Potensi anti-hiperglisemia Lunasia amara dan kesannya terhadap parameter kesuburan tikus jantan teraruh-diabetes

Lunasia amara telah digunakan dalam perubatan tradisi untuk merawat diabetes mellitus. L. amara dilaporkan mampu meningkatkan kesuburan tikus jantan normal pada dos 60 mg/kg berat tubuh. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk menentukan potensi ekstrak akuas batang L. amara sebagai agen anti-hiperglisemia dan keupayaannya mempertingkatkan parameter kesuburan tikus jantan teraruh-diabetes. Tikus teraruh-diabetes dibahagikan kepada enam kumpulan (n=5), masing-masing menerima perlakuan secara suap paksa ekstrak akuas L. amara (dos 60, 120, 250 dan 500 mg/kg berat tubuh), 500 mg/kg berat tubuh metformin dan air suling setiap hari selama tujuh hari. Manakala, kumpulan ke-tujuh merupakan kawalan normal (n=5) tanpa aruhan diabetes yang menerima perlakuan air suling (1 mL/tikus). Berdasarkan hasil kajian, dos anti-hiperglisemia yang berkesan iaitu 250 dan 500 mg/kg berat tubuh L. amara dipilih untuk melihat pengaruhnya ke atas kualiti sperma dan histologi testis tikus teraruh-diabetes. Hanya tikus teraruh-diabetes dengan perlakuan 500 mg/kg berat tubuh ekstrak L. amara digunakan untuk melihat taburan pengambilan 2-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oksa-1,3-diazol-4-il)amino)-2-deoksiglukosa (2-NBDG) di dalam testis. Selepas 30 hari perlakuan, tikus teraruh-diabetes dengan perlakuan 250 dan 500 mg/kg berat tubuh L. amara didapati merencat kesemua parameter kesuburan jantan yang dikaji walaupun berkesan dalam menurunkan aras glukosa darah. Perlakuan dengan dos 500 mg/kg berat tubuh L. amara juga tidak berupaya menggalakkan pengambilan 2-NBDG ke dalam sel testis tikus teraruh-diabetes berbanding kumpulan kawalan. Ini menunjukkan mekanisme anti-hiperglisemia L. amara tidak melibatkan pembaikan fungsi insulin daripada segi pengambilan 2-NBDG ke dalam testis serta tidak mampu menyumbang kepada pembaikan parameter kesuburan tikus jantan teraruh-diabetes

Potensi Afrodisiak Lunasia amara ke atas tikus jantan teraruh diabetes

Diabetes melitus telah terbukti mengganggu penghasilan testosteron dan menyebabkan masalah libido dalam kalangan lelaki. Sehingga kini, tiada kajian mengenai potensi Lunasia amara dalam membaiki aktiviti seksual tikus jantan teraruh diabetes. Oleh itu, kajian ini dijalankan untuk mengenal pasti potensi afrodisiak L. amara ke atas tikus jantan teraruh diabetes. Empat kumpulan tikus teraruh diabetes masing-masing diberi perlakuan ekstrak L. amara (250 dan 500 mg/kg berat tubuh), 500 mg/kg metformin dan air suling. Tikus kumpulan kawalan normal tanpa aruhan diabetes menerima perlakuan air suling. Perlakuan diberikan secara suap paksa selama 30 hari untuk melihat kesan L. amara ke atas status libido, aras testosteron serum, berat tubuh tikus, morfometri testis dan epididimis kauda serta aktiviti enzim antioksida testis tikus teraruh diabetes berbanding kawalan. Keputusan kajian menunjukkan berlaku penurunan libido, aras testosteron dan aktiviti khusus enzim antioksida (glutation peroksidase, katalase dan superoksida dismutase) testis tikus teraruh diabetes secara signifikan (p<0.05) pada kedua-dua dos tersebut berbanding kawalan normal. Sementara itu, perlakuan L. amara didapati tidak menjejaskan morfometri testis, epididimis kauda dan berat tubuh tikus yang menerima perlakuan L. amara berbanding kawalan normal. Kajian ini membuktikan bahawa ekstrak akuas batang L. amara pada dos 250 dan 500 mg/kg berat tubuh tidak berupaya memperbaiki aktiviti seksual tikus jantan teraruh diabetes

