Aida Ghaffari; Maryam Rafraf; Roya Navekar; Bita Sepehri; Mohammad Asghari-Jafarabadi; Seyyed-Mostafa Ghavami; Nahid Manaf
Volume 19, Issue 4 , April 2017, , Pages 1-7
Abstract
Background: Elevated levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and fetuin-A are important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in patients with a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). There is limited evidence regarding the effects of turmeric on NAFLD.Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the effects ...
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Background: Elevated levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and fetuin-A are important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in patients with a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). There is limited evidence regarding the effects of turmeric on NAFLD.Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the effects of turmeric supplementation on serum levels of Hcy and fetuin-A in patients with NAFLD.Methods: In this double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 46 NAFLD patients (21 males and 25 females; age range, 20 - 60 years) with body mass index ranged 24.9 - 40 kg/m2 were recruited from Sheikh-ol-Raees clinic in Tabriz City, Iran during Nov 2014-May 2015. The participants were allocated into the two groups using the block randomization method. The intervention and control groups received 3g of turmeric (n = 23) and placebo (n = 23), daily for 12 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the trial for biochemical analysis.Results: Turmeric supplementation significantly decreased serum levels of Hcy, compared with the placebo group at the end of the study (by 27.83%, P = 0.034). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in serum levels of fetuin-A after the intervention (P > 0.05). Serum levels of glucose, insulin and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance were declined significantly in the turmeric group (by 1.22%, 17.69% and 19.48%, P = 0.039, P = 0.013 and P = 0.001, respectively) compared to the placebo.Conclusions: Turmeric consumption had beneficial effects on serum Hcy levels and may be useful in management of this risk factor in NAFLD patients.
Maryam Rafraf; Salar Hemmati; Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi; Abdolvahab Moghaddam; Mahdiyeh Khadem Haghighian
Volume 19, Issue 1 , January 2017, , Pages 1-8
Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with several pathological mechanisms. The intervention that provides for reduced pain and disability with fewer side effects may help improve OA. Pomegranate peel is known to have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties due ...
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Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with several pathological mechanisms. The intervention that provides for reduced pain and disability with fewer side effects may help improve OA. Pomegranate peel is known to have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties due to its great amount of polyphenols.Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the pomegranate peel extract on clinical signs and symptoms of knee OA.Methods: This randomized, doubleblind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted amongst 60 women in the age range of 38 - 60 years who were referred to the physical medicine and rehabilitation department of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Tabriz, Iran (Sep 2014 - Feb 2015). The participants were allocated using the block randomization method in one of two study arms. The intervention and control groups received 500 mg of pomegranate peel, hydro alcoholic extract (n = 30) and placebo (n = 30), twice daily for 8 weeks, along with standard drug therapy. The primary outcome measure was the change in mean, Knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) and the secondary outcome measure was the visual analog scale score.Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups in the mean of age, body mass index (BMI), disease duration and parity before intervention (P > 0.05). The mean of KOOS increased from 46.15 ± 16.82 to 57.57 ± 15.61 after 12 weeks (P < 0.001) as compared to the placebo group 50.83 ± 18.83 declining to 56.10 ± 18.07 (P < 0.001). The VAS score declined significantly in both treatment and control groups compared with baselines (P < 0.005). These changes in the intervention group were significantly greater than those in the control group after adjusting for baseline values, weight changes, energy intake, physical activity, disease duration and parity (P < 0.05).Conclusions:This study presented some effects of the pomegranate peel extract in reducing pain and improving clinical signs and symptoms in women with knee OA and might be considered as a complementary medicine in treating OA.