Although it has been known for many centuries that honey can accelerate wound healing, there have only been isolated reports of its use in the healing of bums, ulcers, infected wounds and open wounds. None of these reports developed a model to assess the changes in morphological and biochemical properties due to topical application of honey on cutaneous wounds. In the present investigation, efficacy of honey in the healing of cutaneous wounds of rabbits was studied on the basis of histopathological and biochemical changes. For this reason 40 healthy White New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to four equal groups. Using aseptic surgical technique, a 3 cm incision was made on the skin of the left thigh of each rabbit and the wounds of five rabbits in each group were twice daily treated with topical application of 5 ml pure unheated honey. The other half remained as untreated controls. Rabbits in groups A, B, C and D were biopsied on days 2, 7, 14 and 21 postoperatively respectively, and biopsies from the lesions of all groups were collected for hstopathological studies and from groups C and D for biomechanical evaluations as well. Treated lesions showed less oedema, fewer polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cell infiltration, less necrosis, better wound contraction, improved epithelialization and lower glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan concentration on days 2 and 7 postoperatively and better tissue organization and consequently an improved tissue ultimate strength and yield suength on days 14 and 21 postoperation. These findmgs suggest that honey applied topically on cutaneous wounds accelerates the healing processes and appears to have an important property that makes it ideal as a dressing for cutaneous wounds.

BackgroundThe Candida species are the most important factors of fungal infections in humans and animals. It is necessary to prepare antifungal or antimicrobial drugs because of increasing drug resistance. The natural treatment of diseases of bacterial origin using medicinal plants is important. In this study the effect of antimicrobial medicinal herbal essential oils and conventional antifungal drugs were evaluated on Candida albicans in vitro.MethodsDisc diffusion assay and the microbroth dilution method were used to investigate the anticandidal effects of Foeniculum vulgare Mill, Satureja hortensis L, Cuminum cyminum, and Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oils. The anticandidal effect of these essential oils was compared with that of amphotricin B and ketoconazole in vitro. We then measured the chemical composition of the studied essential oils using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy.ResultsZ. multiflora Boiss essential oil at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 34 μg/mL and minimal lethal concentration [i.e., minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC)] of 64 μg/mL had more powerful anti-Candida activity than the other essential oils. C. cyminum essential oil showed the least effect on the tested fungus. A comparison of the effect of the studied essential oils and antifungal drugs showed that the antifungal effect on the C. albicans fungus was better with the fungicides than with the essential oils.ConclusionIn the present study, essential oils with different components showed antifungal activity (especially Z. multiflora Boiss essential oil). They can therefore be used as new antifungal substances.

Study design: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in alterations in the regulation of many genes that may influence neuronal death and the subsequent loss of motor function and neuropathic pain. The subtype expression mRNA levels of glycine receptors (GlyRs) after SCI are unknown. Methods: Using real-time reverse transcription PCR, this study analyzed changes in the mRNA abundance of the four major GlyR subunits (a13 and b) at 6, 24 h and 3, 7 and 10 days after SCI in adult male rats. SCI was induced at the T9 level by transection. Results: Our results show a complicated temporal and spatial pattern of alteration in GlyR mRNA expression levels after SCI. Temporal and spatial variations with different degrees and direction (up or downregulation) of expression alteration were observed. The greatest variation was seen in GlyRa1, whereas GlyRa2 was downregulated in all regions following SCI. Conclusion: This study shows that alteration in GlyR expression starts as early as 6 h after SCI. The most significant points of this research are temporal elevation of GlyRa1 and continuous reduction of GlyRa2. Alterations in GlyR expression within the spinal cord may have a key role in the development of pathological pain. Therefore, control of GlyR expression could represent a novel therapeutic avenue for the development of new painkiller agents in SCI.

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Background:Gene expression of Gama-Aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor subunits may change during development. Procedures in molecular biology are required to understand the gene expression profile GABAA R in chicken. The outcome of the results depends on good-quality high-molecular-weight RNA. Several procedures can be used to isolate RNA from the brain of chicken; however, most of them are time-consuming and require disruption of cells or freeze and thaw in the presence of RNase inhibitors. The aim of this experiment was isolation of RNA from chicken embryonic brain tissues using appropriate RNA extraction kit.Materials and Methods:Fertilized eggs from Ross breed (Gallus gallus) were incubated at 38°C and 60% relative humidity in a forced-draft incubator and were turned every 3 h. After 3, 7, 14 and 20 days of incubation, eggs were cooled on ice to induce deep anesthesia. Then whole brains were dissected out. As brains could not be excised in a reproducible way from earlier embryos (embryonic days 4 and 6), whole heads were collected. Chicken embryos between day 7 to 20 and 1 day after birth were decapitated, and their brains removed. Samples were immediately inserted into lysis buffer and stored at −70°C. Total RNA was isolated and a contaminating genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was digested. RNA quality was checked using gel electrophoresis.Results:We obtained 52 mg/ml to 745 mg/ml with A260/280 1.7-2.2. Only high-quality RNA, with no signs of degradation, was used for further experiments.Conclusion:In conclusion, protocol was found to be suitable for the isolation of total RNA from embryonic chicken cells.

Objective: The healing effects of two different dilutions (5 & 100%) of N-Chromosome Royal Jelly and ANGIPARS ointment were investigated and measured on experimental injuries in streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetic rats. This study investigated the healing effects of 2 different N Chromosome Royal Jelly dilutions on injuries of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: For diabetes induction, male Wistar rats received STZ (55 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and plasma glucose level measurement after 72 hours demonstrated diabetes induction. Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6 members and one square centimeter (cm2 ) wound was surgically induced in the dorsal region of each rat. The test groups were treated with ANGIPARS, undiluted royal jelly N chromosome, and royal jelly N chromosome 5% separately. The control groups were including non-diabetic and untreated diabetic rats. Results: The findings indicate a significant acceleration in wound healing of the diabetic rats treated by ANGIPARS ointment or royal jelly N chromosomes 5%. RJ also shortened the healing period of desquamated skin lesions. Thus, RJ possesses an anti-inflammatory action and is able to augment wound healing, but does not have an insulin-like action in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Conclusion: Regarding the mentioned findings, royal jelly as a natural product may play an effective role in treating chronic wounds in mice, which makes it a proper candidate for use in human wound repair. Nonetheless, it seems that determination of the suitable dilution of this compound will result in better effects, thus more studies are recommended.

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