Glycemic control and prevention of secondary complications are the most important goals of using pharmacologic treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). The inadequate responses to oral hypoglycemic agents may be attributed to inadequate postreceptor events even when insulin levels are quite sufficient, and associated with oxidative stress induced by long-term hyperglycemia. The administration of antioxidants such as melatonin and zinc may improve tissue responses to insulin and increase the efficacy of drugs, e.g. metformin, which act through this pathway. This project was designed to evaluate the effects of melatonin and zinc on the lipid profile and renal function in type 2 DM patients poorly controlled with metformin. A placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was performed in which 46 type 2 diabetic patients were selected and allocated into three groups. These groups were treated with single daily oral doses of both 10 mg of melatonin and 50 mg of zinc acetate alone: 10 mg of melatonin and 50 mg of zinc acetate in addition to the regularly used metformin or placebo, given at bedtime for 90 days. Fasting lipid profiles and microalbuminuria (MAU) were measured before initiating the treatments (zero time) and after 30 and 90 days of treatment. Daily administration of melatonin and zinc improved the impaired lipid profile and decreased the level of MAU; the addition of this treatment regimen in combination with metformin improved the tissue responses to this oral hypoglycemic agent. In conclusion, the combination of melatonin and zinc acetate, when used alone or in combination with metformin, improves DM-related complications such as the impaired lipid profile and MAU in type 2 DM patients.

Aim:To determine the effect of cinnamon on fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin (Hb) A1c, and oxidative stress markers in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.Patients and Methods:A total of 25 type 2 diabetic patients of both sexes, aged 49.1 ± 6.0, treated only with hypoglycemic agent sulfonylurea (glibenclamide) were randomly assigned to receive either 1 g of cinnamon or placebo daily for 12 weeks.Results:A highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) reduction (10.12%) of fasting blood glucose level after 6 and 12 weeks of treatment 10.12% and 17.4%, respectively, compared to baseline value and to placebo group at corresponding duration. Meanwhile, the value of glycosylated Hb reduced in cinnamon treated group by (2.625%) and (8.25%) after 6 and 12 weeks, respectively, although this reduction was non-significant compared to baseline value. Concerning the oxidative stress markers, the level of serum glutathione showed highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) elevation after 12 weeks as compared to baseline value and placebo group at corresponding duration, malondialdehyde serum level decreased after treatment of diabetic patients with cinnamon resulted in highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) reduction after 6 and 12 weeks compared to placebo group, but when compared to baseline value, there is a (15%) reduction only after 12 weeks of treatment which was considered highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) change, Finally, administration of cinnamon to diabetic patients for 12 weeks resulted in significant (P ≤ 0.05) elevation of superoxide dismutase level.Conclusion:Intake of 1 g of cinnamon for 12 weeks reduces fasting blood glucose and glycosylated Hb among poorly controlled type 2 diabetes patients, as well as, there is improvement in the oxidative stress markers, indicating the beneficial effect of adjuvant cinnamon as anti-diabetic and antioxidant along with conventional medications to treat poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Objective: There has been an increasing focus on the extent to which oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of acne. The aim of this study is to investigate the existence of oxidative stress and inflammatory marker IL-8 in patients with acne vulgaris, and the role of oxidative stress as a therapeutic target in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Methods: A randomized prospective clinical trial was carried out on 56 patients of both sexes with age range of 14-35 years who attend to outpatient clinic in Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital-Kerbalaa-Iraq over a period from December 2011 to May 2012, all patients examined clinically by dermatologist and classified according to disease severity. Serum levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and interleukine-8 (IL-8) in the acne patients were measured by using ready-for-use Elisa kits, and compared to that of 28 healthy volunteers. Results: The results of the serum level analysis of MDA for the acne patients (expressed as the mean± standard deviation) was highly significant (P value ≤ 0.001) higher than that of healthy volunteers, while serum level of GSH was highly significant (P value ≤ 0.001) lower in acne patients compared to healthy volunteers; there is a significant difference (P value ≤ 0.05) found in serum levels of IL-8 between the acne patients and the healthy volunteers. Conclusions: The results obtained in this study clearly showed the existence of oxidative stress in patients with acne vulgaris, and that oxidative stress along with inflammation play a critical role in acne pathogenesis; furthermore, oxidative stress in acne patients may represents a potential therapeutic target and interference with antioxidant is a rationale choice.

