Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 49 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Effects of edible bird's nest on hippocampal and cortical neurodegeneration in ovariectomized rats
    Zhiping H, Imam MU, Ismail M, Ismail N, Yida Z, Ideris A, et al.
    Food Funct, 2015 May;6(5):1701-11.
    PMID: 25920003 DOI: 10.1039/c5fo00226e
    The aim of this research is to investigate whether edible bird's nest (EBN) attenuates cortical and hippocampal neurodegeneration in ovariectomized rats. Ovariectomized rats were randomly divided into seven experimental groups (n = 6): the ovariectomy (OVX) group had their ovaries surgically removed; the sham group underwent surgical procedure similar to OVX group, but ovaries were left intact; estrogen group had OVX and received estrogen therapy (0.2 mg kg(-1) per day); EBN treatment groups received 6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN, respectively. Control group was not ovariectomized. After 12 weeks of intervention, biochemical assays were performed for markers of neurodegeneration, and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of oxidative stress-related genes in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the brain were analysed. Caspase 3 (cysteine-aspartic proteases 3) protein levels in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were also determined using western blotting. The results show that EBNs significantly decreased estrogen deficiency-associated serum elevation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and they changed redox status as evidenced by oxidative damage (malondialdehyde content) and enzymatic antioxidant defense (superoxide dismutase and catalase) markers. Furthermore, genes associated with neurodegeneration and apoptosis were downregulated in the hippocampus and frontal cortex by EBN supplementation. Taken together, the results suggest that EBN has potential for neuroprotection against estrogen deficiency-associated senescence, at least in part via modification of the redox system and attenuation of AGEs.
  2. Fulltext N-Acetylneuraminic acid attenuates hypercoagulation on high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats
    Yida Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Wong W, Abdullah MA, Ideris A, et al.
    Food Nutr Res, 2015;59:29046.
    PMID: 26642300 DOI: 10.3402/fnr.v59.29046
    N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a type of sialic acid, has close links with cholesterol metabolism and is often used as a biomarker in evaluating the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, most studies on the health implications of Neu5Ac have focused on its effects on the nervous system, while its effects on cardiovascular risk factors have largely been unreported. Thus, the effects of Neu5Ac on coagulation status in high fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic rats were evaluated in this study.
  3. Fulltext N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Supplementation Prevents High Fat Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance in Rats through Transcriptional and Nontranscriptional Mechanisms
    Yida Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Ismail N, Azmi NH, Wong W, et al.
    Biomed Res Int, 2015;2015:602313.
    PMID: 26688813 DOI: 10.1155/2015/602313
    N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) is a biomarker of cardiometabolic diseases. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that dietary Neu5Ac may improve cardiometabolic indices. A high fat diet (HFD) + Neu5Ac (50 or 400 mg/kg BW/day) was fed to rats and compared with HFD + simvastatin (10 mg/kg BW/day) or HFD alone for 12 weeks. Weights and serum biochemicals (lipid profile, oral glucose tolerance test, leptin, adiponectin, and insulin) were measured, and mRNA levels of insulin signaling genes were determined. The results indicated that low and high doses of sialic acid (SA) improved metabolic indices, although only the oral glucose tolerance test, serum triglycerides, leptin, and adiponectin were significantly better than those in the HFD and HFD + simvastatin groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the results showed that only high-dose SA significantly affected the transcription of hepatic and adipose tissue insulin signaling genes. The data suggested that SA prevented HFD-induced insulin resistance in rats after 12 weeks of administration through nontranscriptionally mediated biochemical changes that may have differentially sialylated glycoprotein structures at a low dose. At higher doses, SA induced transcriptional regulation of insulin signaling genes. These effects suggest that low and high doses of SA may produce similar metabolic outcomes in relation to insulin sensitivity through multiple mechanisms. These findings are worth studying further.
  4. Fulltext High fat diet-induced inflammation and oxidative stress are attenuated by N-acetylneuraminic acid in rats
    Yida Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Ismail N, Ideris A, Abdullah MA
    J Biomed Sci, 2015;22:96.
    PMID: 26498218 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-015-0211-6
    Serum sialic acid levels are positively correlated with coronary artery disease and inflammation. Although sialic acid is a non-specific marker, it is considered sensitive likely due to its influence in sialylation of glycoprotein structures all over the body.
  5. Fulltext Edible bird's nest attenuates procoagulation effects of high-fat diet in rats
    Yida Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Ismail N, Hou Z
    Drug Des Devel Ther, 2015;9:3951-9.
