A review on Ficus deltoidea medicinal properties and its potential use as ergogenic aids in athletes

Ergogenic aids usage by athletes is a common scenario that can be seen in any level of athletes and any types of sports nowadays. Ergogenic aids can range from drugs, food, hormone, mechanical aid and herbs. Traditionally, ergogenic aids can be classified into categories namely: physiological, psychological, mechanical, pharmacological and nutrition. Despite all these classification, all ergogenic aids had one common purpose, which is to improve physical performance. Herbs consumption as ergogenic aids had been practiced since years ago by athletes as either nutritional or pharmacological aids. Using herbs as physical performance booster has gained popularity since it was claimed safer and natural. One of local herb that gets attention as energy booster is Ficus deltoidea (Mas Cotek). Ficus deltoidea had been used traditionally to restore energy. Few studies had reveal that Ficus deltoidea had medicinal properties such anti-nociceptive, antioxidant, wound healing enhancer and blood glucose regulation properties. There is no direct study on Ficus deltoidea as energy booster or ergogenic aids, but this medicinal value might be beneficial to increase athlete’s physical performance. Ergogenic aids, especially those that been produce using herbs, rarely have scientific evidence to determine its effectiveness, safety, dosage and mechanism of action. Ergogenic aids were normally marketed with claims and report as their reference, not scientific evidence. The most frequent claim used by traders is that ergogenic aids can increase and sustain body’s energy. This review will discuss on how ergogenic aids might help athletes to increase their physical performance and possibility of using Ficus deltoidea as ergogenic aids based on its medicinal properties

Effects of mitragynine from Mitragyna speciosa Korth leaves on working memory

Aim of the study: Mitragyna speciosa Korth from Rubiaceae family is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia particularly in Thailand, Peninsular of Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaves have been used by natives for their opium-like effect and cocaine-like stimulant ability to combat fatigue and enhance tolerance to hard work. However there is no scientific information about the effect of mitragynine on the cognitive performances. This study is designed to examine the working memory effects of mitragynine which is extracted from Mitragyna speciosa mature leaves. Materials and methods: The cognitive effect was studied using object location task and the motor activity in open-field test. Mitragynine 5, 10 and 15. mg/kg and were administered by intraperitoneal (IP) for 28 consecutive days and evaluated on day 28 after the last dose treatment. Scopolamine was used as the control positive drug. Results: In this study there is prominent effects on horizontal locomotor activity was observed. Mitragynine significantly reduced locomotor activity in open-field test compared with vehicle. In object location task mitragynine (5, 10 and 15. mg/kg) did not showed any significances discrimination between the object that had changed position than the object that had remain in a constant position. Conclusion: Our results suggest that chronic administration of mitragynine can altered the cognitive behavioral function in mic

Alpha lipoic acid posses dual antioxidant and lipid lowering properties in athersclerotic-induced New Zealand white rabbit

There is accumulating data demonstrated hypercholesterolemia and oxidative stress play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. In the present study, a protective activity of alpha-lipoic acid; a metabolic antioxidant in hypercholesterolemic-induced animals was investigated. Eighteen adult male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit were segregated into three groups labelled as group K, AT and ALA (n=6). While group K was fed with normal chow and acted as a control, the rest fed with 100 g/head/day with 1% high cholesterol diet to induce hypercholesterolemia. 4.2 mg/body weight of alpha lipoic acid was supplemented daily to the ALA group. Drinking water was given ad-libitum. The study was designed for 10 weeks. Blood sampling was taken from the ear lobe vein at the beginning of the study, week 5 and week 10 and plasma was prepared for lipid profile estimation and microsomal lipid peroxidation index indicated with malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. Animals were sacrificed at the end of the study and the aortas were excised for intimal lesion analysis. The results showed a significant reduction of lipid peroxidation index indicated with low MDA level (p<0.05) in ALA group compared to that of the AT group. The blood total cholesterol (TCHOL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were found to be significantly low in ALA group compared to that of the AT group (p<0.05). Histomorphometric intimal lesion analysis of the aorta showing less of atheromatous plaque formation in alpha lipoic acid supplemented group (p<0.05) compared to that of AT group. These findings suggested that apart from its antioxidant activity, alpha lipoic acid may also posses a lipid lowering effect indicated with low plasma TCHOL and LDL levels and reduced the athero-lesion formation in rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet

Antidepressant-like effects of omega-3 fatty acids in postpartum model of depression in rats

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a psychiatric disorder that occurs in 10–15% of childbearing women. It is hypothesized that omega-3 fatty acids, which are components of fish oil, may attenuate depression symptoms. In order to examine this hypothesis, the animal model of postpartum depression was established in the present study. Ovariectomized female rats underwent hormone-simulated pregnancy (HSP) regimen and received progesterone and estradiol benzoate or vehicle for 23 days, mimicking the actual rat's pregnancy. The days after hormone termination were considered as the postpartum period. Forced feeding of menhaden fish oil, as a source of omega-3, with three doses of 1, 3, and 9 g/kg/d, fluoxetine 15 mg/kg/d, and distilled water 2 ml/d per rat started in five postpartum-induced and one vehicle group on postpartum day 1 and continued for 15 consecutive days. On postpartum day 15, all groups were tested in the forced swimming test (FST) and open field test (OFT), followed by a biochemical assay. Results showed that the postpartum-induced rats not treated with menhaden fish oil, exhibited an increase in immobility time seen in FST, hippocampal concentration of corticosterone and plasmatic level of corticosterone, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. These depression-related effects were attenuated by supplementation of menhaden fish oil with doses of 3 and 9 g/kg. Moreover, results of rats supplemented with menhaden fish oil were comparable to rats treated with the clinically effective antidepressant, fluoxetine. Taken together, these results suggest that menhaden fish oil, rich in omega-3, exerts beneficial effect on postpartum depression and decreases the biomarkers related to depression such as corticosterone and pro-inflammatory cytokines

Antioxidant peptides purified and identified from the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) kernel protein hydrolysate

Protein extracted from oil palm kernel was hydrolyzed using pepsin-pancreatin (OPKH) and subsequently used to identify the potential antioxidative peptides. Then, the OPKH was purified sequentially by ultrafiltration, reversed-phase and semi-preparative HPLC. Antioxidant capacities (ACs) of the purified peptides from OPKH were evaluated using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), β-carotene-linoleate bleaching (BCB) assay and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity assay. Amino acid compositions of the purified peptide fractions were also determined. The amino acid sequence of the antioxidative peptide was identified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/multi-stage mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS) using de novo sequencing. There were nine fractions purified and collected where F6 demonstrated the highest AC. Three antioxidative peptides, Val-Val-Gly-Gly-Asp-Gly-Asp-Val (VVGGDGDV), Val-Pro-Val-Thr-Ser-Thr (VPVTST) and Leu-Thr-Thr-Leu-Asp-Ser-Glu (LTTLDSE) were identified in fraction F6. These peptides did not show any similarity with other antioxidant peptides listed in BLAST database of NCBI. These peptides may be useful ingredients in food and pharmaceutical applications

D-galactose and aluminium chloride induced rat model with cognitive impairments

Cognitive impairments and cholinergic dysfunctions have been well reported in old age disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). d-galactose (D-gal) has been reported as a senescence agent while aluminium act as a neurotoxic metal, but little is known about their combined effects at different doses. The aim of this study was to establish an animal model with cognitive impairments by comparing the effects of different doses of co-administrated D-gal and aluminium chloride (AlCl3). In this study male albino wistar rats were administered with D-gal 60 mg/kg.bwt intra peritoneally (I.P) injected and AlCl3 (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg.bwt.) was orally administered once daily for 10 consecutive weeks. Performance of the rats were evaluated through behavioural assessments; Morris water maze (MWM) and open field tests (OFT); histopathological examination was performed on the hippocampus; moreover biochemical measurements of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) were examined. The results of this experiment on rats treated with D-gal 60 + AlCl3 200 mg/kg.bwt showed near ideal cognitive impairments. The rats exhibited an obvious memory and learning deficits, marked neuronal loss in hippocampus, showed increase in AChE activities and high expression of p-tau within the tissues of the brain. This study concludes that D-gal 60 + AlCl3 200 mg/kg.bwt as the ideal dose for mimicking AD like cognitive impairments in albino wistar rats. It is also crucial to understand the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disease and for drug discovery