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Aim: Worldwide about 150 million people were diagnosed with UTI each year. The increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens necessitates medicinal plants as an alternate therapy in the management of UTI. Corn silk has been widely used as a folk medicine in Iraq. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical advantages of using the aqueous extract of corn silk in Iraqi patients with UTI. Method: This study was carried out on 42 patients of both sexes with age of 29.91±10.57 (mean±SD); who attend to outpatient clinic in Alkindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq, over the period from October 2011-March 2012; UTI is confirmed by defined symptoms together with laboratory results. Manifestation of UTI were checked clinically include suprapubic pain, urgency, frequency and dysuria; each symptom scored as follow: 0(none), 1(mild), 2(moderate), 3(severe) and 4(very severe). All of the patients were followed up after 5days, 10days and 20 days from starting course of treatment with aqueous extract of corn silk. Results: Administration of aqueous extract of corn silk to UTI patients result in significant P≤0.05 decreases in UTI symptoms after 5 days, 10 days and 20 days from starting the treatment compared to baseline values. The symptom score also showed significant reduction P≤0.05 reduction after 5, 10 and 20 days from starting the treatment. Conclusion: administration of aqueous extract of corn silk significantly reduce the symptoms in patient with UTI in addition to reduction in the values of pus cells, RBCs, and Crystals, without any reported side effect which indicate its efficacy and safety. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2012; 1(2.000): 93-96

Objective: Obesity is associated with both increased breast cancer risk and poorer prognosis after disease onset. Women who are obese continue to have higher levels of estrogen than women of normal weight even after treatment with hormone-suppressing drugs, raising the possibility that they might benefit from modification or changes to their treatment. The aim of this work was to study the effect of letrozole compared to tamoxifen on serum estradiol and, vitamine D and metabolic profile in Iraqi obese postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Methods:A hospital-based case-control study was carried out at Baquba teaching hospital, Diyala, Iraq. The analyzed variables were: age, lipid profile including total cholesterol; triglycerides, HDL-C, blood sugar, estradiol, and serum vit D. Descriptive statistics and testing of hypothesis were used for the analysis using mean±SD test P≤0.05. Results:Lipid profile, serum estradiol showed significant variability among the studied group in this study and serum vit D show significant differences between groups in postmenopausal obese with breast cancer taking tamoxifen. Conclusion:Treatment of obese women with breast cancer with tamoxifen or letrozole had neglected effects on metabolic parameters including lipid profile and blood sugar, both agents decrease serum estradiol level in treated patients, and most importantly, the significant positive effect of tamoxifen on serum vitamin D level compared to negative effect of aromatase inhibitor drug letrozole.

Background:Giardia lamblia is the most common intestinal parasite of humans identified worldwide. In spite of metronidazole (Met) is the most commonly used drug for the treatment of giardiasis in humans, low patient compliance and side-effects, especially in children encourage efforts to look for new and safe agent; many plants used in folk medicine thought to have antigiardial effect, Anethum graveolens (AG) (dill) is an annual herb cultivated in Iraq used both as a medicinal agent and as food spice. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract (AE) of AG leave in the treatment of giardiasis, compared with that of standard drug Met.Patients and Methods:A prospective randomized clinical trial was carried out on 28 pediatric patients of both sexes with age of <1 year ranging from 3 to 11 months, who attend to outpatient private clinic in Baghdad for a period of 6 months from June 2013 to December 2013,Patients participate in this study were allocated into two groups Group A composed of 14 patients treated with Met 15 mg/kg 3 times a day for 5 days. Group B composed of 14 patients treated with AGAE 1 ml 3 times a day for 5 days. Stool samples were collected at 0 time before administration of treatment, after 5 days and after 14 days from starting the treatments to check the efficacy of treatment.Results:Administration of AGAE results in a significant decrease in incidence of G. lamblia after 5 days of treatment indicating the efficacy of AGAE in the treatment of giardiasis a result that is comparable to that of Met.Conclusion:This study showed that pediatric patients with giardiasis may benefit from 5 days treatment with AGAE administered as 1 ml 3 times daily, the improvement in the symptom with this herbal agent was comparable to the standard pharmacological agent Met; results showed that AG is safe and tolerable over treatment course.