Background and Objective: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs as a consequence of decrease in insulin secretion or resistance to insulin. Most diabetes related treatments have problems with adverse reactions. Natural therapeutics have been in use from long time ago up to present time. Ginseng is a traditional drug used for treatment of many dieses particularly diabetes. The aim of this study was to find out the effect of oral Ginseng on the serum glucose and other biochemical parameters such as lipid profile.
Materials and Methods: In this study 30 male rats with a body weight of 250±25 gr and age of 4-6 months was used. Each animal was housed under controlled temperature (21+_2 C) and standard conditions with free access to food and water. Blood test was carried out to measure glucoses and other biochemical parameters such as cholesterol, TG, ALT, AST and BUN.  Animals were equally divided into three groups; 1-control group, 2-the STZ-induced-diabetes (60 mg/kg) group, 3- the STZ-induced-diabetes (60 mg/kg) and150 mg/kg oral ginseng. The study was lasted for 6 weeks. Blood samples were taken and tested for glucoses and other parameters.
Results: The average blood sugar in the control group was 131.1±7.9 mg/dl, but it was higher than 550mg/dl in streptozocine- received group. In group 3, which received ginseng, blood sugar decreased up to 50%. Cholestrol decreased up to 40% in the treatment group. Among the measured parameters HDL showed a 50%decrease in treatment group in comparison with diabetic group. AST and ALT values between the control and treatment groups did not show a significant difference. BUN values decreased from 71.6±6.6 in diabetic group to 50.1±5.7 mg dl in the treatment group.
Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that ginseng can be considered as a substance which decreases blood glucoses, reduces diabetes adverse reactions, and consequently diminishing blood lipids in animal model. However, to apply these results to human, further studies are needed to be carried out.

Background and Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative disorder that leads to progressive cognitive decline. The memory dysfunction of AD has been associated with a cortical cholinergic deficiency and loss of cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM). This study investigated the effect of ethanolic extract of Cyperus rotundu tubers (CRT) on motor activity in NBM-lesioned rat model of AD and intact rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 49 Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups. For this purpose, Wistar rats received bilateral electric lesions of the NBM. The control and sham groups received distilled water while NBM-lesioned group received CRT extract for 20 days with doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. Intact rats received CRT extract for 20 days without any surgery. The motor activity was assessed with Rotarod apparatus. Data were analyzed using one- way Anova and LSD test. Results: Use of ethanolic extract of CRT for 20 days improved motor activity in NBM-lesioned rats that received extract with a dose of 100 mg/kg. Ethanolic extract of CRT in the intact rats for 20 days significantly reduced motor activity when compared with the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that ethanolic extract of CRT is useful in NBM-induced lesion rats via inducing some changes in acetylcholine levels in the brain.

   Background & Objective:  It has been postulated that depressed individuals with low total cholesterol levels may be more likely to die prematurely from suicide. This study aimed to examine the association between low serum cholesterol and suicide in depressed attempters.
 Materials & Methods:  In this cross-sectional study, 180 suicide attempters, who met the inclusion criteria and were willing to participate in the study, were recruited in 2017. The data was collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II). The blood cholesterol level was measured via an auto-analyzer.
 Results:  The mean age was 26.39±10.75 years. The average cholesterol level in the moderate, severe, and serious depression groups was 151.30±35.23, 145.89±36.32, and 145.15±33.33, respectively. The mean age was higher in the group with a higher depression level, though the difference was not significant (P=0.06). The percentage of suicide attempts in single individuals was significantly higher (P=0.02). The mean cholesterol level in the group with the highest level of depression was the lowest, but the difference was insignificant (r=-.01, P=0.85). Only in females, the level of blood cholesterol showed a nearly significant difference between groups with different severities of depression (P=0.05). Cholesterol had a significant correlation with suicide frequency (P=0.008, r=0.28).
 Conclusion:  Our results revealed no significant association between low serum cholesterol and suicide in attempters with depression; but low total serum cholesterol may be associated with depression and suicide in depressed subjects. Yet, more studies are required for verification of this causality.

