Effects of Nanocurcumin Against Cisplatin Induced-Nephrotoxicity in Rats

Nephrotoxicity is the major limitation for the clinical use of cisplatin as an antitumor. Nanocurcumin, unlike curcumin, is readily dispersed in aqueous media. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the potential of nanocurcumin against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. This study conducted for 9 days treatment, five groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were examined: normal, cisplatin (CDDP) 7 mg/kgBW, CDDP+curcumin (CMN) 100 mg/kg BW/day, CDDP+nanocurcumin (NC) 50 mg/kg BW/day, and CDDP+NC 100 mg/kg BW/day. After 72 h following injection cisplatin, specimens were collected. Plasma blood urea nitrogen (BUN), plasma creatinine, urinary ureum levels, urinary creatinine levels, MDA levels in kidney, and GSH levels in kidney were investigated. Rats were weighed before and after study. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). This study resulted a single dose injection of cisplatin caused a significant increase in plasma BUN, plasma creatinine, and MDA levels by 6 fold, 2.4 fold, and 1.4 fold respectively as compared to normal group. Pre-treatment with CMN and NC were reduced plasma BUN levels, plasma creatinine levels, MDA levels in kidney and increased GSH level in kidney compared with CDPP-induced nephrotoxicity rats without treatment. At the end of treatment, the difference of body weight between normal group and CDDP group was statistically significant. CDPP is able to induce nephrotoxicity in rats that mimicked acute kidney injury in human. CMN and NC tend to reduce the CDPP-induced nephrotoxiciy

Association between blood glucose levels at admission and severity of COVID-19 patients

Hyperglycemia can be experienced by corona virus disease (COVID-19) patients due to the invasion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) into pancreatic cells or other mechanisms such as insulin resistance, counter-regulatory, stress induction, and glucocorticoid therapy. Hyperglycemia can stimulate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to an increase in the disease severity.  Based on the clinical and laboratory criteria, the severity of COVID-19 patients is classified into asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and critical. This study aimed to investigate the association between blood glucose levels at admission and the severity of COVID-19 patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). It was a cross-sectional study using secondary data from COVID-19 patients in Pondok Kopi Jakarta Islamic Hospital from April to June 2021. This study involved 340 patients with comorbid DM (n=78) and without comorbid DM (n=262). The Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation test were used. A significant difference between random blood glucose levels in comorbid DM patients and patients without comorbid DM (p<0.05). However, there is a weak correlation between random blood glucose levels and severity with comorbid DM (r=0.112) and without comorbid DM (r=0.129). In conclusion, a positive and weak correlation between blood glucose levels at admission and the severity of COVID-19. The severity increases as the blood sugar level increases. Further study needs to be performed considering other comorbid conditions

Sedative Effects of Intraperitoneal Diazepam in Mice

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of Diazepam in comparison with Phenobarbital. Methods: Twenty-seven male Swiss Webster mice were used and randomly divided into three groups of negative control (NS), positive control (Phenobarbital), and diazepam group. Two tests were performed on these group: the traction Test and the Fireplace Test. Pupillary diameter was also observed. Results: A significant difference based on the Kruskal - Wallis statistical test was observed between the positive control and the diazepam group (0.05). Conclusion: Diazepam has a better sedative effect than Phenobarbital. The sedative effect produced by Diazepam is stronger, with faster onset and longer half-life than the Phenobarbital the positive control. However, different test methods and comparisons should be sought to support this conclusion

Pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6) and total count lymphocyte profiles in COVID-19 patients with different severity levels

COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection that attacked the human respiratory system. In severe conditions, it causes pneumonia, kidney failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and even death. The SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers the immune cells to secrete an excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines lead to cytokine storm. It is believed to become one of the mechanisms that cause the ARDS condition. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokines will differ with each case severity. This study aimed to evaluate the profile of pro-inflammatory cytokines in COVID-19 patients with different severity. Therefore, it could be used as therapeutic approach for cytokine storm conditions. It was a cross sectional study using plasma samples of COVID-19 patients from Jakarta Islamic Hospital, Pondok Kopi and Dr. M. Goenawan Partowidigdo Hospital, Cisarua, Indonesia. The COVID-19 patients with severe (n=20) and mild to moderate (n=25) severity were involved in this study. As negative control plasma sample from healthy subjects (n=13) was used. Plasma IL-6 levels were measured using the ELISA technique and plasma lymphocyte levels were measured using a hematology analyzer. The results showed that no significant difference between severity and gender was observed (p=0.256). Meanwhile, there is a significant difference in IL-6 level between negative control, mild-moderate, and severe categories (p=0.015). The average IL-6 level in severe categories was higher than mild-moderate and negative control categories, with values 105.375, 59.75, and 64.577 pg/mL, respectively. This result becomes supporting evidence that there is a cytokine storm condition in severe COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, the lymphocyte level in the severe group is significantly lower than the mild to moderate group. This result may indicate lymphocytopenia in the severe group