Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) has traditionally been used in diabetes treatment. This study investigated the effect of Okra whole fruit on blood glucose level of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 with concomitant use of oral hypoglycemic agents. In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 120 diabetic patients were assigned to okra group (n = 60) and control group (n = 60). The okra group received 1,000 mg of A.esculentus whole fruit capsules orally, every 6 hr for 8 weeks. The control group received placebo capsule in the same manner. The levels of FBS (fasting blood sugar), BS (blood sugar), and Hemoglobin A1C (HgA1c) were measured at baseline and after intervention in both groups. The levels of FBS, BS, and HgA1c were significantly decreased in okra group within the intervention compared to control group (p < .05).Moreover, the numbers to treat (NNT) for FBS, BS, and HgA1C were seven, eight, and seven, respectively. Okra whole fruit supplementation has a promising antihyperglycemic effect in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 who received oral agents. Diabetic patients could benefit from adjuvant therapy of okra with other medication.

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BackgroundPost-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is an important complication of cardiac surgeries. Glutamate plays a critical role in physiologic and pathologic conditions in the brain. Due to the role of glutamate in ischemia, this study is designed to identify the effect of memantine in prevention of POCD early and late after cardiac surgeries.MethodsIn this randomized clinical trial, 172 patients with ages 45–75 years old who underwent elective cardiac surgery were enrolled. For patients in memantine group, 5 mg of memantine per day administered at least 48 h before surgery and increased to 10 mg per day during the first 24 h after surgery and continued for 3 months. A brief Wechsler memory test (WMT) was administered before, three to 5 days after, and 3 months after surgery for both groups.ResultsBoth groups demonstrate standard pattern of cognitive dysfunction after surgery and in follow up. Pre- and post-operative WMT score showed significant improvement in memantine compared to control group (P < 0.001) both in unadjusted and adjusted with confounding factor analysis. Unadjusted pre-, post-operative, and follow up WMT score improved significantly after 3 months in memantine group (P = 0.006).ConclusionPre-operative administration of memantine protects patients from POCD following cardiac surgeries. In addition, it improves cognitive function 3 months after surgery.Trial registrationThe trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (registration number: IRCT201303168698N12).Graphical abstractMemantin effect on POCD.

Purpose. To evaluate the difference in biomechanical properties between contact lens induced corneal warpage and normal and keratoconic eyes. Method. Prospective observational case control study, where 94 eyes of 47 warpage suspicious and 46 eyes of 23 keratoconic patients were included. Warpage suspected cases were followed until a definite diagnosis was made (warpage, normal, or keratoconus). Results. 44 eyes of 22 patients had contact lens related corneal warpage. 46 eyes of 23 people were diagnosed as nonwarpage normal eyes. 46 eyes of 23 known keratoconus patients were included for comparison. The mean age of the participants was 23.8 ± 3.8 years, and 66.2% of the subjects were female. The demographic and refractive data were not different between warpage and normal groups but were different in the keratoconus group. The biomechanical properties (corneal hysteresis or CH and corneal resistance factor or CRF) were different with the highest value in the warpage group followed by normal and keratoconus groups. CRF was 10.08 ± 1.75, 9.23 ± 1.22, and 7.38 ± 2.14 and CH was 10.21 ± 1.57, 9.59 ± 1.21, and 8.69 ± 2.34 in the warpage, normal, and keratoconus groups, respectively. Conclusion. Corneal biomechanics may be different in people who develop contact lens induced warpage.