Effects of fermentation time and pH on soursop (Annona muricata) vinegar production towards its chemical compositions

Vinegar is a liquid product that undergoes both alcoholic and acetous fermentation of sugar (carbohydrate) sources. Soursop (Annona muricata) is easily available in Malaysia throughout the year. However, it is also highly perishable and has a short shelf-life. Therefore, in this research, soursop was used in the production of vinegar, to increase its utilisation and reduce wastage. The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of fermentation time and pH on soursop vinegar using a 3 × 5 factorial design and to determine its chemical compositions. It was found that pH and fermentation time showed significant (p0.05). It was evident that the sugar concentration reduces over time and it was inversely proportional to the ethanol and acetic acid concentrations, due to the conversion of sugar to ethanol and subsequently acetic acid. It was found that higher pH (pH5.5) gave significantly (p0.05) effect on ethanol production. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in vitamin C content in all vinegar samples. Thus, it can be established that at fermentation time of 120 h and pH5.5, more sugar was used and more ethanol and acetic acid were produced

Effects of starter culture and sweetener on biochemical compounds and microbial diversity of kombucha tea

Kombucha tea has been claimed to have several health benefits. Many factors influence the properties of kombucha tea produced. This study focused on the effects of starter cultures (kombucha liquid broth (KLB) and cellulosic pellicle (KCP)) and sweetener (white sugar (S), honey (H) and jaggery (J)) used in the production of kombucha tea. The results showed that all kombucha teas prepared using KLB had a lower pH and a higher concentration of acetic acid during fermentation. The ethanol content for samples prepared using KLB increased (0.7 ± 0.26 mg/L to 1.73 ± 0.58 mg/L) during the fermentation period, compared to KCP which was the maximum after 72 h fermentation, and continued to decrease (2.97 ± 1.24 mg/L to 0.90 ± 0.44 mg/L). Although not too much differences in pH and ethanol content were observed when different sweetener sources were used, they did have significant differences in antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity. Samples prepared using jaggery had the lowest antioxidant activity while kombucha tea prepared using KLB and white sugar (KLB-S) had the highest antioxidant and antibacterial activity and was mostly colonized by Acetobacteracea and Aspergillus fumigatus. Fermentation significantly increases the number of active compounds present in KLB-S from 11 to 25 compounds. New compounds such as docosanedioic acid, muramic acid and thiolactomycin were formed. Thiolactomycin, a natural antibiotic is suggested to contribute to the high antimicrobial activity of KLB-S. In conclusion, KLB and white sugar are better suited in preparing kombucha tea as more benefits and consistent results were observed

Hypolipidemic activities of xanthorrhizol purified from centrifugal TLC

Hyperlipidemia is defined as the presence of either hypertriglyceridemia or hypercholesterolemia, which could cause atherosclerosis. Although hyperlipidemia can be treated by hypolipidemic drugs, they are limited due to lack of effectiveness and safety. Previous studies demonstrated that xanthorrhizol (XNT) isolated from Curcuma xanthorrhizza Roxb. reduced the levels of free fatty acid and triglyceride in vivo. However, its ability to inhibit cholesterol uptake in HT29 colon cells and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells are yet to be reported. In this study, XNT purified from centrifugal TLC demonstrated 98.3% purity, indicating it could be an alternative purification method. The IC50 values of XNT were 30.81 ± 0.78 μg/mL in HT29 cells and 35.07 ± 0.24 μg/mL in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, respectively. Cholesterol uptake inhibition study using HT29 colon cells showed that XNT (15 μg/mL) significantly inhibited the fluorescent cholesterol analogue NBD uptake by up to 27 ± 3.1% relative to control. On the other hand, higher concentration of XNT (50 μg/mL) significantly suppressed the growth of 3T3-L1 adipocytes (5.9 ± 0.58%) compared to 3T3-L1 preadipocytes (81.31 ± 0.55%). XNT was found to impede adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner from 3.125 to 12.5 μg/mL, where 12.5 μg/mL significantly suppressed 36.13 ± 2.1% of lipid accumulation. We postulate that inhibition of cholesterol uptake, adipogenesis, preadipocyte and adipocyte number may be utilized as treatment modalities to reduce the prevalence of lipidemia. To conclude, XNT could be a potential hypolipidemic agent to improve cardiovascular health in the future

