Economic Impact of Dyspepsia in Rural and Urban Malaysia: A Population-Based Study

Background/Aims : The economic impact of dyspepsia in regions with a diverse healthcare system remains uncertain. This study aimed to estimate the costs of dyspepsia in a rural and urban population in Malaysia.Methods Economic evaluation was performed based on the cost-of-illness method. Resource utilization and quality of lifedata over a specific time frame, were collected to determine direct, indirect and intangible costs related to dyspepsia. Results The prevalences of dyspepsia in the rural (n = 2,000) and urban (n = 2,039) populations were 14.6% and 24.3% respectively. Differences in socioeconomic status and healthcare utilisation between both populations were considerable. The cost of dyspepsia per 1,000 population per year was estimated at USD14,816.10 and USD59,282.20 in the rural and urban populations respectively. The cost per quality adjusted life year for dyspepsia in rural and urban adults was USD16.30 and USD69.75, respectively.Conclusions The economic impact of dyspepsia is greater in an urban compared to a rural setting. Differences in socioeconomic status and healthcare utilisation between populations are thought to contribute to this difference

Investigation of the Origanum onites L. essential oil using the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay

The in vivo test on the chorioallantoic membrane of the fertilized hen's egg (CAM assay) is a current method to determine antiangiogenic, antiinflammatory activity and toxic effects of individual compounds or complex plant extracts. The method is used for testing natural compounds in small amounts for revealing various modes of action and the complex mechanisms related to angiogenesis and inflammation. Furthermore, possible side effects such as membrane irritation, toxic, and anticoagulant properties of the investigated material in question can be detected. For the evaluation, the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the aerial parts of Origanum onites L., a common spice and medicinal plant, was tested for its effect in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The essential oil composition was revealed by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Eighty three components were identified, representing 99.1% of the total oil. Carvacrol, thymol, p-cymene, and gamma-terpinene were found as major components and were also individually tested in the CAM assay. Along with the monoterpenes carvacrol and thymol, their methyl ether derivatives were also examined for comparison of their physiological action. Neither the essential oil nor its components showed any pronounced antiinflammatory or antiangiogenic property in the CAM assay, at 10-250 microg/pellet. However, the irritant effect of the essential oil was linked to thymol in a dose-response fashion, up to 10 microg/pellet, where it was still showing irritation