The Effect of Baru (Dypterix alata Vog.) Almond Oil on Markers of Bowel Habits in Hemodialysis Patients

Almond oil restores blood parameters, liver function, blood and liver antioxidants and DNA, and liver histology more efficiently than olive oil in favism

OBJECTIVES

Favism is a metabolic disease and this study aimed to compare between olive oil and almond oil to ameliorate blood parameters, liver function, blood and liver antioxidants and DNA, and liver histology in favism rats.

METHODS

Animals were 36 male albino rats. They classified to 2 equal (normal and favism) groups. Normal group classified to 3 equal subgroups; Control, Olive oil, and Almond oil subgroups: normal rats orally administrated with 1 mL/100 g of saline, olive oil, and almond oil, respectively. Favism group was subdivided into 3 equal subgroup; favism, favism + olive oil, and favism + almond oil subgroups: favism rats orally administrated with no treatment, 1 mL/100 g olive oil, and 1 mL/100 g almond oil, respectively. All treatments were administrated orally by oral gavage once a day for 1 month.

RESULTS

The hemoglobin, hematocrite, the blood cells, glucose and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, total proteins, albumin, and globulin in serum were decreased in favism. The glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase in blood and liver were decreased in favism while alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin in serum were increased in favism. The blood and liver malondialdehyde was increased in favism. Furthermore, oral administration with both oils in favism rats restored all these parameters to be approached the control levels. Also, both oils preserved blood and liver DNA and liver histology.

CONCLUSIONS

Almond oil restored blood parameters, liver function, blood and liver antioxidants and DNA, and liver histology more efficiently than olive oil in favism.

Comparison of the Effects of Abdominal Massage and Oral Administration of Sweet Almond Oil on Constipation and Quality of Life among Elderly Individuals: A Single-Blind Clinical Trial

Background. Constipation is a common digestive disorder in the elderly population, which has a considerable impact on various aspects of their lives. Traditional and complementary medicines are two common treatments for constipation. This study was aimed at comparing the effects of abdominal massage and oral administration of sweet almond oil on constipation and quality of life among elderly people. Methods. In this single-blind study, 90 eligible elderly people were randomly selected according to ROME IV diagnostic criteria from October 2020 to May 2021 and were divided into three groups using block randomization ( $n=30$ ). In the oral consumption group, 126 ml sweet almond oil was administered during seven sessions held over two weeks (18 ml every other day). The abdominal massage group was provided with abdominal massage with the same amount of sweet almond oil during seven sessions in two weeks. Finally, the third group (i.e., the control group) received no interventions. Constipation was measured using the Constipation Assessment Scale (CAS) and the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) at baseline and on the 15th day of the intervention. Patient Assessment of Constipation-Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) was also applied before and after the intervention (day 15). The data were entered in to the SPSS 22 software and were analyzed using chi-square $t$ -test, paired $t$ -test, independent $t$ -test, and ANOVA. $p\le 0.05$ was considered statistically significant. Results. The results revealed a significant decrease in the CAS score in the oral consumption group (i.e., oral administration of sweet almond oil; from $7.81\pm 2.62$ to $1.15\pm 1.08$ , $p<0.0003$ ) compared to the abdominal massage group (i.e., abdominal massage; from $8\pm 2.57$ to $2.26\pm 1.81$ , $p<0.0002$ ) and the control group (from $7.73\pm 2.53$ to $6\pm 2.74$ , $p<0.0002$ ). Additionally, the stool consistency score in BSFS was significantly higher in the oral consumption group in comparison to the two other groups ( $p<0.0003$ ) before and after the intervention. Furthermore, the quality of life score decreased more significantly in the oral consumption group (from $75.04\pm 7.66$ to $28.15\pm 3.30$ , $p<0.0003$ ) than in the abdominal massage group (from $81.15\pm 5.15$ to $43.26\pm 4.13$ , $p<0.0001$ ) and the control group (from $79.62\pm 4.76$ to $62.31\pm 6.40$ , $p<0.0008$ ). Conclusion. Since the oral administration of sweet almond oil and abdominal massage was highly influential in the participants’ constipation scores and quality of life, these cost-effective methods with low complication rates are recommended to be used alongside other treatments in managing constipation among older adults.