Diabetes mellitus is defined as prolonged hyperglycemia, which can harm the eyes, kidneys, and cardiovascular and neurological systems. Herbal agents and their derived supplements have been used for treatment of diabetes mellitus as a part of integrated complementary medicine for centuries. Numerous studies have considered Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f, Xanthorrhoeaceae, as an alternative medicine due to its abundant bioactive chemicals, such as alkaloids, anthraquinones, and enthrones, with therapeutical properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuro-protective, and anti-diabetic effects. Aloe vera has received considerable attention in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases including diabetes mellitus. Numerous studies have investigated the effects of herbal agents on diabetes mellitus using a streptozotocin-induced diabetic model. Thereby, this article reviews the effects of Aloe vera prescription on streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus to provide a clear insight into the role of this medicinal plant in several biological functions, such as antioxidant, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, and anti-hyperlipidemic in diabetic models.
The aim of the present study was to assess Aflatoxin‐M1 (AFM1) contamination in cheese samples from the West Asia region. Furthermore, AFM1 contamination was investigated based on the texture type (hard, semi‐soft/semi‐hard and soft) and the maturation process (matured and fresh) of the cheese sampled. Our results indicated that AFM1 contamination occurs in more than 50% of the cheese samples from all included countries. Our subgroup meta‐analyses showed that the occurrence and the average concentration of AFM1, as well as the percentage of the standard maximum allowance exceeding samples in matured cheeses, were lower than unmatured samples.
Obesity, as the most common metabolic disorder in the world, is characterized by excess body fat. This study is aimed at determining the effects of melatonin supplementation on body weight, nody mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and body fat mass percentage (BFMP) in people with overweight or obesity. Thirty eight overweight or class-I obese adult individuals were recruited in the study (8 men and 30 women). Participants prescribed a weight-loss diet and then randomly were allocated to melatonin or placebo groups. Participants received either a 3-milligram melatonin or placebo tablet per day for 12 weeks. In order to assess differences at the significance level of 0.05, repeated measure ANOVA and paired t -test were used. According to the results, a significant reduction was found in participants’ body weight, WC, and BMI in both groups ( p = 0.001 ). However, for the last six weeks, significant reductions of these parameters were observed only in the melatonin group ( p = 0.01 ). The BFMP of participants in the melatonin group showed a significant reduction at the end of the study compared to the initial measurements ( p = 0.008 ). Nevertheless, the results of the present study alone are not sufficient to conclude on the effects of melatonin consumption on anthropometric indices, and it seems that further studies are required in this regard.
Despite the considerable importance of dairy consumption, aflatoxin‐M1 (AFM1) contamination can pose potential health threats for these products. In the present study, we systematically reviewed and conducted a meta‐analysis on the AFM1 contamination in yogurt samples of West Asia region. In the present study, electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and web of Science were comprehensively searched for papers published from April 2006 to February 2020 in English language. Of a total of 356 articles found in the initial search, 25 studies were included in our meta‐analysis. All eligible studies were attributed to five out of the 20 west Asian countries. The mean AFM1 concentration in yogurt samples (in ng/kg) was as following: Turkey 137.76 (95%CI: 61.48, 214.04), Lebanon 86.70 (95%CI: 0.00, 217.72), Pakistan 38.43 (95%CI: 9.05, 67.80), Qatar 31.30 (95%CI: 27.5, 35.14), and Iran 28.24 (95%CI: 23.11, 33.36). According to our results, aflatoxin contamination levels in 32.25% of Lebanese, 31.25% of Turkish, 20.95% of Pakistani, 8.27% of Iranian and 0% of Qatari yogurt samples exceeded the European upper limit (i.e., 50 ng/kg). The hazard index (HI) for AFM1 exposure via yogurt consumption was in acceptable range for included countries except for Turkey and Lebanon.
Exposure to lead-based paints is a major threat to the health of painters. This study aimed to evaluate the blood concentration of lead (Pb) in painters of buildings and cars. The present study was a cross-sectional study in which a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the socio-demographic information. Lead concentration in blood samples was determined using the atomic absorption spectrometry method. A total of 32 male painters were selected based on inclusion criteria. The mean blood lead level (BLL) in the painters was 8.1 ± 4.93 μg/dL. Pb levels in car and building painters were 9.42 ± 5.5 μg/dL and 6.7 ± 1.85 μg/dL, respectively. Pb concentration in none of the blood samples was more than 30 μg/dL. The prevalence of BLL ≥ 5 μg/dL and BLL ≥ 10 μg/dL was 97% and 19%, respectively. According to the findings, the rate of BLL among car painters was higher than building painters. Considering the presence of Pb in all blood samples, it seems necessary to increase the awareness of painters about the adverse effects of lead exposure even in low concentrations. However, the sample size in this study was small and more investigations are required in this regard.
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