    PMID: 26251574 DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S87772
    Edible bird's nest (EBN) is popular in Asia, and has long been used traditionally as a supplement. There are, however, limited evidence-based studies on its efficacy. EBN has been reported to improve dyslipidemia, which is closely linked to hypercoagulation states. In the present study, the effects of EBN on high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced coagulation in rats were evaluated. Rats were fed for 12 weeks with HFD alone or in combination with simvastatin or EBN. Food intake was estimated, and weight measurements were made during the experimental period. After sacrifice, serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), adiponectin, leptin, von willibrand factor, prostacyclin, thromboxane and lipid profile, and whole blood coagulation indices (bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, red blood count count, and platelet count) were estimated. Furthermore, hepatic expression of coagulation-related genes was evaluated using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that EBN could attenuate HFD-induced hypercholesterolemia and coagulation similar to simvastatin, partly through transcriptional regulation of coagulation-related genes. The results suggested that EBN has the potential for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease-related hypercoagulation due to hypercholesterolemia.
  6. Fulltext Edible Bird's Nest Prevents High Fat Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance in Rats
    Yida Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Ooi DJ, Sarega N, Azmi NH, et al.
    J Diabetes Res, 2015;2015:760535.
    PMID: 26273674 DOI: 10.1155/2015/760535
    Edible bird's nest (EBN) is used traditionally in many parts of Asia to improve wellbeing, but there are limited studies on its efficacy. We explored the potential use of EBN for prevention of high fat diet- (HFD-) induced insulin resistance in rats. HFD was given to rats with or without simvastatin or EBN for 12 weeks. During the intervention period, weight measurements were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected at the end of the intervention and oral glucose tolerance test conducted, after which the rats were sacrificed and their liver and adipose tissues collected for further studies. Serum adiponectin, leptin, F2-isoprostane, insulin, and lipid profile were estimated, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance computed. Effects of the different interventions on transcriptional regulation of insulin signaling genes were also evaluated. The results showed that HFD worsened metabolic indices and induced insulin resistance partly through transcriptional regulation of the insulin signaling genes. Additionally, simvastatin was able to prevent hypercholesterolemia but promoted insulin resistance similar to HFD. EBN, on the other hand, prevented the worsening of metabolic indices and transcriptional changes in insulin signaling genes due to HFD. The results suggest that EBN may be used as functional food to prevent insulin resistance.
  7. Fulltext In vitro bioaccessibility and antioxidant properties of edible bird's nest following simulated human gastro-intestinal digestion
    Yida Z, Imam MU, Ismail M
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2014;14:468.
    PMID: 25475744 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-468
    Edible birds' nest (EBN) is reported to be antioxidant-rich. However, the fate of its antioxidants after oral consumption is not yet reported. To explore this, we hypothesized that EBN antioxidants are released from their matrix when subjected to in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion.
  8. Fulltext Edible Bird's Nest attenuates high fat diet-induced oxidative stress and inflammation via regulation of hepatic antioxidant and inflammatory genes
    Yida Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Hou Z, Abdullah MA, Ideris A, et al.
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2015;15:310.
    PMID: 26341858 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0843-9
    Edible Bird's nest (EBN) is an antioxidant-rich supplement that is popular in many parts of Asia. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have been reported using in vitro system. This paper aimed to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of EBN in in high fat diet induced rats model.
  9. Fulltext Modulation of platelet functions by crude rice (Oryza sativa) bran policosanol extract
    Wong WT, Ismail M, Imam MU, Zhang YD
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2016 Jul 28;16:252.
    PMID: 27465266 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1223-9
    Rice bran is bioactive-rich and has proven health benefits for humans. Moreover, its source, the brown rice has antioxidant, hypolipidemic and other functional properties that are increasingly making it a nutritional staple especially in Asian countries. This study investigated the antiplatelet aggregation mechanisms of crude hexane/methanolic rice bran extract, in which policosanol was the targeted bioactive. Platelets play a vital role in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, and their increased activities could potentially cause arterial thrombus formation or severe bleeding disorders. Thus, in this study, platelet aggregation and adhesion of platelets to major components of basal lamina were examined in vitro. In addition, cellular protein secretion was quantified as a measurement of platelet activation.
  10. Clausenidin from Clausena excavata induces apoptosis in hepG2 cells via the mitochondrial pathway
    Waziri PM, Abdullah R, Yeap SK, Omar AR, Abdul AB, Kassim NK, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2016 Dec 24;194:549-558.
