and animals. PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and IranMedex databases were searched up to December 30, 2008. The search terms were ＂obesity＂ and （＇herbal medicine＂ or ＂plant＂, ＂plant medicinal＂ or ＂medicine traditional＂） without narrowing or limiting search elements. All of the human and animal studies on the effects of herbs with the key outcome of change in anthropometric measures such as body weight and waist-hip circumference, body fat, amount of food intake, and appetite were included. In vitro studies, reviews, and letters to editors were excluded. Of the publications identified in the initial database, 915 results were identified and reviewed, and a total of 77 studies were included （19 human and 58 animal studies）. Studies with Cissus quadrangularis （CQ）, Sambucus nigra, Asparagus officinalis, Garcinia atroviridis, ephedra and caffeine, Slimax （extract of several plants including Zingiber officinale and Bofutsushosan） showed a significant decrease in body weight. In 41 animal studies, significant weight loss or inhibition of weight gain was found. No significant adverse effects or mortality were observed except in studies with supplements containing ephedra, caffeine and Bofutsushosan. In conclusion, compounds containing ephedra, CQr ginseng, bitter melon, and zingiber were found to be effective in the management of obesity. Attention to these natural compounds would open a new approach for novel therapeutic and more effective agents.展开更多
AIM: To investigate pathogenic mutations related to malignant pheochromocytoma in neurofibromatosis(NF).METHODS: We present a patient with NF and metastatic pheochromocytoma in whom genetic screening for presence of p...AIM: To investigate pathogenic mutations related to malignant pheochromocytoma in neurofibromatosis(NF).METHODS: We present a patient with NF and metastatic pheochromocytoma in whom genetic screening for presence of pathogenic mutations in RET protooncogene, von Hippel-Lindau(VHL) and succinate dehydrogenase complex subunits B(SDHB) genes were investigated. RET proto-oncogene mutation screening for exons 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 were examined by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and direct DNA sequencing in patient. Mutation screening for exons 1, 2, 3 of VHL gene was carried out. Both forward and reverse strandswere subjected to direct sequencing after PCR amplification. The entire coding sequence of SDHB gene was screened for the presence of pathogenic mutations by PCR-sequencing.RESULTS: A 45-year-old man presented with abdominal pain and hypertension over the previous year. The patient was a known case of neurofibromatosis type 1(NF1) who presented at the age of 15 years with hyperpigmented and hypopigmented lesions. After complete evaluation for hypertension, biochemical tests and imagings indicated a malignant pheochromocytoma of 120 mm × 70 mm in size. The patient underwent left adrenalectomy, nephrectomy and splenectomy. After surgery the symptoms improved and blood pressure was controlled. After 5 years he was admitted again for evaluation of hypertensive crisis. Biochemical tests were again consistent with pheochromocytoma and disease relapse. Imaging studies and liver biopsy confirmed metastatic pheochromocytoma to the liver and para-aortic area. 131 Iodine-metaiodobenzylguanidine therapy was carried out. Genetic screening of VHL(exons 1, 2, 3), RET proto-oncogene(exons 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16) and SDH complex subunits revealed no pathogenic mutation. CONCLUSION: We conclude that mutations in the NF1 gene are responsible for the patient's clinical findings. However, would be helpful to further examine somatic mutations for a more precise study of genotypephenotype correlation.展开更多
文摘This review focuses on the efficacy and safety of effective herbal medicines in the management of obesity in humans and animals. PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and IranMedex databases were searched up to December 30, 2008. The search terms were ＂obesity＂ and （＇herbal medicine＂ or ＂plant＂, ＂plant medicinal＂ or ＂medicine traditional＂） without narrowing or limiting search elements. All of the human and animal studies on the effects of herbs with the key outcome of change in anthropometric measures such as body weight and waist-hip circumference, body fat, amount of food intake, and appetite were included. In vitro studies, reviews, and letters to editors were excluded. Of the publications identified in the initial database, 915 results were identified and reviewed, and a total of 77 studies were included （19 human and 58 animal studies）. Studies with Cissus quadrangularis （CQ）, Sambucus nigra, Asparagus officinalis, Garcinia atroviridis, ephedra and caffeine, Slimax （extract of several plants including Zingiber officinale and Bofutsushosan） showed a significant decrease in body weight. In 41 animal studies, significant weight loss or inhibition of weight gain was found. No significant adverse effects or mortality were observed except in studies with supplements containing ephedra, caffeine and Bofutsushosan. In conclusion, compounds containing ephedra, CQr ginseng, bitter melon, and zingiber were found to be effective in the management of obesity. Attention to these natural compounds would open a new approach for novel therapeutic and more effective agents.
文摘AIM: To investigate pathogenic mutations related to malignant pheochromocytoma in neurofibromatosis(NF).METHODS: We present a patient with NF and metastatic pheochromocytoma in whom genetic screening for presence of pathogenic mutations in RET protooncogene, von Hippel-Lindau(VHL) and succinate dehydrogenase complex subunits B(SDHB) genes were investigated. RET proto-oncogene mutation screening for exons 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 were examined by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and direct DNA sequencing in patient. Mutation screening for exons 1, 2, 3 of VHL gene was carried out. Both forward and reverse strandswere subjected to direct sequencing after PCR amplification. The entire coding sequence of SDHB gene was screened for the presence of pathogenic mutations by PCR-sequencing.RESULTS: A 45-year-old man presented with abdominal pain and hypertension over the previous year. The patient was a known case of neurofibromatosis type 1(NF1) who presented at the age of 15 years with hyperpigmented and hypopigmented lesions. After complete evaluation for hypertension, biochemical tests and imagings indicated a malignant pheochromocytoma of 120 mm × 70 mm in size. The patient underwent left adrenalectomy, nephrectomy and splenectomy. After surgery the symptoms improved and blood pressure was controlled. After 5 years he was admitted again for evaluation of hypertensive crisis. Biochemical tests were again consistent with pheochromocytoma and disease relapse. Imaging studies and liver biopsy confirmed metastatic pheochromocytoma to the liver and para-aortic area. 131 Iodine-metaiodobenzylguanidine therapy was carried out. Genetic screening of VHL(exons 1, 2, 3), RET proto-oncogene(exons 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16) and SDH complex subunits revealed no pathogenic mutation. CONCLUSION: We conclude that mutations in the NF1 gene are responsible for the patient's clinical findings. However, would be helpful to further examine somatic mutations for a more precise study of genotypephenotype correlation.
