Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 132 in total

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  1. Ahmad Azam A, Ismail IS, Shaikh MF, Shaari K, Abas F
    Avicenna J Phytomed, 2019 4 16;9(2):164-186.
    PMID: 30984581
    Objective: This research revealed the biochemical outcomes of metabolic dysregulation in serum associated with physiological sickness behavior following lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation in rats, and treatment with Clinacanthus nutans (CN). Verification of 1H NMR analysis of the CN aqueous extract proved the existence of bioactive phytochemical constituents' in extract.

    Materials and Methods: Twenty-five rats were subjected to unilateral stereotaxic injection of 10 µL LPS (1 mg/mL), while another ten rats were injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, 10 µL) as control. Then, 29 parameters of rat behavior related to sickness were tracked by a device software (SMART 3.0.1) on days 0 and 14 of CN treatment. The acquired and accumulated data were analyzed using multivariate data analysis with the SIMCA Software package (version 13, Umetrics AB; Umeå, Sweden). The pattern trends of related groups were documented using PCA and OPLS analysis.

    Results: A similar ameliorated correlation pattern was detected between improvement in physiological sickness behavior and anti-inflammatory biomarkers by the 1H NMR spectra of the sera following treatment with CN (500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight (bw)) and the control drug (dextromethorphan hydrobromide, 5 mg/kg of rats bw) in rats. Here, 21 biomarkers were detected for neuroinflammation. Treatment with the aqueous CN extract resulted in a statistically significant alteration in neuroinflammation metabolite biomarkers, including ethanol, choline, and acetate.

    Conclusion: This result denotes that the metabolomics approach is a reliable tool to disclose the relationship between central neuroinflammation, and systemic metabolic and physiological disturbances which could be used for future ethno-pharmacological assessments.

  2. Ado MA, Maulidiani M, Ismail IS, Ghazali HM, Shaari K, Abas F
    Nat Prod Res, 2021 Sep;35(17):2992-2996.
    PMID: 31631709 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2019.1679138
    Phytochemical investigation on the soluble fractions of n-hexane and dichloromethane of methanolic leaves extract of the Callicarpa maingayi K. & G. led to the isolation of three triterpenoids [euscaphic acid (1), arjunic acid (2), and ursolic acid (3)] together with two flavones [apigenin (4) and acacetin (5)], two phytosterols [stigmasterol 3-O-β-glycopyranoside (6) and sitosterol 3-O-β-glycopyranoside (7)], and a fatty acid [n-hexacosanoic acid (8)]. Six (6) compounds (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8) are reported for the first time from this species. Their structures were elucidated and identified by extensive NMR techniques, GC-MS and comparison with the previously reported literature. Compound 3 was found to displayed good inhibition against acetylcholinesterase with an IC50 value of 21.5 ± 0.022 μM, while 1 and 2 exhibited pronounced α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 22.4 ± 0.016 μM and 24.9 ± 0.012 μM, respectively.
  3. Azizan A, Ahamad Bustamam MS, Maulidiani M, Shaari K, Ismail IS, Nagao N, et al.
    Mar Drugs, 2018 May 07;16(5).
    PMID: 29735927 DOI: 10.3390/md16050154
    Microalgae are promising candidate resources from marine ecology for health-improving effects. Metabolite profiling of the microalgal diatom, Chaetoceros calcitrans was conducted by using robust metabolomics tools, namely ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy coupled with multivariate data analysis (MVDA). The unsupervised data analysis, using principal component analysis (PCA), resolved the five types of extracts made by solvents ranging from polar to non-polar into five different clusters. Collectively, with various extraction solvents, 11 amino acids, cholesterol, 6 fatty acids, 2 sugars, 1 osmolyte, 6 carotenoids and 2 chlorophyll pigments were identified. The fatty acids and both carotenoid pigments as well as chlorophyll, were observed in the extracts made from medium polar (acetone, chloroform) and non-polar (hexane) solvents. It is suggested that the compounds were the characteristic markers that influenced the separation between the clusters. Based on partial least square (PLS) analysis, fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and lutein displayed strong correlation to 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity. This metabolomics study showed that solvent extractions are one of the main bottlenecks for the maximum recovery of bioactive microalgal compounds and could be a better source of natural antioxidants due to a high value of metabolites.
  4. Khoo LW, Audrey Kow SF, Maulidiani M, Lee MT, Tan CP, Shaari K, et al.
    J Pharm Biomed Anal, 2018 Sep 05;158:438-450.
    PMID: 29957507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2018.06.038
    The present study sought to identify the key biomarkers and pathways involved in the induction of allergic sensitization to ovalbumin and to elucidate the potential anti-anaphylaxis property of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau water leaf extract, a Southeast Asia herb in an in vivo ovalbumin-induced active systemic anaphylaxis model evaluated by 1H-NMR metabolomics. The results revealed that carbohydrate metabolism (glucose, myo-inositol, galactarate) and lipid metabolism (glycerol, choline, sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) are the key requisites for the induction of anaphylaxis reaction. Sensitized rats treated with 2000 mg/kg bw C. nutans extract before ovalbumin challenge showed a positive correlation with the normal group and was negatively related to the induced group. Further 1H-NMR analysis in complement with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) reveals the protective effect of C. nutans extract against ovalbumin-induced anaphylaxis through the down-regulation of lipid metabolism (choline, sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), carbohydrate and signal transduction system (glucose, myo-inositol, galactarate) and up-regulation of citrate cycle intermediates (citrate, 2-oxoglutarate, succinate), propanoate metabolism (1,2-propanediol), amino acid metabolism (betaine, N,N-dimethylglycine, methylguanidine, valine) and nucleotide metabolism (malonate, allantoin). In summary, this study reports for the first time, C. nutans water extract is a potential anti-anaphylactic agent and 1H-NMR metabolomics is a great alternative analytical tool to explicate the mechanism of action of anaphylaxis.
  5. Khoo LW, Kow ASF, Maulidiani M, Ang MY, Chew WY, Lee MT, et al.
    Phytochem Anal, 2019 Jan;30(1):46-61.
    PMID: 30183131 DOI: 10.1002/pca.2789
    INTRODUCTION: Clinacanthus nutans, a small shrub that is native to Southeast Asia, is commonly used in traditional herbal medicine and as a food source. Its anti-inflammation properties is influenced by the metabolites composition, which can be determined by different binary extraction solvent ratio and extraction methods used during plant post-harvesting stage.

    OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the relationship between the chemical composition of C. nutans and its anti-inflammatory properties using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics approach.

    METHODOLOGY: The anti-inflammatory effect of C. nutans air-dried leaves extracted using five different binary extraction solvent ratio and two extraction methods was determined based on their nitric oxide (NO) inhibition effect in lipopolysaccharide-interferon-gamma (LPS-IFN-γ) activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The relationship between extract bioactivity and metabolite profiles and quantifications were established using 1 H-NMR metabolomics and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The possible metabolite biosynthesis pathway was constructed to further strengthen the findings.

    RESULTS: Water and sonication prepared air-dried leaves possessed the highest NO inhibition activity (IC50  = 190.43 ± 12.26 μg/mL, P 

  6. Khoo LW, Foong Kow AS, Maulidiani M, Lee MT, Tan CP, Shaari K, et al.
    Molecules, 2018 Aug 29;23(9).
    PMID: 30158427 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23092172
    The present study aims for the first time to provide the in vivo acute toxicological profile of the highest dose of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau water leaf extract according to the Organization for economic co-operation and development (OECD) 423 guidelines through conventional toxicity and advanced proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) serum and urinary metabolomics evaluation methods. A single dose of 5000 mg/kg bw of C. nutans water extract was administered to Sprague Dawley rats, and they were observed for 14 days. Conventional toxicity evaluation methods (physical observation, body and organ weight, food and water consumption, hematology, biochemical testing and histopathological analysis) suggested no abnormal toxicity signs. Serum ¹H-NMR metabolome revealed no significant metabolic difference between untreated and treated groups. Urinary ¹H-NMR analysis, on the other hand, revealed alteration in carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism in extract-treated rats after 2 h of extract administration, but the metabolic expression collected after 24 h and at Day 5, Day 10 and Day 15 indicated that the extract-treated rats did not accumulate any toxicity biomarkers. Importantly, the outcomes further suggest that single oral administration of up to 5000 mg/kg bw of C. nutans water leaf extract is safe for consumption.
  7. Wong PL, Zolkeflee NKZ, Ramli NS, Tan CP, Azlan A, Tham CL, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2024 Jan 10;318(Pt B):117015.
    PMID: 37572932 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117015
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ardisia elliptica Thunb. (AE) (Primulaceae) is a medicinal plant found in the Malay Peninsula and has been traditionally used to treat diabetes. However, limited studies to date in providing scientific evidence to support the antidiabetic efficacy of this plant by in-vitro and in-vivo models.

    AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the anti-hyperglycemic potential of AE through in-vitro enzymatic activities and streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA) induced diabetic rat models using proton-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR)-based metabolomics approach.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anti-α-amylase and anti-α-glucosidase activities of the hydroethanolic extracts of AE were evaluated. The absolute quantification of bioactive constituents, using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) was performed for the most active extract. Three different dosage levels of the AE extract were orally administered for 4 weeks consecutively in STZ-NA induced diabetic rats. Physical assessments, biochemical analysis, and an untargeted 1H-NMR-based metabolomics analysis of the urine and serum were carried out on the animal model.

    RESULTS: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rat model was successfully developed based on the clear separation observed between the STZ-NA induced diabetic and normal non-diabetic groups. Discriminating biomarkers included glucose, citrate, succinate, allantoin, hippurate, 2-oxoglutarate, and 3-hydroxybutyrate, as determined through an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model. A treatment dosage of 250 mg/kg body weight (BW) of standardized 70% ethanolic AE extract mitigated increase in serum glucose, creatinine, and urea levels, providing treatment levels comparable to that obtained using metformin, with flavonoids primarily contribute to the anti-hyperglycemic activities. Urinary metabolomics disclosed that the following disturbed metabolism pathways: the citrate cycle (TCA cycle), butanoate metabolism, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism, and synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, were ameliorated after treatment with the standardized AE extract.

    CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the first attempt at revealing the therapeutic effect of oral treatment with 250 mg/kg BW of standardized AE extract on chemically induced T2DM rats. The present study provides scientific evidence supporting the ethnomedicinal use of Ardisia elliptica and further advances the understanding of the fundamental molecular mechanisms affected by this herbal antidote.

  8. Khoo LW, Audrey Kow S, Lee MT, Tan CP, Shaari K, Tham CL, et al.
    PMID: 30105077 DOI: 10.1155/2018/9276260
    Clinacanthus nutans (Burm.f.) Lindau (Acanthaceae), commonly known as Sabah snake grass, is a vegetable and a well-known herb that is considered an alternative medicine for insect bites, skin rashes, herpes infection, inflammation, and cancer and for health benefits. Current review aims to provide a well-tabulated repository of the phytochemical screening, identification and quantification, and the pharmacological information of C. nutans according to the experimental design and the plant preparation methods which make it outstanding compared to existing reviews. This review has documented valuable data obtained from all accessible library databases and electronic searches. For the first time we analyzed the presence of flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, phytosterols, and glycosides in C. nutans based on the results from phytochemical screening which are then further confirmed by conventional phytochemical isolation methods and advanced spectroscopic techniques. Phytochemical quantification further illustrated that C. nutans is a good source of phenolics and flavonoids. Pharmacological studies on C. nutans revealed that its polar extract could be a promising anti-inflammation, antiviral, anticancer, immune and neuromodulating, and plasmid DNA protective agent; that its semipolar extract could be a promising antiviral, anticancer, and wound healing agent; and that its nonpolar extract could be an excellent anticancer agent.
  9. Shahfiza N, Osman H, Hock TT, Shaari K, Abdel-Hamid AH
    Asian Pac J Trop Med, 2015 Jun;8(6):451-6.
    PMID: 26194829 DOI: 10.1016/j.apjtm.2015.05.012
    OBJECTIVE: To determine the metabolic response associate with dengue infection based on human gender metabolic differences by means of (1)H NMR-spectrometry.

    METHODS: The mid-stream urine collected from both male and female patients diagnosed with dengue fever at Penang General Hospital and fourty-three healthy individuals were analyzed with (1)H NMR spectroscopy, followed by chemometric multivariate analysis. NMR signals which highlighted in the OPLS-DA S-plot were further selected and identified using Human Metabolome Database, Chenomx Profiler.

