No abstract

Tragopogon graminifolius DC. is a perennial plant from the family Asteraceae which grows in West parts of Iran. Several biological activities like antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects are reported for the plant. The aim of this study was to assess the wound healing activity of standardized extract from T. graminifolius (TG) aerial parts. Topical standardized TG extract with 5% and 10% concentrations in eucerine base was assessed for its healing properties on second degree burn in rats during a 14-day period. Biomarkers of oxidative damage including total antioxidant power, lipid peroxidation and total thiol molecules of the skin tissue samples were also evaluated. Results showed that 10%TG had the best efficacy with 80 ± 3% wound closure and tissue repair in comparison to negative control (p < 0.05). Significant reduction of tissue oxidative stress biomarkers was also observed. Histological analyses confirmed wound healing activity of TG extract, as well. Considering the antioxidative stress and anti-inflammatory activities of TG, explained by the high content of phenolic compounds of the plant, standardized TG extract could be considered as a natural remedy for the treatment of burn wounds. Further clinical studies are suggested to confirm the effectiveness of TG as a wound healing agent.

No abstract

Data about the incidence of skin cancer in the Islamic Republic of Iran are lacking. This study investigated trends in the incidence of skin cancer (ICD-10 category C44, other malignant neoplasms of skin) in 6 regions using data from the Iranian cancer registry from 2000 to 2005. The standardized incidence rates in each year were calculated by the direct method using the standard World Health Organization population and a Poisson regression model was applied to analyse trends. Over the study period, 30 701 cases of cancer were identified, rising from 2353 in 2000 to 8484 in 2005. The male-to-female ratio was 1.6. The age-standardized incidence rose significantly from 3.8 cases per 100 000 in 2000 to 13.0 in 2005 (slope = 0.26), and the same trend was seen in all regions except the region to the east of the Caspian Sea. This increasing incidence of skin cancer in the Islamic Republic of Iran is similar to that reported in other countries.