The importance of opium as a cash crop among the Hmong 1 in north Thailand is widely known and has been studied in detaii.2 The association between the Hmong and Yunnanese "Haw" traders, through whom the Hmong have traditionally marketed opium, is also well known. It is a common misconception, however, that opium plays a central role in Hmong culture. It has, for example, apparently little or n...

Article type: Short communication Objective(s): The aim of this study was to determine the important molecules involved in apoptosis induction by opium in Jurkat cell line. Materials and Methods: Jurkat cells were incubated 48 hrs with 2.86×10-5 g/ml concentration of opium and apoptosis as well as expression levels of related molecules were measured. Results: Our results demonstrated that 50.3±...

which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Viral infections such as HIV and HCV have a serious negative effect on the health of injecting drug users (IDUs) in Iran (1-4). Two recent studies in Tehran, Iran have shown that HCV prevalence was between 52%-80% among IDUs (5, 6). Furthermore, many IDUs might be infected...

Some Asian people believe that opium can protect the cardiovascular system. To assess this belief, we investigated the effect of passive opium smoking (POS) on cardiovascular indices in rabbits with ischemic and non-ischemic hearts.Rabbits (n = 43) were divided into control (CTL), short term opium (SO) and long term opium (LO) groups. SO and LO groups were exposed to opium smoking for 3 days an...

in the morning, and began to be uneasy and to fall into a drowsy state since 10 A. M. The patient had no fever previously, and no sort of constitutional disturbance whatever. It was a female child, about a year and a half old. On my visit I found my little patient recumbent on her mother's lap, dozing and perspiring a little ; skin cold, both the pupils much contracted, pulse weak and frequent,...

BACKGROUND The risk of infectious, autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases and cancers rise in opioid addicts due to changes in innate and acquired immune responses. Three types of opioid receptors (К-δ-μ) are expressed on the surface of lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes. The present study was designed to examine the effects of different concentrations of opium on the secretion of some cy...

  Background: There are widespread misconceptions about the positive effects of opium on coronary artery disease (CAD). Thus, we performed a study to explore the opium addiction process contributing factors among CAD patients using a grounded theory approach.   Methods : The sample comprised 30 addicted CAD patients and their family members, physicians, nurses and friends. Purposive and theoret...

Background: Many reports are available about the increasing rate of mortality due to overuse of opioids. It has been suggested that sleep apnea can be a cause of mortality because of overuse of opioids. Opium use is common in Iran. This study aimed to assess the effect of opium on polysomnographic findings in opium addicts with sleep apnea syndrome. Materials and Methods: In this prospective ca...

of opium. Indeed, there can be few (if any) officials in authority, either in India or China, having, or who could be reasonably expected to possess, more than a very general impression regarding the subject. Yet, in many districts in India, the use of opium is as common as in China itself. On the other hand, there are numerous medical officers, who, from personal experience and observation, of...