    RESULTS: The results pointed out that NMR urine profiling was able to capture human gender metabolic differences that are important for the distinction of classes of individuals of similar physiological conditions; infected with dengue. Distinct differences between dengue infected patients versus healthy individuals and subtle differences in male versus female infected with dengue were found to be related to the metabolism of amino acid and tricarboxylic acid intermediates cycle.

    CONCLUSIONS: The (1)H NMR metabolomic investigation combined with appropriate algorithms and pattern recognition procedures, gave an evidence for the existence of distinct metabolic differentiation of individuals, according to their gender, modulates with the infection risk.

  10. Jaafaru MS, Nordin N, Rosli R, Shaari K, Bako HY, Saad N, et al.
    Neurotoxicology, 2019 12;75:89-104.
    PMID: 31521693 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.09.008
    Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are pathological conditions characterised by progressive damage of neuronal cells leading to eventual loss of structure and function of the cells. Due to implication of multi-systemic complexities of signalling pathways in NDDs, the causes and preventive mechanisms are not clearly delineated. The study was designed to investigate the potential signalling pathways involved in neuroprotective activities of purely isolated glucomoringin isothiocyanate (GMG-ITC) against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. GMG-ITC was isolated from Moringa oleifera seeds, and confirmed with NMR and LC-MS based methods. Gene expression analysis of phase II detoxifying markers revealed significant increase in the expression of all the genes involved, due to GMG-ITC pre-treatment. GMG-ITC also caused significant decreased in the expression of NF-kB, BACE1, APP and increased the expressions of IkB and MAPT tau genes in the differentiated cells as confirmed by multiplex genetic system analysis. The effect was reflected on the expressed proteins in the differentiated cells, where GMG-ITC caused increased in expression level of Nrf2, SOD-1, NQO1, p52 and c-Rel of nuclear factor erythroid factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB) pathways respectively. The findings revealed the potential of GMG-ITC to abrogate oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration through Nrf2 and NF-kB signalling pathways.
  11. Jaafaru MS, Nordin N, Rosli R, Shaari K, Bako HY, Noor NM, et al.
    Biomed Pharmacother, 2019 Nov;119:109445.
    PMID: 31541852 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.109445
    The antioxidant and neuroprotective activity of Glucomoringin isothiocyanate (GMG-ITC) have been reported in in vivo and in vitro models of neurodegenerative diseases. However, its neuroprotective role via mitochondrial-dependent pathway in a noxious environment remains unknown. The main objective of the present study was to unveil the mitochondrial apoptotic genes' profile and prospectively link with neuroprotective activity of GMG-ITC through its ROS scavenging. The results showed that pre-treatment of differentiated SH-SY5Y cells with 1.25 μg/mL purified isolated GMG-ITC, significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production level, compared to H2O2 control group, as evidenced by flow cytometry-based evaluation of ROS generation. Presence of GMG-ITC prior to development of oxidative stress condition, downregulated the expression of cyt-c, p53, Apaf-1, Bax, CASP3, CASP8 and CASP9 genes with concurrent upregulation of Bcl-2 gene in mitochondrial apoptotic signalling pathway. Protein Multiplex revealed significant decreased in cyt-c, p53, Apaf-1, Bax, CASP8 and CASP9 due to GMG-ITC pre-treatment in oxidative stress condition. The present findings speculated that pre-treatment with GMG-ITC may alleviate oxidative stress condition in neuronal cells by reducing ROS production level and protect the cells against apoptosis via neurodegenerative disease potential pathways.
  12. Jaafaru MS, Nordin N, Shaari K, Rosli R, Abdull Razis AF
    PLoS One, 2018;13(5):e0196403.
    PMID: 29723199 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196403
    Reactive oxygen species are well known for induction of oxidative stress conditions through oxidation of vital biomarkers leading to cellular death via apoptosis and other process, thereby causing devastative effects on the host organs. This effect is believed to be linked with pathological alterations seen in several neurodegenerative disease conditions. Many phytochemical compounds proved to have robust antioxidant activities that deterred cells against cytotoxic stress environment, thus protect apoptotic cell death. In view of that we studied the potential of glucomoringin-isothiocyanate (GMG-ITC) or moringin to mitigate the process that lead to neurodegeneration in various ways. Neuroprotective effect of GMG-ITC was performed on retinoic acid (RA) induced differentiated neuroblastoma cells (SHSY5Y) via cell viability assay, flow cytometry analysis and fluorescence microscopy by means of acridine orange and propidium iodide double staining, to evaluate the anti-apoptotic activity and morphology conservation ability of the compound. Additionally, neurite surface integrity and ultrastructural analysis were carried out by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy to assess the orientation of surface and internal features of the treated neuronal cells. GMG-ITC pre-treated neuron cells showed significant resistance to H2O2-induced apoptotic cell death, revealing high level of protection by the compound. Increase of intracellular oxidative stress induced by H2O2 was mitigated by GMG-ITC. Thus, pre-treatment with the compound conferred significant protection to cytoskeleton and cytoplasmic inclusion coupled with conservation of surface morphological features and general integrity of neuronal cells. Therefore, the collective findings in the presence study indicated the potentials of GMG-ITC to protect the integrity of neuron cells against induced oxidative-stress related cytotoxic processes, the hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases.
  13. Lee KH, Abas F, Alitheen NB, Shaari K, Lajis NH, Ahmad S
    Molecules, 2011 Nov 23;16(11):9728-38.
    PMID: 22113581 DOI: 10.3390/molecules16119728
    Our preliminary screening had shown that the curcumin derivative [2,6-bis(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)cyclohexanone] or BDMC33 exhibited improved anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting nitric oxide synthesis in activated macrophage cells. In this study, we further investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of BDMC33 on PGE(2 )synthesis and cyclooxygenase (COX) expression in IFN-γ/LPS-stimulated macrophages. We found that BDMC33 significantly inhibited PGE(2) synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner albeit at a low inhibition level with an IC(50) value of 47.33 ± 1.00 µM. Interestingly, the PGE(2) inhibitory activity of BDMC33 is not attributed to inhibition of the COX enzyme activities, but rather BDMC33 selectively down-regulated the expression of COX-2. In addition, BDMC33 modulates the COX expression by sustaining the constitutively COX-1 expression in IFN-γ/LPS-treated macrophage cells. Collectively, the experimental data suggest an immunodulatory action of BDMC33 on PGE(2) synthesis and COX expression, making it a possible treatment for inflammatory disorders with minimal gastrointestinal-related side effects.
  14. Citalingam K, Zareen S, Shaari K, Ahmad S
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2013 Aug 23;13:213.
    PMID: 23971790 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-213
    BACKGROUND: Hyaluronidases have been found as the target enzymes in the development of osteoarthritis (OA) disease. While there is still no curative treatment for this disease, recent studies on the treatment of OA were focused on the effectiveness of natural products which are expected to improve the symptoms with minimal side effects. The aim of this study was to screen selected Malaysian plants on their anti-hyaluronidase activity as well as to evaluate the active plant and its derived fractions on its potential anti-arthritic and antioxidant activities.

