Rojan Ghorbani, Saghar Seifi Motehwer,
Volume 28, Issue 0 (Supplementary 2024)
Abstract
Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the most common chronic disorder worldwide. Diabetes occurs when the body either fails to produce insulin or cannot effectively utilize it, leading to insulin resistance. As a result, excessive sugar (glucose) accumulates in the bloodstream, which can lead to various complications, including heart disease, vision impairment, and kidney dysfunction. The increased production of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress contributes to the destruction of insulin-secreting beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans, further exacerbating the progression of diabetes. There are various medications available for diabetes, including insulin sensitizers (e.g., biguanides) and stimulators of insulin secretion (e.g., sulfonylureas). However, these drugs can lead to several complications, such as lactic acidosis, gastrointestinal disturbance, and hypersensitivity reactions. Traditional hypoglycemic herbs have received interest due to their low cost, effective combinations, low side effects, and recommendations from the WHO. This study investigates the effects of Eryngium billardieri on diabetes management. This plant was chosen because it has been traditionally recommended for treating diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic and hypoglycemic effect of the E. billardieri root extract (EBRE) in diabetic rats.
Method and Materials: Wister male rats (n = 36) were randomly distributed into six groups. The study groups included the control (group 1), diabetics with no treatment (group 2) who received normal saline orally, diabetic rats with oral administration of glibenclamide (GLI; group 3), and diabetic rats fed with EBRE at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg daily ( groups 4-6). Experiments were carried out over four weeks. For inducing people with diabetes, the rats received injections of streptozotocin and nicotinamide.
Results: Daily administration to diabetic rats at 100 mg/kg doses of EBRE for four weeks significantly reduced blood glucose and enhanced insulin concentration. In group 3, treatment with GLI resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose levels and a remarkable increase in insulin levels compared to the diabetic group. Additionally, 28-day treatments of diabetic animals with GLI at a dosage of 100 mg/kg significantly increased HOMA-β compared to the diabetic rats.
Conclusion and Discussion: This study indicates the hypoglycemic effect of EBRE, which can help treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. The most effective dose was found to be 100 mg/kg.
Mohammad Mehdi Jahani, Parisa Mashayekhi, Mir Davood Omrani, Adnan Khosravi, Ali Dehghanifard, Sanam Azad Manjiri, Mahyar Zahraie, Maryam Mabani, Sharareh Seifi, Babak Salimi, Parsa Rostami,
Volume 28, Issue 4 (7-2024)
Abstract
Background: Early and minimally invasive detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is a promising tool to select patients for targeted therapy in order to improve their prognosis. This study aimed to identify a sensitive, cost-effective, and easily accessible noninvasive method for detecting the EGFR-targetable mutations in the plasma exosomal DNA (exoDNA)+ of patients with NSCLC.
Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted over 10 months, from December 2022 to October 2023, at Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran, Iran. A total of 30 patients with stage II-IV NSCLC and targetable mutation in the EGFR gene were included in the study. Nested PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to evaluate EGFR mutations in the DNA extracted from circulating exosomes.
Results: The study found a sensitivity of 76.6% for EGFR mutation detection on exoDNA compared to tissue results. No significant impact was observed based on tumor staging, histology, mutation type, smoking status, gender, or age.
Conclusion: Therapeutically targetable driver mutations in the EGFR gene can be accurately detected using nested PCR followed by direct sequencing of plasma exoDNA from patients with NSCLC. This approach facilitates timely and more personalized treatment for NSCLC patients, ultimately improving patient prognosis. Additionally, this method reduces the reliance on invasive tissue biopsies and their associated complications.
.png)
