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Clinical evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of Heracleum persicum fruits

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Abstract

Inflammation is a key player in the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Heracleum persicum Desf. Ex Fischer is a medicinal plant containing phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of H. persicum extract in patients with minimal coronary artery disease. Subjects with <50 % luminal narrowing in any of the major coronary arteries in coronary angiography were randomly assigned to H. persicum fruit extract (n = 15; 300 mg/day) or placebo (n = 12) for 6 months. Serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at baseline and at the end of study. Serum CRP levels were significantly reduced in both H. persicum (p = 0.007) and placebo (p = 0.035) groups by the end of trial. In contrast, no significant change in serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 was observed in the study groups (p > 0.05). Comparison of the magnitude of changes between the study groups did not indicate any significant difference between H. persicum extract and placebo (p > 0.05). The present results did not indicate any superior effect of H. persicum to placebo in terms of changing serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Yunes Panahi

  2. Department of Cardiology, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Yahya Dadjo, Bahram Pishgoo & Ahmad Akbari

  3. Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 91779-48564, Mashhad, Iran

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

  4. Metabolic Research Centre, Royal Perth Hospital, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

Authors
  1. Yunes Panahi
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  2. Yahya Dadjo
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  3. Bahram Pishgoo
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  4. Ahmad Akbari
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  5. Amirhossein Sahebkar
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Correspondence to Amirhossein Sahebkar.

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Panahi, Y., Dadjo, Y., Pishgoo, B. et al. Clinical evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of Heracleum persicum fruits. Comp Clin Pathol 24, 971–974 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-015-2082-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-015-2082-3

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