    METHODS: A total of 20 methanolic crude extracts (bark and leaf) from ten different plants were screened using a colorimetric hyaluronidase enzymatic assay. The active plant extract (Payena dasyphylla) was then studied for its hyaluronidase inhibitory activity in the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) stimulated human chondrocytes cell line (NHAC-kn) using zymography method. The Payena dasyphylla methanolic bark extract was then fractionated into several fractions in where the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction was evaluated for its inhibitory effects on the HYAL1 and HYAL2 gene expressions using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. While the MMP-3 and MMP-13 protein expressions were evaluated using western blot method. The phenolic and flavonoid contents of the three fractions as well as the antioxidant property of the EA fraction were also evaluated.

    RESULTS: Bark extract of Payena dasyphylla (100 μg/ml) showed the highest inhibitory activity against bovine testicular hyaluronidase with 91.63%. The plant extract also inhibited hyaluronidase expression in the cultured human chondrocyte cells in response to IL-1β (100 ng/ml). Similarly, treatment with Payena dasyphylla ethyl acetate (EA) fraction (100 μg/ml) inhibited the HYAL1 and HYAL2 mRNA gene expressions as well as MMP-3 and MMP-13 protein expression in a dose dependent manner. Payena dasyphylla EA fraction has demonstrated the highest amount of phenolic and flavonoid content with 168.62 ± 10.93 mg GAE/g and 95.96 ± 2.96 mg RE/g respectively as compared to water and hexane fractions. In addition, the Payena dasyphylla EA fraction showed strong antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ value of 11.64 ± 1.69 μg/mL.