Xanthorrhizol inhibits cell proliferation, cellular cholesterol uptake in HT29 colon cells and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Hyperlipidemia is defined as the presence of either hypertriglyceridemia or hypercholesterolemia, which could cause atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Although hyperlipidemia can be treated by hypolipidemic drugs, they are limited due to lack of effectiveness and safety. Since flavonoids and tannins have been reported to possess antihyperlipidemic activity, it is believed that phytochemicals isolated from plants may decrease the lipid levels with lower side effects. Previous studies demonstrated that xanthorrhizol (XNT) isolated from Curcuma xanthorrhizza reduced the levels of free fatty acid and triglyceride in vivo. However, antiproliferative activity of XNT and its ability to inhibit cholesterol uptake and adipogenesis are yet to be reported. In this study, the IC50 values of XNT were 15.12 ± 0.68 μg/mL in HT29 cells and 35.07 ± 0.24 μg/mL in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, respectively. Cholesterol uptake inhibition study was conducted in HT29 colon cells using fluorescent cholesterol analogue NBD. The result showed that XNT (15 μg/mL) siginificantly inhibited the cholesterol uptake by up to 37.6 ± 1.53 % relative to control. On the other hand, higher concentration of XNT (50 μg/mL) significantly suppressed the growth of 3T3-L1 adipocytes (5.9 ± 0.58 %) compared to 3T3-L1 preadipocytes (80.42 ± 8.29 %). It was found that XNT (3.125 μg/mL) impeded adipogenesis by reducing lipid content of 3T3-L1 adipocytes for 25.37 ± 3.24 % comparable to positive control (quercetin), 20.07 ± 8.78%. We postulate that inhibition of cholesterol uptake, adipocyte number and adipogenesis may be utilized as treatment modalities to reduce the prevalence of lipidemia. To conclude, XNT could be a potential hypolipidemic agent and further studies could be done on its mechanism of action

Mengenalpasti kepelbagaian spesies hidupan akuatik menggunakan analisis taksonomi di Tasik Ghazali, UKM

Kajian mengenai kepelbagaian hidupan akuatik air tawar adalah penting untuk memelihara dan memulihara ekosistem mereka. Pelbagai pembangunan infrastruktur telah dijalankan di sekitar kawasan UKM sejak kebelakangan tahun ini boleh menjejaskan keseimbangan ekosistem dan kawasan persekitaran tersebut. Tujuan kajian ini dilakukan adalah untuk mengenalpasti taburan hidupan akuatik di Tasik Ghazali, UKM yang ditangkap menggunakan tiga alatan tangkapan ikan aktif dan pasif. Sebanyak 1,268 sampel hidupan akuatik air tawar berjaya dikumpulkan pada lima aktiviti persampelan yang berbeza. Hasil pencerapan morfologi mengkategorikan hasil tangkapan ini kepada lapan spesies iaitu Poecilia reticulata, Gambusia affinis, Puntius sp., Betta pugnax, Clarias batrachus, Macrobrachium lanchesteri, Macrobrachium malayanum dan Gyraulus sp. Daripada jumlah ini, spesies ikan yang paling banyak ditangkap adalah Puntius sp.(464) manakala Clarias batrachus merupakan spesies ikan yang paling kurang ditangkap (7). Akhir sekali, jumlah tangkapan hidupan akuatik lain adalah Macrobrachium sp. (294) dan Gyraulus sp. (7)

