Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis Induction of Essential Oils and Extracts of Nepeta cataria L. on Human Prostatic and Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Emami, Seyed Ahmad,Asili, Javad,HosseinNia, Shima,Yazdian-Robati, Rezvan,Sahranavard, Mehrdad,Tayarani-Najaran, Zahra Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.no.sup3

Nepeta cataria L. has been used in traditional medicine of some countries. Here the cytotoxic and apoptogenic activity of methanol extracts, n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and acqueous extracts and the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of the plant were evaluated with PC3, DU-145 and MCF-7 cell lines. Cell viability, histograms of PI stained fragmented DNA in apoptotic cells and Western blot analysis of proteins involved in the cascade of apoptosis were compared in all samples. Thirty components were identified as volatile, representing 99.7% of essential oil composition after GC-MS analysis of the oil obtained from aerial parts of the N. cataria by hydro-distillation. The major oil components of the essential oil were nepetalactone stereoisomers. Comparing IC50 values showed estrogen receptor positive PC3 cells were more sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of N. cataria in comparison with low hormone-receptor presenting DU-145 cells. Among multiple extracts and essential oils of the plant, only the ethyl acetate extract could significantly decrease cell viability in PC3 cells, in a concentration dependent manner. Ethyl acetate extract of N. cataria treated cells showed a sub-G1 peak in PC3 cells in a concentration dependent manner that indicates the involvement of an apoptotic process in ethyl acetate extract-induced cell death. Western blotting analysis showed that in PC3 cells treated with ethyl acetate (48 h) caspase 3 and PARP were cleaved to active forms. Overall, the results suggest that further analytical elucidation of N. cataria in respect to finding new cytotoxic chemicals with anti-tumor activity is warranted.

Characteristics of different ethnic and traditional bread from the perspective of Islamic traditional medicine

Seyed Ahmad Emami,Zahra Sobhani 한국식품연구원 2020 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.7 No.-

Background: Bread is one of the staple foods throughout the world due to its great nutritional attributes. There are numerous types of bread in different countries that some of them are specific to a particular region or ethnic group. Bread is one of the main sources of the daily dietary pattern of Iranian society and Muslims and it satisfies a large part of daily energy needs. Therefore, it has long been considered by Islamic traditional practitioners. In Islamic traditional medicine (ITM), the first step in treatment is the modification of the diet based on a person’s temperament and humors. For this reason, special attention has been paid to bread as a staple food. Scope and approach: This review described the ethnic bread of Iran and the views of some prominent ITM scientists such as Ibn Beytâr, Ibn Sinâ, Râzi, and Aqili on bread. They described the characteristics of the different types of bread based on the flour used, the amount of bran, and the method of baking with details. Furthermore, they prescribe a specific bread according to the nutritional value of each bread, the speed of digestion, and the temperament of the individual. Key findings and conclusions: Following the recommendations of traditional medicine can improve the bakery industry as well as reduce the side effects of some bread and their related diseases.

Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Uterus Inflammation: Implications from Iranian Folk Medicine

Amirhossein Sahebkar,Seyed Ahmad Emami 사단법인약침학회 2013 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.6 No.1

Anti-cancer Properties of a Sesquiterpene Lactone-bearing Fraction from Artemisia khorassanica

Rabe, Shahrzad Taghizadeh,Emami, Seyed Ahmad,Iranshahi, Mehrdad,Rastin, Maryam,Tabasi, Nafise,Mahmoudi, Mahmoud Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.3

Background: Artemisia species are important medicinal plants throughout the world. The present in vitro study, using a sesquiterpene lactone-bearing fraction prepared from Artemisia khorassanica (SLAK), sought to investigate anti-cancer properties of this plant and elucidate potential underlying mechanisms for the effects. Materials and Methods: Anti-cancer potential was evaluated by toxicity against human melanoma and fibroblast cell lines. To explore the involved pathways, pattern of any cell death was determined using annexin-V/PI staining and also the expression of Bax and cytochrome c was investigated by Western blotting. Results: The results showed that SLAK selectively caused a concentration-related inhibition of proliferation of melanoma cells that was associated with remarkable increase in early events and over-expression of both Bax and cytochrome c. Conclusions: The current experiment indicates that Artemisia may have anti-cancer activity. We anticipate that the ingredients may be employed as therapeutic candidates for melanoma.

Cytotoxic and Apoptotic Effects of Extracts of Artemisia ciniformis Krasch. & Popov ex Poljakov on K562 and HL-60 Cell Lines

Tayarani-Najaran, Zahra,Hajian, Zahra,Mojarrab, Mahdi,Emami, Seyed Ahmad Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.17

Artemisia, as one of the largest genera in the tribe Anthemideae of the Asteraceae comprises an important part of Iranian flora. While cytotoxic and apoptotic properties have already been reported for some species of the genus there is not any report on cytotoxic effects of A. ciniformis. Petroleum ether (40-60), dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol and ethanol-water (50:50) extracts of the aerial parts of A. cinformis were subjected to cytotoxic and apoptotic evaluations on two cancer human cell lines (K562 and HL-60) and on J774 normal cells. Among multiple extracts evaluated for cytotoxicity, dichloromethane ($CH_2Cl_2$) and petroleum ether (PE) extracts were shown to possess the highest anti-proliferative effects on HL-60 and K562 cells with $IC_{50}$ values of 31.3 and $25.5{\mu}g/ml$ respectively. Apoptosis induction verified by sub-G1 peaks was seen in flow cytometry histograms. Increase in the amount of Bax protein, formation of DNA fragments, and cleavage of PARP to 24 and 89kDa sub units all confirmed induction of apoptosis by A. cinformis extracts. Taken together according to the result of the present study some extracts of A. cinformis could be considered as sources for natural cytotoxic compounds and further mechanistic and phytochemical studies are recommended to fully understand the underlying mechanisms of cnacer cell death as well as identification of responsible phytochemicals.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the genetic characterization of human echinococcosis in Iran, an endemic country

