Context Allium cepa L. (Liliaceae), known as onion, is consumed throughout the world. Onion and its derivatives including saponins, aglycones, quercetin, cepaenes, flavonoids, organosulfurs, and phenolic compounds, showed various pharmacological properties and therapeutic effects. Objective Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects of A. cepa and its main constituents, along with the underlying molecular mechanisms are presented. Methods Databases including, Web of Knowledge, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were checked for articles published between 1996 and the end of July 2020, using the key-words Allium cepa, quercetin, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory. Results A. cepa and its constituents mainly quercetin showed anti-inflammatory effects mediated via reduction of total and differential WBC counts, inhibition of chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, COX, and LOX pathways and prevented formation of leukotrienes and thromboxanes, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as onVCAM-1, NF-κB, MARK,d STAT-1, JNK, p38 and osteoclastogenesis. A. cepa and its derivatives showed antioxidant effect by decreasing lipid peroxidation, NAD(P)H, MDA, NO, LPO and eNOS but enhancing antioxidants such as SOD, CAT, GSH, GPx, GSPO, TrxR, SDH, GST and GR activities and thiol level. Immunomodulatory effects of the plant and quercetin was also shown by reduction of Th2 cytokines, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 as well as IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β and TNF-α and IgE levels, but increased CD4 cells, IFN-γ level and IFN-γ/IL4 ratio (Th1/Th2 balance). Conclusions The effect of onion and its constituents on oxidative stress, inflammatory and immune system were shown indicating their therapeutic value in treatment of various diseases associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune-dysregulation.

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Interpersonal violence (IPV) is a major public health concern with a significant impact on physical and mental health. This study was designed to evaluate age–sex-specific IPV mortality trends and the assault mechanisms (firearm, sharp objects, and other means), at national and provincial levels, in Iran. We used the Iranian Death Registration System (DRS) and the population and housing censuses in this analysis. Spatio-temporal and Gaussian Process Regression methods were used to adjust for inconsistencies at the provincial level and to integrate data from various sources. After assessing their validity, all records were reclassified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). All ICD-10 codes were then mapped to Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2013 coding. More than 700 individuals died due to IPV in 1990 and more than twice this number in 2015. The IPV mortality age-standardized rate, per 100,000, increased from 1.62 (95% Uncertainty Interval [UI] = [0.96, 2.75]) in 1990 to 1.81 [1.15, 2.89] in 2015. Among females, the age-standardized mortality rate at national level per 100,000 due to IPV was 1.27 [0.66, 2.43] in 1990 and decreased to 1.08 [0.60, 1.96] in 2015. Among males, the age-standardized mortality rate was 1.96 [1.25, 3.09] in 1990 rising to 2.54 [1.70, 3.82] in 2015. Data from provinces revealed that during the period of our study, Hormozgan province had the largest increase of IPV among females, and Fars province had the largest increase of IPV among males. Conversely, the largest decrease was detected in West Azarbaijan and Qom provinces in females and males, respectively. This study showed a wide variation in the incidence and trends of IPV in Iran by age, sex, and location. The study has provided valuable information to reduce the burden of IPV in Iran and a means to monitor future progress through repeated analyses of the trends.

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), also called amphoterin, HMG1 and p30, is a highly conserved protein between different species that has various functions in nucleus such as stabilization of nucleosome formation, facilitation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) bending and increasing the DNA transcription, replication and repair. It has also been indicated that HMGB1 acts as a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine with increasing concentrations in acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. One central characteristic in its pathogenesis is airway inflammation. Considering the inflammatory role of HMGB1 and importance of inflammation in asthma pathogenesis, a better understanding of this protein is vital. This review describes the structure, cell surface receptors, signaling pathways and intracellular and extracellular functions of HMGB1, but also focuses on its inflammatory role in asthma. Moreover, this manuscript reviews experimental and clinical studies that investigated the pathologic role of HMGB1.