Herein, we report repeated isolation of Mycobacterium europaeum from the sputum samples of an Iranian human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient and a cystic fibrosis patient with chronic pulmonary disease. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation of M. europaeum from human clinical specimens in Asia to be reported.

Dendritic cells (DCs) can secrete cytokines stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which leads to not just acute inflammatory responses but also Th1 polarization. Furtherly, chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases could be triggered. As a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine formula, Ephedra Aconite Asarum Decoction with the main ingredients of ephedrine and hypaconitine can show effect on...

INTRODUCTION Mycobacterium europaeum, a slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium simiae complex, was described after the seminal characterization of five isolates collected from three sputum specimens and a jaw gland biopsy in Italy, Greece and Sweden. Five respiratory tract isolates were further reported in Iran. Here, we report the first isolation of M. europaeu...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of Asarum extract on rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA) and to determine the underlying mechanism. An AA model was established by injecting Freund's complete adjuvant into the rats. The degree of toe swelling, arthritis index, spleen index, and the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-...

The isolation of bacteria was carried out from samples of straw and chicken manure, compost at various stages of the composting process and casing soil used for growing button mushrooms. A preliminary screening of 108 bacterial isolates for antagonistic activity against Trichoderma aggressivum f. europaeum showed that 23 tested isolates inhibited mycelial growth of the pathogenic fungus. Furthe...

The MeOH extract of Asarum sagittarioides (Aristolochiaceae) showed antihistaminic activity. N-Isobutyl-3,4-methylenedioxybenzamide (1) was isolated as the active principle, and this compound was proved to be an antiallergic substance by pharmacological studies. Furthermore, in order to investigate the structure-activity relationships, some analogues of 1 were synthesized, and compounds 4 and 5...