Abolghasem Siyadatpanah,Davood Anvari,Amir Emami Zeydi,Seyed Abdollah Hosseini,Ahmad Daryani,Shahabeddin Sarvi,Christine M,Budke,Reza Esmaeelzadeh Dizaji,Mohammad Ali Mohaghegh,Mohammad Hasan Kohansal 한국역학회 2019 Epidemiology and Health Vol.41 No.-

Human echinococcosis is an infectious disease caused by tapeworms belonging to the species Echinococcus. This parasite has a worldwide distribution and is considered a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. Due to the diversity of Echinococcus spp. hosts, as well as variation in geographical, climatic, and socio-ethnic conditions, the question of the strains or genotypes of Echinococcus spp. that are involved in human infections is important. The aim of this study was to provide a summary of the available data on genotypes of Echinococcus obtained from the Iranian population. Four international databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science) and 4 Persian databases (Magiran, Scientific Information Database, Iran Medex, and IranDoc) were searched for cross-sectional studies that reported the genotypes of Echinococcus spp. in human echinococcosis cases using molecular methods in Iran through July 2018. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the selected studies. A total of 559 cases of human cystic echinococcosis were reported in the 21 included articles. The majority of cases belonged to genotype G1 (89.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 80.1 to 95.8), genotype G6 (8.2%; 95% CI, 2.8 to 15.9), and genotype G3 (2.3%; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.9). Since genotype G1 of Echinococcus appears to be the most prevalent genotype affecting humans in Iran, disease control initiatives aimed at sheep intermediate hosts may be the most beneficial. In addition, educational programs and serological screening in individuals may help reduce the national impact of the disease.

Comparison of an Iranian Traditional Massage (Fateh Method) with Physiotherapy and Acupuncture for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Namiranian Parva,Karimi Mehrdad,Razavi Seyede Zahra Emami,Garoos Ahmad Fateh,Ayati Mohammad Hossein 사단법인약침학회 2022 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.15 No.3

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is currently a major reason for disability worldwide. Therapeutic massage is one of the most popular non-pharmacological methods for managing chronic LBP (CLBP), and the Fateh method is a massage technique based on Iranian Traditional Medicine. Objectives: The current study aimed to compare the effects of Fateh massage with those of acupuncture and physiotherapy on relieving pain and disability in CLBP. Methods: Eighty-four patients with CLBP were categorized into groups that received Fateh massage, acupuncture, or physiotherapy. Each group included 28 randomly assigned patients who completed 10 sessions of therapy. Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and Roland–Morris disability scores were evaluated at baseline, after intervention, and four weeks later. The findings were analyzed with SPSS software. Results: The baseline VAS and Roland–Morris scores of the three study groups did not indicate significant differences (p > 0.05). All three groups showed significant pre-post improvements in both scores (p < 0.05). At the end of the treatment sessions, the three groups showed no significant difference in the reductions in pain intensity and disability score (p ˃ 0.05). Improvements in disability and pain between the first and third time points were significant in all three groups (p < 0.05 for each group). In addition, the results of massage, physiotherapy, and acupuncture groups were not significantly different (p > 0.05). No adverse events occurred in the patients. Conclusion: The effects of Fateh massage were comparable to those of acupuncture and physiotherapy in reducing pain and disability in patients with CLBP.

Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Dorema Species (Apiaceae): A Review

Zibaee, Elaheh,Amiri, Mohammad Sadegh,Boghrati, Zahra,Farhadi, Faeghe,Ramezani, Mahin,Emami, Seyed Ahmad,Sahebkar, Amirhossein KOREAN PHARMACOPUNCTURE INSTITUTE 2020 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.23 No.3

The application of antique medical instructions, practices, skills and knowledge has been considered as the most affordable treatment in many developing countries. The use of these preparations and prescriptions over generations has made a useful and valuable guide for drug discovery in modern medicine. Medical herbs have been of a high importance for this purpose. The genus Dorema, of Apiaceae family (Umbelliferae) has a wide use in ethnobotany and traditional medicine around the world. It has been used as a treatment for CNS disease, convulsion, upper respiratory tract problems, gastrointestinal disorder and high blood sugar. Furthermore, phytochemical investigations have reported Dorema species to contain a wide range of constituents including terpenes, coumarins and phenolic compounds. The current review summarizes comprehensive information regarding botany, phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects of Dorema spp.

A New Document on Smallpox Vaccination

Zahra Tayarani-Najaran,Nilufar Tayarani-Najaran,Amirhossein Sahebkar,Seyed Ahmad Emami 사단법인약침학회 2016 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.9 No.6

Modern medicine owes much to the invaluable heritage of the practices of past generations and their achievements that have now become medical rules. In the case of vaccination, there is evidence that the nomads of Baluchistan (Southeast Iran) demonstrated natural immunization against cowpox, a practice that was later introduced to the medical community by Edward Jenner. Although the discoveries of scientists cannot be ignored, they are certainly based on the traditional and indigenous experiences that have been transferred from generation to generation until reaching us.