Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that manifested as hyperglycemia due to the defect in secretion or function of insulin. Studies have shown that saffron and its derivatives cause a significant reduction in plasma glucose levels in experimental models. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the saffron extract on fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c), lipid profile, liver enzymes, and renal function tests in type 2 diabetic patients. In this double‐blind randomized clinical trial, 64 type 2 diabetic patients who were on oral anti‐diabetic drugs were examined. Participants received either 15 mg of saffron or placebo capsules (two pills per day) for 3 months. Anthropometric indices, dietary intake, FPG, HbA1c, lipid profiles, liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP), and renal function (BUN, Cr.) tests were measured pre and post intervention after 3 months. Independent t test and paired t test were used for data analysis. After 3‐months intervention, mean difference of FPG, Cholesterol, LDL‐c, and LDL/HDL ratio between two groups showed significant reduction(p < 0.0001), but HbA1c, HDL‐C, API, TG showed no significant differences (p > 0.05). In saffron group, FPG, HbA1c, cholesterol, LDL‐c, and LDL/HDL ratio decreased significantly after 3‐months intervention compare with baseline (p < 0.0001).

A B S T R A C TBackground: Ulva genus, an edible seaweed, and an important food source in many south-east Asian countries is also recognized by its synonymous name as Enteromorpha. Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate antioxidant activity, contents of total phenolics, and flavonoids of methanolic extracts of edible green seaweeds including Ulva clathrata (Roth) C. Agardh and three samples of Ulva prolifera O.F.Müller grown at different parts of Bushehr Province along the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf. Materials and Methods: The seaweeds were collected from Bordekhoun, Northern Ouli, Taheri and Kangan coasts in December 2011. Methanolic extracts of the seaweeds were assessed for their antioxidant activity using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay and was performed in a microplate reader. Total phenolics were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and flavonoid content was evaluated by colorimetric method. Results: All samples showed antioxidant activity to various degrees. Ulva clathrata exhibited a high DPPH radical scavenging activity with a low IC 50 (the half-maximal inhibitory concentration) (0.715 ± 0.078 mg. mL

A B S T R A C TBackground: Ulva genus, an edible seaweed, and an important food source in many south-east Asian countries is also recognized by its synonymous name as Enteromorpha. Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate antioxidant activity, contents of total phenolics, and flavonoids of methanolic extracts of edible green seaweeds including Ulva clathrata (Roth) C. Agardh and three samples of Ulva prolifera O.F.Müller grown at different parts of Bushehr Province along the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf. Materials and Methods: The seaweeds were collected from Bordekhoun, Northern Ouli, Taheri and Kangan coasts in December 2011. Methanolic extracts of the seaweeds were assessed for their antioxidant activity using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay and was performed in a microplate reader. Total phenolics were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and flavonoid content was evaluated by colorimetric method. Results: All samples showed antioxidant activity to various degrees. Ulva clathrata exhibited a high DPPH radical scavenging activity with a low IC 50 (the half-maximal inhibitory concentration) (0.715 ± 0.078 mg. mL

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling, recurrent demyelination of the central nervous system (CNS). It could affect different regions in the brain and spinal cord, and according to the domain which is affected, it could cause different symptoms such as motor, sensory, or visual impairment; fatigue; bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction; cognitive impairment; and depression. MS patients also face reduced quality of life. Drugs that are used in MS are not fully efficient and patients suffer from many symptoms and adverse effects. Today there is an increasing trend of using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). People are more likely to use this type of treatment. Using appropriate lifestyle and CAM therapy can subside some of the symptoms and could improve the quality of life in these patients. Many people with MS explore CAM therapies for their symptoms. This review is aimed to introduce CAM therapies that could be used in MS patients.

The antioxidant activity and the contents of total phenolics and flavonoids were quantified in the methanolic extracts of four Chaetomorpha species including C. aerea, C. crassa, C. linum and C. brachygona.