Background & Objective: Tuberculosis is a diseases which is severely threatening the individuals health and is spreading quickly. Moreover, the appearance of new strains resistant to drugs has complicated the issue. Since there is no information available regarding the present drug-resistance situation of patients suffering from tuberculosis in Mashhad, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of this resistance in this city.

 Methods: To determine prevalence of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in Mashhad, drug sensitivity of 75 M. tuberculosis strains isolated from patients with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis from 20 Feb. 2002 to 20 Aug. 2002 was studied using the indirect proportion method. Every strain was tested against Rifampicin (RMP), Isoniazid (INH), Ethambutol (ETM), and Streptomycin (STM). Medical records of the patients were reviewed. Patients with no or less than 1 month treatment were defined as new cases and those previously treated for more than 1 month were defined as previously treated cases.

 Results: Of 75 isolates, 70(93.33%) were from new and 5(6.66%) from previously treated cases. 68 patients (90.66%) were suffering from pulmonary and 7(9.33%) from extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Of 75 isolates, 23(36%) were resistant to at least one anti-tuberculosis drug. The highest rate of resistance was observed to streptomycin. Three of the 75 strains (4%) were resistant to all four drugs. 1.43% and 40% of strains isolated from newly and previously treated patients respectively were multidrug resistant.

 Conclusions: In this study new cases with MDR-TB were less prevalent compared to other studies. Most drug resistance and MDR-TB were associated with previous treatment. Continual evaluation of drug resistance following DOTS implementation seems to be necessary.

Background & objectives: Stroke is third leading cause of death and disability in the most of human communities. Several experimental studies have shown that combination therapy with drugs that act via different mechanisms can produce amplified protective effects. We examined the effects of combination therapy with candesartan and alpha tocopherol against cerebral ischemia.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n=24): sham, control ischemic, candesartan treated (0.3 mg/kg), alpha tocopherol treated (30 mg/kg) and combined treated ischemic groups. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 90-min-long occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery followed by 24-h-long reperfusion. Neurological deficit score was evaluated at the end of the reperfusion period. Thereafter, the animals were randomly used for measurement of the infarct volumes and investigation of ischemic brain edema formation using a wet/dry method.

Results: Induction of cerebral ischemia produced considerable brain infarction in conjunction with severely impaired motor functions and edema formation. Combined treatment with candesartan and alpha tocopherol significantly reduced the infarct volume and lowered the water content in the ischemic lesioned hemisphere. These effects on brain edema and oxidative stress biomarkers were significantly more than the monotherapy with candesartan.

Conclusion: The combination therapy with candesartan and alpha tocopherol can noticeably decrease ischemic brain injury and attenuate edema formation likely via increasing the antioxidant activity.