Kajian etnoperubatan, analisis fitokimia dan aktiviti biologi tumbuh-tumbuhan antidiabetik terpilih yang digunakan oleh masyarakat orang asli di Gua Musang, Kelantan

Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases affecting worldwide population. Presently, there is a growing interest in herbal remedies for diabetic patient. Therefore, an investigation based on ethnomedicine is required in determined alternative approaches to treat diabetics, such as herbal. The main objective of this study was to document ethnomedical of medicinal plants used by aborigines in Gua Musang, Kelantan. The phytochemical, phytonutrient and biological activities of selected plants were screened. Ethnomedical information was collected by interviewing the aboriginal households (house-to-house interviews) and traditional healers in the village. The antidiabetic potential of aqueous extract of selected medicinal plants was determined using α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition assay. Phytochemical and phytonutrient were quantitatively determined using standard procedure and antioxidant activities were determined using 2,2’-azinobis(3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic) asid (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing/antioksidan power (FRAP) assays. The ethnomedicinal data revealed that 46 plant species were used in treating various types of health problems, from common diseases such as muscle aches and fever to chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and malaria. From the species recorded, three plants used to treat diabetes is Albizia myriophylla, Oxalis barrelieri and Tacca cristata. Therefore, those plants were term as antidiabetic plants in this study. All extracts were found to have significant antidiabetic activities. A. myriophylla extract showed the highest inhibitory activity against α-amylase in which IC50 15.05 μg/ml, while O. barrelieri showed the highest inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase in which IC50 52.40 μg/ml. O. barrelieri showed the highest phenolic content (64.30 ± 1.50 mg GAE/g), flavonoid content (19.29 ± 2.90 mg CE/g), tannin (42.59 ± 10.23 mg TAE/g), alkaloid (3.27 ± 0.33%), fat (1.47 ± 0.60%) and protein (10.61 ± 0.72%) while T. cristata showed the highest content of saponin (7.17 ± 1.15), ash (10.25 ± 0.15%), carbohydrate (53.51 ± 0.94%) and gross energy (240.93 ± 1.74 kcal/100g). Mineral analysis indicates higher concentrations of magnesium, sodium, calcium, mangan, ferum and zinc in T. cristata while higher concentrations of potassium and phosphorus in O. barrelieri. O. barrelieri extract also had the highest antioxidant acivities in ABTS, DPPH and FRAP assays in which 205.95 μmol Trolox/g, 110.41 μmol Trolox/g and 220.93 μmol Trolox/g were obtained, respectively. Further, the most potent extract which is O. barrelieri was subjected to functional beverage development for antidiabetic study in rat model. The results revealed that the O. barrelieri juice showed blood glucose lowering effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats. In conclusion, A. myriophylla, O. barrelieri and T. cristata were found to possess significant in vitro antidiabetic and antioxidant activities. Besides that, O. barrelieri juice showed antidiabetic potential in rat animal models

Protective Effects of the Polyphenolic-Rich Fraction of Cornsilk against Oxidative Stress in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has become a significant public health problem worldwide and primarily correlated to hyperglycaemia and abnormal lipid and antioxidant levels. Fruit and vegetable wastes are rich in phenolic compounds thus suitable for antioxidant sources. Cornsilk (CS), a maize cultivar waste, also contains phenolic compounds. The current study investigated the anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidative properties of the Phenolic-Rich Fraction of Cornsilk (PRF-CS) in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Five groups of 30 male Sprague Dawley rats were employed in this study. A sample size of six rats each is placed in five groups: Normal-Control (NC), Diabetic-Control (DC), Diabetic-PRF-CS treated 100 mg/kg (DPRF100) and 200 mg/kg (DPRF200), and Diabetic-Metformin Treated (Dmet) groups. The PRF-CS was administered at 100 and 200 mg/kg doses for 28 consecutive days to the diabetic rats. Treatment with both doses of PRF-CS (DPRF100 and DPRF200) significantly decreased the blood glucose levels of the rats (p<0.05). Additionally, the PRF-treated rats demonstrated significantly decreased (p<0.05) lipid peroxidation (3.60±0.23 and 3.31±0.56 µmol/g, respectively). The hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) (169.35±4.75 and 175.30±3.69 U/mg, respectively), Catalase (CAT) (1457.51±152.74 and 2011.99±396.96 U/mg), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) (63.43±2.99 and 78.47±4.51 U/mg) were also elevated in contrast to the DC group. Furthermore, the PRF-CS administration improved the histological alterations in the liver tissues of the DPRF100 and DPRF200 rats. In conclusion, PRF-CS treatment exhibited protective effects in the diabetic rat model by decreasing oxidative stress and preserving liver integrity

