Background & Aims: According to the effects of cyclophosphamide (CP) as a current chemotherapeutic drug on the structure of testis, this study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of crocin on histological structure of seminiferous tubules, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde and testosterone in CP treated adult mice.

 Material & Methods: In this experimental study, 15 adult male mice were treated in 3 groups: control, sham control, and experimental group. The control group received normal saline (0.2ml/day), control sham group received cyclophosphamide (15 mg/kg/week, IP) and experimental group received crocin (200 mg/kg/day.IP) along with cyclophosphamide, respectively. Superoxidedismutase (SOD) and testosterone were measured in blood serum. Testicular samples also were used for histomorphometric studies and malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement.

 Results: It was revealed that Tubular Differentiation Index (TDI), Republication Index (RI), thickness of capsule, the numbers of active Sertoli cells, amount of SOD and testosterone were increased significantly in control and experimental groups compared to sham control (p<0.05), and Spermiogenesis Index (SI) in control and experimental groups were increased in compare with sham control group,but that was not significant in experimental group. Also MDA was increased significantly in sham control group compared to other groups (p<0.05).

 Conclusion: This study showed that crocin increases antioxidant enzymes and testosterone. However, it reduced testicular histopathological changes in CP treated mice.

 SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2014: 25(7): 673 ISSN: 1027-3727

Background & Aims: Diabetes is increasingly growing up in the world and also in Iran and psychological factors such as stress, anxiety and depression play an important role in its development. The purpose of this study was investigating the effectiveness of mindfulness based stress reduction on glycemic control, stress, anxiety and depression on patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials & Methods: This quasi-experimental study had a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population included 30 diabetic patients (% 40 male), randomly divided into two, the study (N=15) and control (N=15) groups. We used depression, anxiety and stress questionnaire (DASS - 42) and HbA1c testing in this study. The study group received the mindfulness based stress reduction group training with 8 sessions while the control group received no intervention. Both groups completed the (DASS - 42) before and after the intervention. HbA1C was also measured before and one month after the intervention in both groups.

Results: In the end, 10 patients in the experimental group and 13 patients in the control group remained. Data analysis showed that stress and HbA1C in the treatment group compared with the control group significantly decreased at posttest. But the difference in the severity of anxiety and depression between the two groups was not significant after intervention (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, mindfulness based stress reduction group training can be effective in improving glycemic control and reducing the stress levels in diabetic patients.