The use of traditional knowledge can pave the way toward finding effective phytopharmaceuticals for increasing breast milk.

BackgroundDespite the decreasing rate of under nutrition children in recent years overall, the negative affect in growth and development make it as a main concern in the world. Applying an available and appropriate supplementary food is a major approach in treating children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM).ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of a new supplementary blended flour (containing chickpea, rice, wheat and barley, named Shadameen) in combination with multivitamin/mineral supplement and nutritional counseling versus multivitamin/mineral supplement and nutritional counseling alone, in the treatment of children with MAM.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial study was conducted at Heshmatiyeh Hospital in Sabzevar city in Iran, from January 2016 to December 2016. Seventy infants, aged 9 to 24 months with MAM who were referred from urban health centers to the hospital clinic were included. They were randomly assigned to receive, for about 3 months, either multivitamin / mineral supplement and nutritional counseling alone or in combination with an extra supplementary blended food. We analyzed weight, length, weight for length Z score (WLZ), weight for age Z score (WAZ) and length for weight Z score (LAZ), along with recovery rate and adverse events among the two groups. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. We used statistics, Chi-square, independent t-test, and Fisher’s exact test for the analyses of primary and secondary outcomes.ResultsThe food supplementation infant’s mean weight and WLZ and WAZ were greater compared with the other group (0.81±0.29 gr and 0.55±0.33 gr, p=0.002), (0.36±0.36 and 0.02±0.52, p=0.003), (0.40±0.33 and 0.09±0.37, p=0.001). The recovery rate in the food supplemented group was significantly higher than the other group (68.4%, 31.6%, p=0.001). No adverse reactions were observed. There were no significant differences in LAZ at the end of the study between the two groups (p=0.53).ConclusionThis study showed that Shadameen in combination with multivitamin/mineral and counselling therapy can be more effective in decreasing the wasting rate of children with MAM than vitamin/mineral and counseling therapy alone.Trial registrationThe trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.irct.ir) with the Irct ID: IRCT2015040921670N1.FundingThis study was financially supported by the vice chancellor for research office, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.

Idiopathic heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB; IHMB) is a common gynecological problem with no pelvic pathology or general bleeding disorder. Herbal remedies are commonly used to treat HMB. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of herbal preparations for the treatment of IHMB. MEDLINE, Ovid, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to 23 August 2015. Only randomized controlled trials were considered. Three randomized controlled trials were included in this systematic review. Different herbal preparations were used in the included trials. In two studies, Ginger capsules and myrtle fruit syrup significantly reduced the menstrual duration and blood loss compared with placebo based on the pictorial blood loss assessment chart score (p < 0.001, p = 0.01). In another trial, Punica granatum flower capsules were as effective as tranexamic acid capsules in reducing the mean (SD) pictorial blood loss assessment chart score, with no significant difference between the two treatments (p = 0.3). The results show that the methods used in these trials may reduce menstrual bleeding in women with IHMB. Additional well-designed trials are needed to investigate the safety and efficacy of herbs for the treatment of women with IHMB or other forms of HMB.

BackgroundIncreased whole blood viscosity is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality of several life-threatening diseases, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. The effect of diet on human health has been indicated in many studies, and a health dietary pattern can reduce the incidence of several chronic diseases.ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review was to assess the effect of diet on blood viscosity and related parameters such as haematocrit (HCT).MethodsThis systematic review was carried out in 2017. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to 2 May 2017. We selected and included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in the study. The inclusion criteria were articles that describe the effect of any types of local and traditional diet on blood viscosity in apparently healthy individuals.ResultsThree randomized controlled trials were included in this systematic review. Different diets were used in the included trials. In one study, ingested dried–bonito broth (DBB) for four weeks, significantly reduced the blood passage time in the intervention group from 55.4±3.4 to 47.6±2.0 sec (mean ± SEM, p<0.05) compared with no significant change in the placebo group. Another study has shown significantly increased blood fluidity score in a vegetarian group in contrast to the control group after six weeks. In the last study, plasma viscosity was significantly decreased in a group which used onion–olive-oil capsules compared to the placebo group, with a highly significant difference between the two groups (p=0.0015).ConclusionsOur components of food diets may decrease blood viscosity in health status. Better and expanded methodology may improve our results.

The aim of the current randomized control trial (RCT) study was to investigate the effects of fenugreek seed extract on memory, depression, quality of life, blood pressure, and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels in adult AD patients. This randomized clinical trial was conducted in geriatric homes in Iran. The study participants included 82 AD patients with mild‐to‐moderate memory deficit. Patients in the intervention group received 5 cc of fenugreek seed extract for 4 months and subjects in the control group received a placebo. Memory, depression, quality of life, and BP levels, as well as serum MDA and TAC, were assessed before and after the intervention. There was a significant increase in serum levels of TAC (p < 0.001) and a reduction in serum MDA status (p < 0.001) after 4 months of fenugreek seed extract supplementation. In addition, increasing levels of memory (p < 0.001) and quality of life (p < 0.001), as well as reduction of depression (p = 0.002), systolic BP (p < 0.001), and diastolic BP (p < 0.001) levels were detected in the intervention group compared with baseline. Fenugreek seed extract supplementation in AD patients shows promising positive effects on memory, quality of life, BP, and selective oxidative indices levels.