Effect of Allium sativum (garlic) methanol extract on viability and apoptosis of human leukemic cell lines

Purpose: To investigate the effect of Allium sativum (garlic) methanol extract on viability and apoptosis of human leukemic cells.Methods: Cell viability was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay at concentrations of 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 ug/mL of Allium sativum extract following 48-h treatment on U-937, Jurkat Clone E6-1 and K-562 cell lines. The mode of cell death was determined by Annexin V-FITC staining and analyzed by flow cytometry.Results: The results show that the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of A. sativum on U-937, Jurkat Clone E6-1, K-562 cell lines was 105 ± 2.21, 489 ± 4.51 and 455 ± 3.13 μg/mL, respectively, compared with negative control, while apoptosis was 17.93 ± 0.95 % for U-937 cells (p ≤ 0.05), 38.37 ± 1.88 % for Jurkat Clone E6-1 cells (p ≤ 0.001) and 16.37 ± 1.10 % for K-562 cells. A majority of the cells were inhibited by the extract via apoptosis. Only U-937 cells (6.87 ± 0.65 %) showed significant necrosis compared to negative control (p ≤ 0.05).Conclusion: K-562 cells are the most resistant against garlic extract, in contrast to Jurkat Clone E6-1 cells. Garlic extract does not induce necrosis in Jurkat Clone E6-1 and K-562 cells.Keywords: Anti-leukemic, Garlic, Allium sativum, Annexin V-FITC staining,  Necrosis, Apoptosis, Flow cytometry, Jurkat Clone E6-1 cell

Interaction between green tea and perindopril reduces inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity

Purpose: To investigate the blood pressure-lowering effect of green tea (GT) extract alone and in combination with an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, perindopril, on rats. Methods: The study consisted of four groups of five spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR): negative control (2 % tragacanth mucilage), positive control group (perindopril, 0.36 mg/kg/day) and two treatment groups (green tea, 25 mg/kg/day; and combined green tea/perindopril). The treatments were given orally for 14 days. Systolic blood pressure was measured before and after treatment using the tail cuff technique. Angiotensin converting enzyme activity in the lung homogenate of the hypertensive rats was determined spectrophotometrically. Results: Green tea extract significantly reduced the rats’ systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05) but did not inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme. The combination of green tea extract with perindopril also caused a significant decline in blood pressure (p < 0.001). However, the green tea extract attenuated the inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme activity by perindopril. Conclusion: Green tea extract produces anti-hypertensive activity in rats, but its mechanism of action is not via inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme. The interaction of GT extract with perindopril results in a reduction of ACE inhibitory activity

Knockdown of Annexin A1 induces apoptosis, causing G2/M arrest and facilitating phagocytosis activity in human leukemia cell lines

Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous protein involved in the control of proliferation, cell cycle, phagocytosis, and apoptosis in several types of cancer. To investigate the effects of ANXA1 knockdown in leukemia cells, transfection with specific ANXA1 siRNA was performed. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry and a mechanism involving caspases and Bcl-2 was quantified using Western blotting. Phagocytosis activity was evaluated using hematoxylin & eosin staining. The ANXA1 expression was significantly downregulated after the knockdown and apoptosis was induced in tested cells. The expression of caspase-9 and -3 increased in U937 and Jurkat cells respectively. Bcl-2 expression was downregulated in K562 and Jurkat cells while upregulated in U937. The number of leukemic cells arrested at the G2/M phase and the phagocytosis index were significantly increased in transfected cells. This suggests that ANXA1 knockdown might be a potential approach in the therapeutic strategy for leukemia

Crossover learning through a health campaign integrated in a bachelor of pharmacy curriculum

Purpose: Continuous improvement in teaching and learning methods is vital for addressing the changing needs of pharmacy education. Many have agreed that one of the most effective approaches is crossover learning, whereby learners are actively involved in shaping their learning experiences and acquiring knowledge in both formal and informal settings. In this work, we report an ongoing initiative of facilitating a student-led health campaign, Brain Awareness Day, to promote crossover learning. Method: The campaign is included in our curriculum (Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours) as a formal mode of learning and continuous assessment. A total of 84 pharmacy students were divided into groups of eight or nine to work on a drug addiction-themed assignment and present the result in the form of a poster exhibition. A short, online questionnaire was used to gather the students’ feedback on their learning experience and perceived gain of relevant insights from the campaign. Findings: Thirty nine out of 84 students took part in the survey. Most students agreed that their involvement in the campaign had contributed favourably to their learning experience and achievement of the pre-defined learning outcomes. The students also gave several suggestions for improving the organisation of the campaign. They suggested that more budget should be allocated for running the campaign, and that finding an off-campus venue might help to increase footfall. Significance: We concluded that the campaign had been effective in encouraging crossover learning, and it would remain an integrated sub-programme in our pharmacy curriculum. Diversifying methods of teaching and learning may help to realise Malaysia’s aim of developing well-rounded and employable graduates

Synthetic chalcone derivatives inhibit cytokine secretion via inhibition of ERK and JNK pathways in human U937 macrophage

Purpose: To investigate the inhibitory effects of a chalcone derivative on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- induced interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 secretions and on LPS-induced mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation in human U937 macrophage-like cell line. Methods: The effects of chalcone derivative on LPS-induced secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 in endothelial cells were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay while the effects of chalcone on the activation of MAPK and NF-kB pathway were determined by Western blotting. Results: The results showed that 3-(5-methyl-furan-2-yl)-naphthalen-1-yl-propenone (compound 1) significantly inhibited the secretion of LPS-induced IL-6 and IL-8 in U937 macrophages. This compound also demonstrated significant suppression of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and extracellular signalregulated kinases (ERK) phosphorylation. However, the compound did not reverse the degradation of inhibitor kappa B alpha (IκBα) and did not inhibit the phosphorylation of NF-κB subunit and P-38 MAPK. Conclusion: Compound 1 inhibits the secretion of cytokines via the inhibition of ERK and JNK pathways. These results suggest that chalcone derivative could act as an antiinflammatory agent by altering cytokine secretion and inflammatory pathways