    PMID: 27729282 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.030
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Clausena excavata Burm.f. is used locally in folk medicine for the treatment of cancer in South East Asia.

    AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine the mechanism of action of pure clausenidin crystals in the induction of hepatocellular carcinoma (hepG2) cells apoptosis.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pure clausenidin was isolated from Clausena excavata Burm.f. and characterized using (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra. Clausenidin-induced cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. The morphology of hepG2 after treatment with clausenidin was determined by fluorescence and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The effect of clausenidin on the apoptotic genes and proteins were determined by real-time qPCR and protein array profiling, respectively. The involvement of the mitochondria in clausenidin-induced apoptosis was investigated using MMP, caspase 3 and 9 assays.

    RESULTS: Clausenidin induced significant (p<0.05) and dose-dependent apoptosis of hepG2 cells. Cell cycle assay showed that clausenidin induced a G2/M phase arrest, caused mitochondrial membrane depolarization and significantly (p<0.05) increased expression of caspases 3 and 9, which suggest the involvement of the mitochondria in the apoptotic signals. In addition, clausenidin caused decreased expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl 2 and increased expression of the pro-apoptotic protein, Bax. This finding was confirmed by the downregulation of Bcl-2 gene and upregulation of the Bax gene in the treated hepG2 cells.

    CONCLUSION: Clausenidin extracted from Clausena excavata Burm.f. is an anti-hepG2 cell compound as shown by its ability to induce apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Clausenidin can potentially be developed into an anticancer compound.

  11. Fulltext Study on the potential toxicity of a thymoquinone-rich fraction nanoemulsion in Sprague Dawley rats
    Tubesha Z, Imam MU, Mahmud R, Ismail M
    Molecules, 2013 Jun 26;18(7):7460-72.
    PMID: 23803717 DOI: 10.3390/molecules18077460
    Toxicological studies constitute an essential part of the effort in developing an herbal medicine into a drug product. A newly developed thymoquinone-rich fraction nanoemulsion (TQRFNE) has been prepared using a high pressure homogenizer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential acute toxicity of this nanoemulsion in Sprague Dawley rats. The acute toxicity studies were conducted as per the OECD guidelines 425, allowing for the use of test dose limit of 20 mL TQRFNE (containing 44.5 mg TQ)/kg. TQRFNE and distilled water (DW) as a control were administered orally to both sexes of rats on Day 0 and observed for 14 days. All the animals appeared normal, and healthy throughout the study. There was no observed mortality or any signs of toxicity during the experimental period. The effects of the TQRFNE and DW groups on general behavior, body weight, food and water consumption, relative organ weight, hematology, histopathology, and clinical biochemistry were measured. All the parameters measured were unaffected as compared to the control (DW) group. The administration of 20 mL TQRFNE /kg was not toxic after an acute exposure.
  12. Fulltext Induction of apoptosis through oxidative stress-related pathways in MCF-7, human breast cancer cells, by ethyl acetate extract of Dillenia suffruticosa
    Tor YS, Yazan LS, Foo JB, Armania N, Cheah YK, Abdullah R, et al.
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2014;14:55.
    PMID: 24524627 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-55
    Breast cancer is one of the most dreading types of cancer among women. Herbal medicine has becoming a potential source of treatment for breast cancer. Herbal plant Dillenia suffruticosa (Griff) Martelli under the family Dilleniaceae has been traditionally used to treat cancerous growth. In this study, the anticancer effect of ethyl acetate extract of D. suffruticosa (EADs) was examined on human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7 and the molecular pathway involved was elucidated.
  13. Fulltext Effects of phenolic-rich extracts of Clinacanthus nutans on high fat and high cholesterol diet-induced insulin resistance
    Sarega N, Imam MU, Esa NM, Zawawi N, Ismail M
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2016;16:88.
    PMID: 26924713 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1049-5
    Clinacanthus nutans is used traditionally in many parts of Asia to improve well-being, but there are limited studies on its efficacy. We explored the potential use of C. nutans for prevention of high fat and high cholesterol diet-(HFHC-) induced insulin resistance in rats.
  14. Fulltext Phenolic Rich Extract from Clinacanthus nutans Attenuates Hyperlipidemia-Associated Oxidative Stress in Rats
    Sarega N, Imam MU, Ooi DJ, Chan KW, Md Esa N, Zawawi N, et al.
