Journal of Translational Medical Research

Background and Aim: During the past three decades, life-threatening fungal infections have frequently been emerging through opportunistic infections with the advent of cancer chemotherapy, organ transplantation, and or AIDS. Most of systemic fungal infections are mainly caused by opportunistic pathogens such as Candida species. Although many researchers have carried out intensive studies attempting to develop new antifungal drugs some of which are now under clinical trials, amphotericin B and the azole compounds remain the mainstay of fungal systemic infection therapy. However, the adverse effects of polyenes and the emergence of Candida strains resistant to commercial azole compounds make the treatment of patients with deeply invasive mycoses difficult. Therefore, demand for the development of new antifungal agents which have low side effects and broad-spectrum activity against various fungi is greater than ever before. The present study aimed at evaluating the anticandidial effects of Berberis vulgaris Root extracts (ethanolic and aqueous) and comparing their effects with those of clotrimazole.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Berberis each having 1 mg/mL concentration were prepared. Candida albicans (100000 CFU/mL) was cultured on dextrose agar medium .Then, after incubation period of 48 hours, anticandidal strength of the extracts and clotrimazole was measured through zone of inhibition. Zone of inhibition for 1-10 mm was 1+, for 10-20 mm 2+, for 20 –30 mm 3+ and for 30-40 mm 4+. The obtained data was analysed by using SPSS software package, ANOVA and Tukey B tests.
Resutls: Average zone of inhibition for aqueous extract of Berberis was 16.89 mm, for ethanolic extract of Berberis it was 27.69 mm, for pure ethanol 0 mm, and for clotrimazole 33.63 mm. Besides, these differences were statistically significant (P<0.001).
Conclusion: According to our findings, Berberis vulgaris root extracts have anticandidal effects, and these effects are more prominent for ethanolic extract. Because ethanol, by itself, doesn't have any anticandidal effects (zone of inhibition=0), we can conclude that all of the anticandidial effects of ethanolic extract of Berberis are due to Berberis vulgaris root extract.

Background and Aims: Cancer, which is characterized by irregular cell metabolism and the development of metastasis risk, is still a significant risk and life-threatening. Although there are several unique advantages for cancer treatment, some problems, such as poor drug targeting efficacy, increased tumor hypoxia, severe coronary syndromes, excessive ventricular conduction, and drug-induced drug resistance, have emerged in recent years. Chemotherapy and increased risk of tumor metastasis have limited their potential clinical use.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, a total of 36 embryonic eggs were randomly selected. Then, four treatments, including control, 40, 80, and 120 µg/ml hydroalcoholic extract of Berberis vulgaris (B. vulgaris) fruit, and nine replications were tested. On the thi^rd day of incubation, the eggs were exposed to an open window, and on the eigh^th day, the experimental groups were treated with 40, 80, and 120 µg/ml alcoholic extract of B. vulgaris fruit, which was collected from Qaen city in South Khorasan Province, Iran. On the 12^th day, the chorioallantoic membrane of all samples was photographed using a photo stereomicroscope, the numbers/diameters of vascular branches were measured using the Image J software (1.46r), and the resulting data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 22) and the least significant difference (LSD) test (P≤0.01)
Results: The mean number of vessels in the experimental groups was equal to (6.23+0.81) and (22.89+0.81), which indicated a significant dose-dependent reduction compared to the mean number of vessels measured in the control group (15.73+0.29) and (53.87+2.07) (P=0.003).
Conclusion: The use of the hydroalcoholic extract of B. vulgaris in three doses of 40, 80, and 120 µg/ml can reduce the number of branches and the diameter of vessels in the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos, which indicates the process of angiogenesis inhibition.