Leishmaniosis is a tropical neglected parasitic disease that is endemic in many countries, including Middle East, with no existing effective vaccines. The bite of female sand-fly transmits the causative agent, Leishmania spp., to humans. High toxicity, resistance and treatment failure of the available chemotherapy against visceral leishmaniosis demands the investigation of new anti-leishmanial compounds. Lupeol is a form of triterpene isolated from several medicinal plants and possesses an antimicrobial property. In this study, cytotoxic effect of lupeol was screened against the mammalian amastigotes form and insect promastigote form of Leishmania donovani, following three cycles of incubation at different concentrations by MTT assay. Results revealed the in vitro anti-leishmanial effect of lupeol on both forms of the parasite where significant decline in promastigotes and amastigotes growth was observed. This was conducted along three times of follow up (24, 48, 72) hours, in comparison to the classical sodium stibogluconate treatment. Cell viability was calculated and the minimum IC50 was detected after 48 hours for amastigotes and 24 hours for promastigotes, 12.125 µM, 102.78 µM, respectively. Given the severity of visceral leishmaniosis and the toxicity of conventional chemotherapies, the anti-leishmanial activity of lupeol suggested a promising compound for additional clinical trials
Background This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of once-daily liraglutide as an add-on to oral antidiabetics (OADs) on glycemic control and body weight in obese patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods A total of 27 obese T2D patients who received 7 months (0.6 mg/day for the first month, 1.2 mg/day for 3 months, and 1.8 mg/day for 3 months) of liraglutide treatment as an add-on to OADs were included. Data on body weight (kg), fasting plasma glucose (FPG, mg/dL), postprandial glucose (PPG, mg/dL), and HbA1c (%), were recorded. Results Liraglutide doses of 1.2 mg/day and 1.8 mg/day were associated with significant decreases in body weight (by 8.0% and 11.9%, respectively, p < 0.01 for each) and HbA1c (by 20.0
... Show MoreKlebsiella pneumoniae has been found in the urinary tract of some bladder cancer patients. Bacterial presence within tumor tissue may affect the tumor-microenvironment and consequently influence cancer behavior, development, and treatment response. This study investigated mesenchymal and stemness transdifferentiation of bladder cancer cell line due to environmental stress of K. pneumoniae. Cultures of urothelial bladder cancer cell line (T24) were infected with K. pneumoniae with different multiplicity of infection (MOI) for two and four days. Transdifferentiation-associated features were morphologically assessed.
Moreover, transdifferentiation markers were estimated using Q-PCR and immunohistoc
... Show MoreBackground: The development of orthodontic biomaterials that attract less biofilm has been a goal for decades. Adhesion and colonization of cariogenic streptococci are considered to play key roles in the development of enamel demineralization related to orthodontic materials. The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the Mutans streptococci adhesion to coated orthodontic archwires (Epoxy and Teflon) and uncoated archwires (stainless steel and nickel-titanium) with respect to incubation time in the presence and absence of saliva. Material and Method: Six types of archwires stainless steel and nickel titanium with two type of coating (Epoxy, Teflon) were used in this study. Twelve specimens of each archwire were incubated in steri
... Show MoreThe antimicrobial potency of the crude ethanolic extracts from different Iraqi plants were evaluated . Further more, total sesquiterpene lactones and phenolic compounds were isolated and their antimicrobial activity attempted. The results indicated that crude extracts have no activity except that of Callistemon lanceolatus. Also, the sesquiterpene lactones and phenolic compounds isolated from Callistemon lanceolatus were the most significant antimicrobial active constituents of the studied plants.
In this work, novel copolymers of poly(adipic anhydride-co-mannitol) were synthesized by melting condensation polymerization of poly(adipic anhydride) with five percentages of mannitol sugar, 1 to 5 Wt.%. These copolymers were purified and then, characterized by FT-IR, which was proved that the cross-linking reaction was caused by nucleophilic attack of mannitol hydroxyl group to acidic anhydride groups of poly(adipic anhydride) backbone and new ester groups were formed and appeared. Also, modified organic-soluble chitosan, N-maleoyl-chitosan, were synthesized by grafting reaction of chitosan with maleic anhydride in DMF as solvent, and it was also purified and characterized by FT-IR. Biodegradation in vitro of the IPNs of poly(adipic anhyd
... Show MoreBackground This study aimed to develop remineralizing calcium-phosphate (CaP) etchant pastes for enamel conditioning before bracket bonding and evaluate the bonding performance, failure pattern, and enamel surface integrity post bracket debonding in comparison with the conventional phosphoric acid (PA) etchant gel. Material and Methods Micro-sized monocalcium phosphate monohydrate and hydroxyapatite (micro- and nano-sized) powders were mixed with various phosphoric and nitric acid concentrations to develop eight acidic CaP pastes. Ninety extracted human premolars were randomly assigned into eight experimental and one control group (n=10). The developed pastes and control (commercial 37% PA-gel) were applied onto the enamel using the etch-a
... Show MoreAbstract Mitoxantrone is an antitumor agent used in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer, acute leukemia, lymphoma, and also in the treatment of multiple sclerosis due to its immunosuppressive properties. The mitoxantrone's cardiotoxicity is irreversible, dose-dependent, and it may occur years after treatment. Zinc is considered as an essential mineral for cell division and the synthesis of DNA and protein; furthermore, such mineral has an important role in states of cardiovascular diseases; and may have protective effects in coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy. Objective: The current study is designed to investigate effects of two different doses of zinc sulfate on mitoxantrone-induced cardiotoxicity
... Show MoreAbstract
Mitoxantrone is an antitumor agent used in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer, acute leukemia, lymphoma, and also in the treatment of multiple sclerosis due to its immunosuppressive properties. The mitoxantrone's cardiotoxicity is irreversible, dose-dependent, and it may occur years after treatment. Zinc is considered as an essential mineral for cell division and the synthesis of DNA and protein; furthermore, such mineral has an important role in states of cardiovascular diseases; and may have protective effects in coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy.
Objective: The current study is designed to investigate effects of two different doses of zinc sulfat
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