Knowledge, awareness and attitude related to hypertension and garlic supplement in an urban population

Garlic has gained popularity worldwide as a non-pharmacological treatment for hypertension but its use in Malaysia is still moderate. This study was undertaken among Malaysian urban population to assess their knowledge, awareness and attitude towards garlic supplement. This study is a cross sectional study and was carried out from February to May 2015. A total of 202 respondents took part in the study with 45% (n=91) taking garlic supplement. The result demonstrated that there was a significant negative correlation with age and knowledge score (r=-0.15, p=0.03). Majority of the respondents were unaware (n=61/202, 69.8%) that garlic has blood pressure lowering properties. Most preferred conventional medicines (n=119/202, 58.9%) over garlic supplement (n=83/202, 41.1%). However, most of the respondents (n=176/202, 87.1%) were interested to know more about the use of garlic for hypertension. There is no significant correlation between knowledge, awareness and attitude of respondents towards garlic supplement

Effects of durian fruit on blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Durian or scientifically known as Durio zibethinus is one of the most well-known seasonal fruits in the Southeast Asia region. However, its safe consumption in individuals with hypertension is still controversial. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of durian on blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rat model. Four groups of rats (n=5) were fed with either a low dose durian (26 g/kg), a high dose durian (52 g/kg), sugar solution (8 mL/kg) which has similar sugar composition in the durian as placebo control, and distilled water as vehicle control (8 mL/kg) for 14 days. The durian doses for rats were obtained by converting from human doses. Baseline reading of blood pressure and heart rate were recorded before the first oral administration of durian. The blood pressure and heart rate were also measured 1 h after the durian oral administration on day 1, 3, 7 and 14 of the experiment. In conclusion, durian fruit possessed an acute effect on the blood pressure of hypertensive rats but heart rate was unaffected. High dose administration of durian led to significant elevation of blood pressure after 1 h of consumption. Meanwhile, low dose of durian (26 g/kg) caused an insignificant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Tolerance to the durian fruit was observed after three to seven days of the oral administration and low dose consumption of durian fruit was safe in the hypertensive rat

Microplastics in cosmetics and personal care products : impacts on aquatic life and rodents with potential alternatives

Microplastics are environmental contaminants of emerging concern that are used in huge quantities in cosmetics and personal care products. As a result, microplastics are continuously released to the environment with serious implications to the ecosystem and human health. A literature search was carried out on Medline, Mendeley, Science Direct and Scopus, gathering relevant articles from 2014-2021. Common types of microplastics used in these products are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). They are usually incorporated in toothpastes, shower gels, shampoos, creams, eye shadows, deodorants, blush powders, make-up foundations and skin creams as exfoliators, emulsifiers, binding agents, opacifying agents, anti-static agents and film-forming agents. Microplastics can cause stunted growth, infertility and low survival rate in aquatic life and they also have been linked to obesity, infertility, cancer and diabetes in humans. Major companies such as Unilever and L’Oréal have removed microplastics from their products or use the alternatives such as chitin, cellulose based microbeads and bio-based plastics. Information on long term effects of microplastics on humans is still scarce. The suitability of materials replacing microplastics and the effectiveness of campaigns and the implemented regulations are not fully evaluated. These research gaps are useful for other researchers to explore more on this subject

Recent advances in the use of animal-sourced gelatine as natural polymers for food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications

Gelatine is used as an excipient for various pharmaceutical dosage forms, such as capsule shells (both hard and soft), tablets, suspensions, emulsions and injections (e.g. plasma expanders). It is also broadly used in various industries such as food and cosmetics. Gelatine is a biopolymer obtained from discarded or unused materials of bovine, porcine, ovine, poultry and marine industrial farms. The discarded materials can be the skin, tendons, cartilages, bones and connective tissues. Gelatine sourced from animals is relatively easy and inexpensive to produce. The potential needs of gelatine cannot be overemphasised. Rising demands, health concerns and religious issues have heightened the need for alternative sources of gelatine. This review presents the various industrial uses of gelatine and the latest developments in producing gelatine from various sources

Drug-herb interactions : selected antihypertensive drugs with Moringa oleifera leaves extract

Moringa oleifera is a local plant which is commonly used in cooking and as a health supplement. It has been reported to possess blood pressure (BP) lowering effect and little is known about its possible interactions with cardiovascular drugs. This study looked into the possible drug-herb interactions between M. oleifera leaves extract and selected antihypertensive drugs. Ten groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and one group of normotensive rats (NTs) were administered either M. oleifera extract alone, drugs alone or drugs in combination with M. oleifera extract for 14 days and BP of the rats were measured. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity was also determined in vitro and ex vivo. Treated groups were found to produce significant BP reduction on day 15 when compared with the negative control but there was no significance difference when compared with positive controls (drugs alone). M. oleifera extract administered alone significantly reduced BP of SHRs on day 15 and this is comparable with the BP reduction observed when antihypertensive drugs were administered alone. However, no additive effect was observed when drugs were used in combination with M. oleifera extract. Similar results were seen in the in vitro and ex vivo ACE inhibitory activity of M. oleifera extract and enalapril. It can be concluded that there is a possibility of drug-herb interaction between M. oleifera extract and the selected antihypertensive drugs