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Background: Role of medicinal plants on enhancement of memory and improvement of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms has attracted many researchers. Salvia leriifolia has several properties including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety. At this study, effect of ethanolic extract of Salvia leriifolia leaf on scopolamine-induced memory impairment was evaluated.
Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 48 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups of eight subjects for investigating effect of Salvia leriifolia ethanolic extract on memory in normal rats and effective dose on scopolamine-induced memory impairment: control received saline, extract with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg doses, scopolamine with 1 mg/kg dose, and scopolamine (1 mg/kg) and extract effective dose (200 mg/kg) co-administration. The memory was evaluated by passive avoidance test. The step-through latency (STL) for entering the dark compartment and time spent in dark compartment (TDC) were measured.
Results: Intraperitoneal injection of various doses of the extract caused significant difference in mentioned parameters. TDC was reduced in all groups treated by extract (p<0.001) and STL increased in doses of 100 (p<0.05) and 200 mg/Kg (p<0.001) than the control, significantly. Maximum effect on memory was shown in 200 mg/kg dose of extract. The effective dose of extract (200 mg/kg) enhanced memory and improved scopolamine-induced memory impairment.
 Conclusion: Salvia leriifolia extract has enhancing and improving effects on memory.
Keywords: Memory, Salvia leriifolia, Scopolamine, Passive avoidance, Rat.

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Background: As depression is one of the common diseases in the world and because of the lack of proper response via usual medications, using electromagnet fields (EMF), as an alternative treatment, has become noticeable. Thus, in the present study, the effect of EMF with low frequencies was investigated on the treatment of depression.

Materials and methods: The experimental study was carried out on 32 male mice (albino, mean weight of 30g) after their adaptation in animal house. The animals were classified into 4 groups (n=8). All 4 groups were injected with high dose of reserpine (5 mg/kg) i.p. and from those, 3 groups exposed with EMF (10, 25, and 50 HZ frequencies, respectively, with intense 250µT) for one week, 30 minutes daily. In all 3 groups, the signs of depression (sedation, righting reflexes and swimming), diarrhea, eyes hemorrhage, and feet and hands hemorrhage were observed and compared with control group (those without exposing to EMFs).

Results: Reserpine-induced depression caused sedation, righting reflex disorders, swimming difficulty, diarrhea and eye bleeding. The sedation in 10 and 25 HZ was significantly decreased. EMF in all frequencies decreased sings significantly, particularly in 25 HZ frequency. In swimming, EMF with 10 Hz was the most effective frequency.

Conclusion: The findings showed that using EMES in low frequency can reduce most signs of reserpine-induced depression.

Keywords: Electromagnet fields (EMF), Mice, Depression.

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Background: Para-clinical abnormalities are considered as predictors of COVID-19 severity. We aimed at evaluate the relationship between laboratory and chest computed tomography (CT) scan findings and severity of COVID-19 cases.
Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective study on confirmed COVID-19 patients in Amir-Al-Momenin hospital, Tehran, Iran, from February 20, 2020 to April 19, 2020. Para-clinical characteristics of the patients including chest CT scan and laboratory findings were recruited from patients’ medical records. Then we evaluated the relationship between laboratory and chest CT scan findings and severity of COVID-19 cases. We performed statistical analysis using descriptive methods and analytical tests by SPSS statistical software version-24.
Results: With lung involvement to more than 50%, the severity of the disease changed severely and critically (P=0.008). In addition, WBC and Poly counts, ALP and BUN levels increased with increasing disease severity (P> 0.05). Predictive variables explain 32.4% of the changes in the criterion variable.
Conclusion: Lung involvement more than 75% and poly count variables were positive predictors of disease severity. Indeed, each unit increase in lung involvement ploy count, disease severity increases by 27.1% and 43.8%, respectively. Laboratory and chest CT scan findings can be efficient tools for prognostic stratification of COVID-19 patients and management of this infection.