Antibacterial properties of crude aqueous Hylocereus polyrhizus peel extracts in lipstick formulation against gram-positive and negative bacteria

Development of natural formulated lipstick using natural bio resources namely plant pigments and essential oils was carried out as an alternative to chemical-based ingredients due to their side effects and damages to health. Hylocereus polyrhizus (Costa Rican Pitahaya, also more popularly known among Malaysian as “Dragon Fruit”) peels are normally treated as wastes and will be discarded during processing. In this study, the peel extracts were used in the lipstick formulation as a natural colorant. The antibacterial activity of the formulation against six pathogens was evaluated using disc diffusion method and broth micro-dilution method. The observation from disc diffusion method showed that extracts and formulated lipstick from H. polyrhizus were able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. The observation from the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed that all extracts inhibit the growth of bacteria in the range of 1.00-7.00 mg/mL for all bacteria while their minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) indicated double of the MIC concentration except for B. cereus, which shows very high resistance toward the extract. Even though there is no clear trend indicating which bacteria were sensitive most to the extract, it can be concluded that the water extract of H. polyrhizus peel showed potent antibacterial activity. Essential oils from H. polyrhizus flower and the combination of virgin coconut and olive oil that were added to the products for flavors and aroma have the potential as preservative due to their antibacterial properties. With the incorporation of natural ingredients, the lipstick is considered as a safe and attractive product, with multi-functional uses namely to prevent chapped lips, freshen the breath, reduces mouth odor and contributes in improving general health quality

Chemical changes and optimisation of acetous fermentation time and mother of vinegar concentration in the production of vinegar-like fermented papaya beverage

Fermentation has been long used as a method to produce beverage of various health benefits. In this research, ripe papaya (Carica papaya) was fermented through alcoholic fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, followed by acetous fermentation using Acetobacter spp. from mother of vinegar, to reduce wastage of this highly perishable Malaysian fruit. The papaya juice was pasteurised prior to the fermentation process. Optimisation of acetous fermentation was carried out using the response surface methodology (RSM) with central composite rotatable design (CCRD). Acetous fermentation time had shown significant effect on all the chemical characteristics while mother of vinegar concentration did not significantly effect on all the chemical characteristics. The vinegar-like fermented papaya beverage which was produced at the optimum point (Fermentation time = 70.80 h and concentration = 40% mother of vinegar) contained 0.37 ± 0.01% reducing sugar, 3.54 ± 0.36% ethanol, 2.46 ± 0.07% acetic acid, 327.89 ± 3.60 mg GAE/ L total phenolic, 2.32 ± 0.17 mg/100 mL ascorbic acid and 52.40 ± 0.23% mg AA/100 mL free-radical scavenging activity. In conclusion, vinegar-like fermented papaya beverage was successfully produced and its chemical compositions changed from papaya juice to wine and vinegar-like beverage with increased bioactive compounds and antioxidative activity

Xanthorrhizol: a review of its pharmacological activities and anticancer properties

Xanthorrhizol (XNT) is a bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoid compound extracted from Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. It has been well established to possess a variety of biological activities such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, antihypertensive, antiplatelet, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects. Since many synthetic drugs possess toxic side effects and are unable to support the increasing prevalence of disease, there is significant interest in developing natural product as new therapeutics. XNT is a very potent natural bioactive compound that could fulfil the current need for new drug discovery. Despite its importance, a comprehensive review of XNT’s pharmacological activities has not been published in the scientific literature to date. Here, the present review aims to summarize the available information in this area, focus on its anticancer properties and indicate the current status of the research. This helps to facilitate the understanding of XNT’s pharmacological role in drug discovery, thus suggesting areas where further research is required