    Oxid Med Cell Longev, 2016;2016:4137908.
    PMID: 26881026 DOI: 10.1155/2016/4137908
    Clinacanthus nutans is used as traditional medicine in Asia but there are limited scientific studies to support its use. In this study, the stem and leaf of C. nutans were extracted using solvents of differing polarities, and their antioxidant capacities were determined using multiple antioxidant assays. The water and aqueous methanolic leaf extracts were further fractionated and their antioxidant capacities and phenolic compositions were tested. Furthermore, the efficacies of the water and aqueous methanolic leaf extracts were tested against hyperlipidemia-induced oxidative stress in rats. Serum and hepatic antioxidant and oxidative stress markers were tested after feeding the rats with high fat diet together with the extracts or simvastatin for 7 weeks. The results indicated that both leaf extracts attenuated oxidative stress through increasing serum antioxidant enzymes activity and upregulating the expression of hepatic antioxidant genes. Multiple phenolic compounds were detected in the extracts and fractions of C. nutans, although protocatechuic acid was one of the most abundant and may have contributed significantly towards the bioactivities of the extracts. However, synergistic effects of different phenolics may have contributed to the overall bioactivities. C. nutans can be a good source of functional ingredients for the management of oxidative stress-related diseases.
  15. Fulltext Polyphenol-rich ethyl acetate fraction isolated from Molineria latifolia ameliorates insulin resistance in experimental diabetic rats via IRS1/AKT activation
    Ooi J, Adamu HA, Imam MU, Ithnin H, Ismail M
    Biomed Pharmacother, 2018 Feb;98:125-133.
    PMID: 29248832 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.12.002
    This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) isolated from Molineria latifolia rhizome as dietary interventions for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its underlying molecular mechanisms in vivo. Experimental rats were induced by high fat diet feeding coupled with combined exposure to streptozotocin and nicotinamide. Treatment with EAF improved glucose tolerance and lipid profiles, but the insulin secretion was unaltered. Gene expression analyses on insulin/adipocytokine signalling-related genes demonstrated tissue-specific transcriptional responses. In skeletal muscle and liver tissues, Socs1, Tnf and Mapk8 showed consistent transcript regulation. Furthermore, hepatic translational analyses revealed sensitization on proximal insulin signalling, with reduced expression of IRS1 serine phosphorylation, increased IRS1 tyrosine phosphorylation and increased phospho-AKT (Ser473). The present findings suggested that EAF exerted its effect by modulating insulin signalling, potentially via IRS1/AKT activation. The pharmacological attributes of EAF may implicate its potential therapeutic applications for diabetes management.
  16. Fulltext Curculigoside and polyphenol-rich ethyl acetate fraction of Molineria latifolia rhizome improved glucose uptake via potential mTOR/AKT activated GLUT4 translocation
    Ooi J, Azmi NH, Imam MU, Alitheen NB, Ismail M
    J Food Drug Anal, 2018 10;26(4):1253-1264.
    PMID: 30249324 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfda.2018.03.003
    Adipose tissue is one of the major organs responsible for rapid restoration of postprandial glucose fluxes. Being the major isoform of glucose transporter in adipose tissue, regulations of insulin-dependent GLUT4 trafficking have always been of research interest. The present study aimed to examine the molecular mechanisms underlying the efficacy of curculigoside and polyphenol-rich ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of Molineria latifolia rhizome in triggering glucose uptake. We assessed the adipogenic potential and glucose uptake stimulatory activity of curculigoside and EAF by employing a murine 3T3-L1 adipocyte model. The transcriptional and translational expressions of selected intermediates in the insulin signalling pathway were evaluated. While curculigoside neither promoted adipogenesis nor activated peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma, treatment with polyphenol-rich EAF resulted otherwise. However, both treatments enhanced insulin-stimulated uptake of glucose. This was coupled with increased availability of GLUT4 at the plasma membrane of the differentiated adipocytes although the total GLUT4 protein level was unaffected. In addition, the treatment increased the phosphorylation of both AKT and mTOR, which have been reported to be associated with GLUT4 translocation. The present findings proposed that curculigoside and EAF increased glucose transport activity of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via GLUT4 translocation as a result of potential mTOR/AKT activation. The more potent efficacy observed with EAF suggested potential synergistic and multi-targeted action.
