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Aims: Asthma is an airway complex disease defined by reversible airway narrowing and obstruction, airway hyper-responsiveness, airway chronic inflammation, and airway tissue remodeling. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of canola oil on the total count and various types of leukocytes (white blood cells) in rats with experimental asthma.

Methods: In this experimental research, 36 Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: negative control, positive control, asthmatic treated by 0.5ml/kg canola oil per day and asthmatic treated by 0.7ml/kg canola oil per day. At the end of the experiment, animals were bled from the heart and the total number and percentage of white blood cells were measured and evaluated. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16 software and the comparison of the groups was made by ANOVA statistical test.

Results: the total count of white blood cells decreased in the experimental group 2 compared to the positive control group (p<0.05). Percentage of lymphocytes increased in experimental group 2 compared to the positive control group (p<0.01). Neutrophils percentage decreased in experimental group 2 compared to the positive control group (p<0.001). Eosinophils percentage decreased in the groups treated by canola oil compared to the positive control group (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Canola oil decreases some of asthma complications including the changes in the total counts and percentage of various types of white blood cells in rats with experimental asthma.

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Abstract Aims: Temporal arteritis is one of the rare vascular diseases. The common diagnosis method of this disease is invasive biopsy of the temporal artery wall that despite of partial precision have several side effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of duplex ultrasonography compared to invasive biopsy. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Rasool-e-Akram Hospital, from the March, 2012 to the end of March, 2013. 20 patients suspected to have temporal arteritis were introduced using convenient sampling method from Rasool-e-Akram Hospital ophthalmologic ward for duplex ultrasonographic examinations. Ultrasonography was performed on three sections of the superficial temporal arteries and the frontal and parietal branches in both longitudinal and transverse sections. Findings: Observing halo sign (p=0.0001), temporal artery stenosis (p=0.001) and irregularities in the arterial wall (p=0.001) in duplex ultrasonography were significantly able to diagnosis the temporal arteritis. Agreement between the two methods was obtained as 0.7, based on the Kappa test (p=0.001). The sensitivity of duplex ultrasonography based on symptoms compared to the biopsy was 100%, specificity was 76.9%, the positive predictive value was 70%, negative predictive value was 100% and the accuracy was 85%. Conclusion: Duplex ultrasonography seems to be a good alternative for invasive biopsies to diagnose temporal arteritis.

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Aims: Ischemic heart disease is the most prevalent cause of mortality in current populations. In recent years, many researchers have focused on plants to discover new natural therapeutic agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiarrhythmic effect of the ethanolic extract of pomegranate mesocarp on rat isolated heart following myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.
Materials & Methods: The hearts from Wistar rats were removed under deep anesthesia and were studied using Langendorff apparatus. The control and the test animals, in groups of 10, were gavaged with distilled water or the ethanol extract of pomegranate juice (200 mg/kg), respectively, daily for 3 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, the isolated hearts of the animals were studied. After 30 min stabilization, all hearts experienced 30 min global ischemia followed by 90 min reperfusion. Cardiac arrhythmias including single, salvo, ventricular tachycardia (VT), and ventricular fibrillation (VF) were characterized according to the guidelines of Lambeth Convention.
Findings: The ethanolic extract of pomegranate mesocarp caused a remarkable significant reduction in all kinds of arrhythmias including single, salvo, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation.
Conclusion: The results of this research suggest promising protective effects for the ethanolic extract of pomegranate mesocarp against ischemia and reperfusion induced arrhythmias in isolated rat heart.