Kepelbagaian Biologi Amfibia Dan Kandungan Perut Dua Spesies Terpilih Di Sungai Sedim, Kedah, Malaysia

Satu kajian tentang kepelbagaian biologi anura sungai dan tabiat pemakanan dua spesies anura terlimpah iaitu Amolops larutensis (Boulenger, 1899) dan Phrynoidis aspera (Gravenhorst, 1829) telah dijalankan di Kompartment 15, Hutan Simpan Gunung Inas, Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia. Kajian ini dijalankan selama 16 bulan iaitu bermula dari 17 Mei 2008 hingga 14 September 2009. Sebanyak 19 persampelan telah dilakukan dengan jumlah usaha persampelan sekitar 166 jammanusia. Kaedah pencarian aktif digunakan untuk inventori spesies. Kajian tabiat pemakanan pula dijalankan dengan memeriksa kandungan perut dan usus spesies anura sungai terlimpah iaitu A. larutensis dan P. aspera. Sebanyak 460 individu anura yang terdiri daripada 19 spesies daripada enam famili telah direkodkan. Indeks kepelbagaian Shannon Weiner dan kesamarataan adalah rendah iaitu 1.89 dan 0.22 manakala nilai Indeks dominan Simpsons adalah tinggi iaitu 0.58. Indeks kekayaan spesies Margalef adalah rendah iaitu 6.76. A. larutensis merupakan spesies yang dominan diikuti oleh P. aspera dan O. hosii manakala tujuh spesies yang jarang ditemui adalah Megophrys nasuta, Ingerophrynus parvus, Humerana miopus, Hylarana erythraea, Limnonectes blythii, Rhacophorus tunkui dan Nyctixalus pictus. Analisis pemakanan mendapati A. larutensis memangsai julat invertebrata yang luas sebaliknya P. aspera mengamalkan ‘myrmecophagy’ iaitu cenderung untuk menjadikan semut dan anai-anai sebagai mangsa major. Terdapat 32 kategori mangsa pemakanan ditemui dari kandungan perut dan usus A. larutensis tetapi hanya 19 kategori ditemui dari kandungan perut dan usus P. aspera

Effect of extraction solvents on the phytochemical content and bioactivity of Momordica charantia Linn. fruits

Momordica charantia (M. charantia) is a herbaceous climber commonly found in Southeast Asia with therapeutic importance for various illnesses. This study focused on the effect of extraction solvents on saponins-containing compounds from M. charantia and their bioactivities. Different organic solvents including water, ethanol, ethyl acetate, a mixture of methanol-water and methanol-n-butanol were used in the extraction process. The total saponin content, total flavonoid and phenolic content for each extract were examined. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of these extracts were evaluated using both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) Free Radical Scavenging Activity and 2,2’-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay. Furthermore, a-amylase and lipase inhibition assay were carried out using an in vitro model. The result showed that methanol-n-butanol extracts exhibited the highest total saponin, flavonoid, phenolic content, and ABTS antioxidant activity compared to the other extracts. The a-amylase inhibition assay revealed that water extract and methanol-n-butanol extract from M. charantia contained potent a-amylase inhibitor. On the other hand, the ethyl acetate extract was found to have the most antioxidant capacities based on DPPH radical scavenging assay. The ethyl acetate extract also exhibited the highest inhibition of lipase activities. In conclusion, the methanol-n-butanol solvent was found to be the most effective in extracting saponin from M. charantia. The M. charantia extracts showed inhibition of a-amylase and lipase activities which may suggest the therapeutic potential of M. charantia for obesity and diabetes

A recommended procedure for establishing the source level relationships between heroin case samples of unknown origins

A recent concern of how to reliably establish the source level relationships of heroin case samples is addressed in this paper. Twenty-two trafficking heroin case samples of unknown origins seized from two major regions (Kuala Lumpur and Penang) in Malaysia were studied. A procedure containing six major steps was followed to analyze and classify these samples. Subsequently, with the aid of statistical control samples, reliability of the clustering result was assessed. The final outcome reveals that the samples seized from the two regions in 2013 had highly likely originated from two different sources. Hence, the six-step procedure is sufficient for any chemist who attempts to assess the relative source level relationships of heroin samples

Checklist of the herpetofauna of Bukit Perangin Forest Reserve, Kedah, Malaysia

Bukit Perangin Forest Reserve, Kedah Malaysia is a popular forest park well known for its clear rivers and streams, interesting sedimentary rock formations and a rich biodiversity in flora and fauna. However to date no report on the amphibians and reptiles of this forest has ever been published. Therefore, from January 2009 to May 2010, herpetofauna surveys were conducted at Bukit Wang Recreational Forest, which forms a part of the Bukit Perangin Forest Reserve. The results of the survey showed that a total of 15 species of amphibians belonging to 6 families and 15 species of reptiles belonging to 7 families were found in the study area. These constitute the first records for the amphibians and reptiles in this forest. The herpetofauna checklist showed that the most abundant amphibians were from the family Ranidae while the most abundant reptiles were from the family Gekkonidae