Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is one type of hair loss that typically causes patches of baldness. In some cases, total baldness develops. There are no adequate studies concerning AA on the Taif area residents, KSA. Aim: The present study conducted for the first time prevalence, causes and treatment of AA in Al‑Taif area, KSA. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire employed to determine the prevalence of AA in patients attending dermatology clinics in Al‑Taif area. The doctors questioned about the number of patients attend dermatology clinics and suffering from AA. Doctors also were asked about types, causes of AA and the treatment/ responsiveness. The data collected and analysed statistically. Results: The obtained results showed a noticeable prevalence of AA in Al‑Taif area; 6.750% in males and 6.375% in females. Localized AA was the most common (88.75%) as well as the most responsive to the treatment. The emergence of disease was mostly related to the immune system (85%). The Doctors preferred topical corticosteroids or minoxidil plus systemic vitamins and minerals treatment more than others due to its effectiveness (90%, 40% responsiveness in localized and diffused respectively). Conclusion: We concluded that, the incidence of AA disease in Al‑Taif area, exceeded expectations and the autoimmune condition is the most predominance reason for its occurrence. The most effective treatment was topical corticosteroids plus systemic vitamins and minerals. Recommendations: We recommend a vitamin‑rich diet as well as an increased emphasis on the use of topical rubefacient herbs in addition to the above mentioned treatments of AA.

SUMMARY Aim: As a part of our continuing interest concerning the prevalence use of herbal medicine to treat common diseases in Al-Taif area, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence and indication of herbal medicine in digestive system complaints in Al-Taif area, Saudi Arabia. Methods: An anonymized self-administration questionnaire of 10 close-ended questions was filled in by 600 patients; only 300 of 600 patients (50%) completed the questionnaire. The sample was selected randomly considering the region of residency of respondents. Result: The present study revealed that 82.6% of the respondents used herbs for their digestive system problems. The following herbs: Anise, chamomile, pomegranate, peppermint, and ginger have been used commonly for digestive system complaints from the other. No side effects were recorded. Conclusion: The study concluded that a high proportion of the Al-Taif area population had been suffering from digestive system disorders. The majority of patients noticed improvement after the use of herbs to overcome the problems of the digestive system. Keywords: Herbal medicine, digestive system problems, questionnaire, Al-Taif population.

SUMMARY AIM: In fact, herbs can be particularly safe and effective for children because herbs tend to be so much gentler than pharmaceutical alternatives. The present study aims to assess the therapeutic use and the prevalence of herbal remedy in Taif children, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Cross-sectional, qualitative survey and a questionnaire of 15 close-ended questions written carefully and directly were used for this study. 300 parents completed the questionnaire who attended the general pediatric outpatient clinics of 3 central hospitals in Taif. Data were collected daily from 8 am to 4 pm for 2 months period from 15 October to 15 December 2012. RESULTS: The present study revealed a reasonable proportion of the respondents used herbs for their children. About 58.0% of parents used herbs for their children for the past four months earlier and about (70.3%) used herbs for their children in the past. The most commonly used herbs were; anise (24.7%) and fenugreek (14.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Herbal remedy is used in mid-range in Taif during childhood. To achieve high therapeutic safety, it is important to ask parents explicitly about such use and using natural medicines under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.

SUMMARY Aim: Herbal products are complex mixtures of organic chemicals that may come from any raw or processed part of a plant, including leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and seeds. Medicinal plants and herbal medicines account for a significant percentage of the pharmaceutical market. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of herbal products and their indications in Al-Taif area, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: A cross-sectional survey about the use of herbal medicines was conducted. Four hundred eighty respondents through private and hospital pharmacies filled the questionnaire. Questions about trade names, dosage forms, active ingredients and indications of the herbal pharmaceutical products were considered. Results: The present study revealed that natural product drugs had a noticeable share in the pharmaceutical market in Al-Taif area. Natural cough products represent the highest percent used by Al-Taif area populations. Conlusion: Herbal medicine represents an important part in pharmacies. Many patients prefer to use herbal medicine because of its safety and fewer side effects.

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Peptides were designed based on the identified structural motif of the most potent antioxidant peptides derived from barley protein. Six peptides contained the effective pentapeptide QPYPQ with appended Gln and Pro residues and the other peptides possessed higher hydrophobicity. The peptides have the repetitive sequences of Q, P and Y to investigate the contribution of vicinal residues to their antioxidant capacity. Antioxidant activity of the synthetic peptides was evaluated in chemical and cellular models. Free radical scavenging assays demonstrated the positive role of QP and PY pairs in stabilizing the peptide radicals. Cellular models revealed that repetitive peptide sequences effectively inactivate lipid hydroperoxides and intracellular reactive oxygen species. Peptides with alternating residues were also found effective in inhibition of amyloid fibril formation. These results verified that in addition to the chemical structure of individual side chains, the combined effects of the vicinal residues are also important in antioxidant activity of the whole peptide.

β-Peptides made from L-aspartic acid monomers form a new class of β3-peptides. Here we report the first three-dimensional NMR solution structure of a β3-hexapeptide (1) from L-aspartic acid monomers in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE). We show that 1 forms a right-handed 14-helical structure in TFE. α-peptides from naturally occurring L-amino acids adopt a right-handed α-helix whereas β3-peptides formed from β3-amino acids derived from naturally occurring L-amino acids form left-handed 14-helices. The right-handed 14-helical conformation of 1 is a better mimic of α-peptide conformations. Using the NMR structure of 1 in TFE, we further study the conformation of 1 in water, as well as two similar β3-peptides (2 and 3) in water and TFE by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. NMR and MD results suggest loss of secondary structure of 1 in water and show that it forms a fully extended structure. 2 and 3 contain residues with oppositely charged side chains that engage in salt-bridge interactions and dramatically stabilize the 14-helical conformation in aqueous media.