Fitokimia: Kunyit sebagai antikanser

Kunyit merupakan rizom daripada pokok Curcuma longa L Pokok ini ditemui di belukar dan semak samun. Kunyit berasal dari Asia Tenggara dan Asia Selatan, tetapi kini ditanam untuk tujuan komersial di India, China, Indonesia dan Indochina

Jintan Bukan Sekadar Rempah Masakan

Masyarakat di Malaysia terutama kaum Melayu terkenal dengan penggunaan pelbagai rempah ratus dalam masakan mereka. Antara rempah ratus yang sering digunakan ialah Jintan. Terdapal empat jenis yang biasa digunakan, iaitu jintan, jintan hitam, jintan putih dan jintan manis. Jintan alau nama saintifiknya Carum carvi L. sejenis pokok herba yang tumbuh liar di tanah tinggi Pokok ini tumbuhan asli di Eropah dan Asia. Biji jintan secara tradisionalnya digunakan untuk merawat demam panas, masalah pembuangan air besar, kembung angin, sakit kepala, diurelik, sawan dan selesema

Ethnomedical Survey of Aborigines Medicinal Plants in Gua Musang, Kelantan, Malaysia

The practice of herbal medicine had been diminishing, which may lead to the loss of valuable information about healing herbs. Therefore, an ethnomedical analysis was carried out in order to document the traditional medicinal uses of plants, which are commonly used among the Kelantanese Aborigines. A detailed systematic exploration of traditional ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants of rural area in Kelantan was carried out mainly through interviews among aboriginal households (house-to-house interviews) and traditional healers. A total of 46 species was identified as having potential medicinal efficacy in curing different diseases and illnesses. Findings from this study can be used as a pharmacological basis in selecting plants for further phytochemical and pharmaceutical-nutrition studies

Anticancer activity of a sub-fraction of dichloromethane extract of Strobilanthes crispus on human breast and prostate cancer cells in vitro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The leaves of <it>Strobilanthes crispus </it>(<it>S. crispus</it>) which is native to the regions of Madagascar to the Malay Archipelago, are used in folk medicine for their antidiabetic, diuretic, anticancer and blood pressure lowering properties. Crude extracts of this plant have been found to be cytotoxic to human cancer cell lines and protective against chemically-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. In this study, the cytotoxicity of various sub-fractions of dichloromethane extract isolated from the leaves of <it>S. crispus </it>was determined and the anticancer activity of one of the bioactive sub-fractions, SC/D-F9, was further analysed in breast and prostate cancer cell lines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The dichloromethane extract of <it>S. crispus </it>was chromatographed on silica gel by flash column chromatography. The ability of the various sub-fractions obtained to induce cell death of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, PC-3 and DU-145 cell lines was determined using the LDH assay. The dose-response effect and the EC₅₀values of the active sub-fraction, SC/D-F9, were determined. Apoptosis was detected using Annexin V antibody and propidium iodide staining and analysed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, while caspase 3/7 activity was detected using FLICA caspase inhibitor and analysed by fluorescence microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Selected sub-fractions of the dichloromethane extract induced death of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, PC-3 and DU-145 cells. The sub-fraction SC/D-F9, consistently killed breast and prostate cancer cell lines with low EC₅₀values but is non-cytotoxic to the normal breast epithelial cell line, MCF-10A. SC/D-F9 displayed relatively higher cytotoxicity compared to tamoxifen, paclitaxel, docetaxel and doxorubicin. Cell death induced by SC/D-F9 occurred via apoptosis with the involvement of caspase 3 and/or 7.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A dichloromethane sub-fraction of <it>S. crispus </it>displayed potent anticancer activities <it>in vitro </it>that can be further exploited for the development of a potential therapeutic anticancer agent.</p

Sains Pemakanan: Minuman Berfungsi Peningkat Kecergasan?

Minuman berfungsi ialah minuman yang diperkaya dengan bahan tambahan untuk memberikan manfaat kesihatan tertentu dan beruPaYa mencegah penyakit. Ada pelbagai bentuk minuman berfungsi dalam pasaran. Sebagai contohnya, minuman berasaskan susu, jus, minuman isoton, minuman bertenaga dan minuman herba