  17. Fulltext Estrogen receptor modulatory effects of germinated brown rice bioactives in the uterus of rats through the regulation of estrogen-induced genes
    Muhammad SI, Maznah I, Mahmud RB, Saeed MI, Imam MU, Ishaka A
    Drug Des Devel Ther, 2013;7:1409-20.
    PMID: 24324328 DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S50861
    The expression of genes regulated by estrogen in the uterus was studied in ovariectomized (OVX) rats treated with germinated brown rice (GBR) bioactives, and compared to Remifemin or estrogen at different doses to identify the regulation of these genes in the uterus and their molecular mechanisms.
  18. Fulltext Antioxidative Effects of Germinated Brown Rice-Derived Extracts on H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress in HepG2 Cells
    Md Zamri ND, Imam MU, Abd Ghafar SA, Ismail M
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2014;2014:371907.
    PMID: 25431609 DOI: 10.1155/2014/371907
    The antioxidant properties of germinated brown rice (GBR) are likely mediated by multiple bioactives. To test this hypothesis, HepG2 cells pretreated with GBR extracts, rich in acylated steryl glycoside (ASG), gamma amino butyric acid GABA), phenolics or oryzanol, were incubated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and their hydroxyl radical (OH(•)) scavenging capacities and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) generation were evaluated. Results showed that GBR-extracts increased OH(•) scavenging activities in both cell-free medium and posttreatment culture media, suggesting that the extracts were both direct- and indirect-acting against OH(•). The levels of TBARS in the culture medium after treatment were also reduced by all the extracts. In addition, H2O2 produced transcriptional changes in p53, JNK, p38 MAPK, AKT, BAX, and CDK4 that were inclined towards apoptosis, while GBR-extracts showed some transcriptional changes (upregulation of BAX and p53) that suggested an inclination for apoptosis although other changes (upregulation of antioxidant genes, AKT, JNK, and p38 MAPK) suggested that GBR-extracts favored survival of the HepG2 cells. Our findings show that GBR bioactive-rich extracts reduce oxidative stress through improvement in antioxidant capacity, partly mediated through transcriptional regulation of antioxidant and prosurvival genes.
  19. Fulltext Mechanistic basis for protection of differentiated SH-SY5Y cells by oryzanol-rich fraction against hydrogen peroxide-induced neurotoxicity
    Ismail N, Ismail M, Imam MU, Azmi NH, Fathy SF, Foo JB, et al.
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2014;14:467.
    PMID: 25475556 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-467
    Apoptosis is often the end result of oxidative damage to neurons. Due to shared pathways between oxidative stress, apoptosis and antioxidant defence systems, an oxidative insult could end up causing cellular apoptosis or survival depending on the severity of the insult and cellular responses. Plant bioresources have received close attention in recent years for their potential role in regulating the pathways involved in apoptosis and oxidative stress in favour of cell survival. Rice bran is a bioactive-rich by-product of rice milling process. It possesses antioxidant properties, making it a promising source of antioxidants that could potentially prevent oxidative stress-induced neurodegenerative diseases.
  20. Thymoquinone prevents β-amyloid neurotoxicity in primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons
    Ismail N, Ismail M, Mazlan M, Latiff LA, Imam MU, Iqbal S, et al.
    Cell Mol Neurobiol, 2013 Nov;33(8):1159-69.
    PMID: 24101432 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-013-9982-z
    Thymoquinone (TQ), a bioactive constituent of Nigella sativa Linn (N. sativa) has demonstrated several neuropharmacological attributes. In the present study, the neuroprotective properties of TQ were investigated by studying its anti-apoptotic potential to diminish β-amyloid peptide 1-40 sequence (Aβ1-40)-induced neuronal cell death in primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). The effects of TQ against Aβ1-40-induced neurotoxicity, morphological damages, DNA condensation, the generation of reactive oxygen species, and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activation were investigated. Pretreatment of CGNs with TQ (0.1 and 1 μM) and subsequent exposure to 10 μM Aβ1-40 protected the CGNs against the neurotoxic effects of the latter. In addition, the CGNs were better preserved with intact cell bodies, extensive neurite networks, a loss of condensed chromatin and less free radical generation than those exposed to Aβ1-40 alone. TQ pretreatment inhibited Aβ1-40-induced apoptosis of CGNs via both extrinsic and intrinsic caspase pathways. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that TQ may prevent neurotoxicity and Aβ1-40-induced apoptosis. TQ is, therefore, worth studying further for its potential to reduce the risks of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links