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Introduction: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, which is characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion and impaired pancreatic function. With regard to the medicinal properties of amaranth, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of amaranth on skin histomorphological changes in diabetic rats.

Materials & methods:  In this study, 48 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (control group, sham group, first experimental group, and second experimental group). After general anesthesia with ketamine and xylazine in groups of mice. In these rats, an injured area of 4cm2 was created on the left spine. The control groups had no ointment and first experimental group was treated with eucerin ointment. In addition, second experimental group was treated using pomegranate fat and eucerin ointment twice daily. Wound healing was evaluated macroscopically. Microscopic study were assigned to another article.

Findings: Wound healing in group that became diabetes using streptozocin, showed late recovery compared to normal wound healing in normal groups and wound healing in experimental groups treated with Pumice Granum was accelerated compared to control group.

Discussion & conclusions: Results of this study showed Pumice Granum causes accelerated skin wound healing in normal and diabetic samples.

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Introduction: Agouti-Related Protein (AGRP) and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) are neuropeptidesthat involved in appetite control. Few studies have been done on the long-term effects of endurance training on these neuropeptides.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 16 weeks of endurance training on plasma AGRP and NPY levels in Wistar rats.

Materials & methods: 20 male young Wistar rats, with mean ages of 50 to 60 days and the average weight of 158 ± 10 g were randomly divided into two groups: control (n = 10) and training (n = 10). Training program was Endurance training on treadmill for 50-60 min/d, 5d/wk at 25-30 m/min, which is equal to 65-85% VO_2max, for 16 weeks. After 16 weeks, fasting blood sampling was conducted 24 hours after the last training session. t test was used for data analyses. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Findings: The results of the study indicated that endurance training with 65-85% of vo_{2 max} causes a significant increase in plasma AGRP (p=0.001) and non-significant increase in plasma NPY levels in training group compared to control group.

Discussion & conclusions: It seems that endurance training causes a negative energy balance in rats, and to compensate this negative energy balance, plasma AGRP increases significantly and plasma NPY increases insignificantly (increase by more than 23%).

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Introduction: Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) is a plant that is used widely across the world. This study investigated the effect of ginger (Zingiber Officinale) extract on the levels of liver enzymes, biochemical parameters, and histological changes among Wistar rats in the presence of chitosan and isoniazid.
 

Materials & Methods: The extract of the ginger plant and ginger treated with chitosan was taken after being dried. Subsequently, the ethanol solvent was removed from the extract using rotary equipment. In total, 60 adult males white Wistar rats were utilized in this study. Oral extract of ginger and ginger treated with chitosan was used as gavage for the induction of oxidative effect. The DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method was also used to compare the antioxidant effects of ginger and ginger treated with chitosan. 

Findings: The serum levels of AST, ALT, and ALP enzymes, cholesterol, glucose, and triglyceride increased significantly in the experimental groups of 4 (received 200mg/dl isoniazid) and 5 (received 200mg/dl isoniazid and ginger), compared to the control group. On the other hand, the levels of these parameters decreased significantly in the experimental groups of 2 (received 200mg/dl ginger) and 3 (received 200mg/dl gingers treated by chitosan). Furthermore, the levels of these parameters decreased in the experimental groups of 6 (received 200mg/dl isoniazid and gingers treated by chitosan); however, it was not statistically significant. 

Discussions & Conclusions: According to the findings, ginger and ginger treated with chitosan can reduce blood glucose and improves hepatic lipid profile. Moreover, the antioxidant effects of ginger extract treated with chitosan were more effective, compared to the ginger, which indicates a positive effect of chitosan treatment on the amountnumber of ginger antioxidants.