Hydatid cysts can be caused by Echinococcus species in various tissues. Skeletal cystic lesions are very rare and may be neglected. Here, we report a case of pathologic fracture following primary hydatid cystic lesions in the proximal and femoral shaft bone. A 62-year-old man suffered a sudden fracture followed by swelling of the thigh. Intramedullary femoral fixation was made and during the surgery, numerous cystic lesions of the hydatid cysts were observed. After  the surgery ultrasound and CT-Scans of the abdomen, lung, spine, and brain did not confirm any sign of mass or cyst elsewhere. The patient was followed up for one year. During this period, the union was not yet completely established and the patient was stillreceiving treatment. Orthopedic surgeons need to be aware of this parasitic complication in bones and joints and provide the best outcome for the patients with proper treatment. Surgery along with albendazole and/or mebendazole  therapy remains the treatment of choice. For this purpose, it is recommended that attention be paid to long-term follow-up in continuous professional development courses.

Background and Objective: Increment in cancer prevalence and subsequent need for chemotherapy leads to distinct kidney-related diseases such as acute kidney injury (AKI). Cisplatin is a common chemotherapeutic agent that has been used in many cancers; however, it can damage renal cells. Capparis spinosa is an important therapeutic plant in Persian medicine that encompasses high amounts of bioactive antioxidant components. The current study aimed to evaluate the nephroprotective effects of Capparis spinosa seed hydroalcoholic extract (CSSE) against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in vivo through histopathological evaluation.
Materials and Methods: Forty Sprague Dawley rats weighing within the range of 230±20 gr were randomly divided into eight groups including sham, a single-dose cisplatin intraperitoneally (IP) injected group (7 mg/kg), toxic dose CSSE (200 mg/kg) group, and groups with cisplatin 7mg/kg IP and different doses of CSSE. Histopathological changes in the kidney tissues were quantified by the image-J program and analyzed by statistical methods.
Results: Cisplatin-induced glomerular and tubular injuries in the kidney tissue. A single-dose cisplatin decreased the glomerular area and Bowman's capsule area, increased Bowman's space, and induced tubular loss of brush borders, tubular dilatation, tubular cast formation and tubular necrosis. All of the changes were reversed by CSSE significantly.
Conclusion: Post-CSSE (50 and 100 mg/kg) treatment could protect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in vivo. More clinical studies are needed to confirm its protective effects on the prevention of kidney injury in chemotherapy receiving patients.

Background and Objective: Cisplatin as a chemotherapy drug causes liver damage by increasing inflammation. Hepatoprotective agents with antioxidant properties can be useful for preventing this complication. Capparis spinosa, as a natural antioxidant source, can help to eliminate these productions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of two different doses of hydroalcoholic extract of Capparis seed on cisplatin-induced liver damages in rats.
Materials and Methods: Forty male rats were divided into five groups (the control group, Cis (cisplatin) group, 200 C/S (Capparis spinosa), Cis + 50 C/S, and Cis + 100 C/S). Biochemical and histopathological evaluations were made. At the end of the study, all animals were euthanized with a CO2 gradient. Statistical analyses were performed through Graph Pad Prism Statistics software 9.1.2. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: Liver function tests, antioxidant and inflammatory markers and histopathological changes were evaluated. Significant changes in the pathology results were noticeable. Central vein, portal vein and bile duct diameter, thickness of the hepatic artery wall, and hepatic sinusoids were significantly increased in the Cis and 200 C/S-fed groups, compared to the controls, and also changes in favor of improvement were evident in the treatment groups, especially in the Cis + 100 C/S group compared to the Cis and 200 C/S groups.
Conclusion: Based on pathology results, treatment with C. spinosa seed extract may be helpful in preventing cisplatin hepatotoxicity.