Antidepressant-like effect of methanolic extract of Punica granatum (pomegranate) in mice model of depression

Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is commonly known for its traditional use as a food supplement and for its medicinal values. P. granatum methanolic pulp and peel extract were investigated for its antidepressant activities on mice model of depression using tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). P. granatum pulp and peel extract were administered at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally, respectively while fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally as the standard drug. The results showed that P. granatum pulp extract at 25 mg/kg significantly exhibited antidepressant activity in both TST and FST which able to reduce the immobility time, similar to fluoxetine, a recognized antidepressant drug. It is concluded that P. granatum methanolic extract has the ability as antidepressant-like agent. Further research is required to investigate the exact pharmacological mechanism of action of this fruit

Cytotoxicity effect of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) kernel protein hydrolysates

This study was conducted to ascertain the cytotoxicity effect of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) kernel protein hydrolysates (OPKHs) produced from its protein isolate. A modified microplate titer WST-1 [2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] assay was used to investigate the cytotoxicity of hydrolysates produced from protease and pepsin-pancreatin hydrolysis at various concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, 100 μg/ml and 1 mg/ml) using HepG2 cell model. Additionally, peptide stimulation test using OPKHs at 1 mg/ml was carried out to investigate whether OPKHs could serve as growth factor for HepG2 cells other than affecting its viability. As a result, oleic acid appeared to normalize the WST-1 readings of HepG2 cells treated with both hydrolysates at 1 mg/ml. The presence of amino acids in OPKHs could stimulate the growth and prolongs the viability of HepG2 cells. Both OPKHs were non-cytotoxic to HepG2 cells at all tested concentrations even at high concentrations. This study indicated that pepsin-pancreatin and protease hydrolysates produced from oil palm kernel protein were non-cytotoxic on HepG2 cells

Cytotoxic effects of aqueous haruan fish extract on SK-N-SH cells

Haruan fish is a fresh water carnivorous fish popularly known in tropical countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The aqueous extract of the fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, namely, eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and deicosahexaenoic acids (HA). These fatty acids possess cytotoxic effects. Here we study the cytotoxic effects of the extract on neuroblastoma cancer cell line, SK-N-SH cells, MTI assay, phase contrast microscopy and flow cytometry were the methods used to determine the cytotoxic effects of the extract. For MTT assay, the cells were treated with different concentrations of the extract range from 3.125 µg/ml to 100 µg/ml. For the phase contrast microscopy and flow cytometry, 100 µg/ml of the extract was adopted as the concentration used for the treatment of the cells prior to observation and recording of results. From MTT assay, cell visibility of 68.8% were recorded, indicating lack of cytotoxic effect. The result for phase contrast microscopy showed no clear different between treated and control group, supporting the MTT result. However, flow cytometry results indicates significant (P < 0.05) apoptosis when control cells were compared with treated ones. Aqueous haruan fish extract possess mild cytotoxic effects on SK-N-SH cells

Determination of mitragynine bound opioid receptors

Mitragyna Speciosa Korth from Rubiaceae family is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia particularly in Thailand, Peninsular of Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaves have been used by natives for their opium-like effect and cocaine-like stimulant ability to combat fatigue and enhance tolerance to hard work. This study is designed to examine the binding affinity and selectivity of mitragynine towards opioid receptors namely µ-, δ-, and κ-receptors and the density of those opioid receptors in brain tissues, spinal cord, duodenum, ileum and vas deferens. Our results suggest that mitragynine has a high affinity to the 9-opioid receptors and brain has the highest density of opioid receptors