    CONCLUSION: These findings have shown that Payena dasyphylla might contained potential phenolic compounds that inhibiting the key enzyme in osteoarthritis development, which is the hyaluronidase enzyme through interruption of HYAL1 and HYAL1 gene expressions. The degradation of cartilage could also be inhibited by the plant through suppression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 protein expressions. We also reported that the inhibitory effect of Payena dasyphylla on hyaluronidase activity and expression might be due to its anti-oxidant property.

  15. Shaari K, Ling KC, Rashid ZM, Jean TP, Abas F, Raof SM, et al.
    Mar Drugs, 2009;7(1):1-8.
    PMID: 19370166 DOI: 10.3390/md7010001
    In a preliminary screen, Aaptos aaptos showed significant cytotoxic activity towards a panel of cell lines and was thus subjected to bioassay-guided isolation of the bioactive constituents. In addition to the known aaptamine, two new derivatives of the alkaloid were isolated from the bioactive chloroform fraction of the crude methanolic extract. Detailed analysis by NMR and mass spectroscopy enabled their identification to be 3-(phenethylamino)demethyl(oxy)aaptamine and 3-(isopentylamino)demethyl(oxy) aaptamine. The cytotoxic activities of the three alkaloids were further evaluated against CEM-SS cells.
  16. Choudhary MI, Ismail M, Shaari K, Abbaskhan A, Sattar SA, Lajis NH, et al.
    J Nat Prod, 2010 Apr 23;73(4):541-7.
    PMID: 20356064 DOI: 10.1021/np900551u
    Phytochemical and cytotoxicity investigations on organic solvent extracts of the aerial parts of Tinospora crispa have led to the isolation of 15 cis-clerodane-type furanoditerpenoids. Of these, nine compounds (1-9) were found to be new. Spectroscopic assignments of a previously reported compound, borapetoside A (13), were revised on the basis of HMQC and HMBC correlations. No discernible activity was observed when compounds 10-13 were subjected to evaluation in cytotoxicity assays against human prostate cancer (PC-3) and the normal mouse fibroblast (3T3) cell lines.
  17. Quek A, Kassim NK, Lim PC, Tan DC, Mohammad Latif MA, Ismail A, et al.
    Pharm Biol, 2021 Dec;59(1):964-973.
    PMID: 34347568 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2021.1948065
    CONTEXT: Melicope latifolia (DC.) T. G. Hartley (Rutaceae) was reported to contain various phytochemicals including coumarins, flavonoids, and acetophenones.

    OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of M. latifolia bark extracts, fractions, and isolated constituents.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Melicope latifolia extracts (hexane, chloroform, and methanol), fractions, and isolated constituents with varying concentrations (0.078-10 mg/mL) were subjected to in vitro α-amylase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory assay. Molecular docking was performed to study the binding mechanism of active compounds towards α-amylase and DPP-4 enzymes. The antioxidant activity of M. latifolia fractions and compounds were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching assays.

    RESULTS: Melicope latifolia chloroform extract showed the highest antidiabetic activity (α-amylase IC50: 1464.32 μg/mL; DPP-4 IC50: 221.58 μg/mL). Fractionation of chloroform extract yielded four major fractions (CF1-CF4) whereby CF3 showed the highest antidiabetic activity (α-amylase IC50: 397.68 μg/mL; DPP-4 IC50: 37.16 μg/mL) and resulted in β-sitosterol (1), halfordin (2), methyl p-coumarate (3), and protocatechuic acid (4). Isolation of compounds 2-4 from the species and their DPP-4 inhibitory were reported for the first time. Compound 2 showed the highest α-amylase (IC50: 197.53 μM) and β-carotene (88.48%) inhibition, and formed the highest number of molecular interactions with critical amino acid residues of α-amylase. The highest DPP-4 inhibition was exhibited by compound 3 (IC50: 911.44 μM).

    DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro and in silico analyses indicated the potential of M. latifolia as an alternative source of α-amylase and DPP-4 inhibitors. Further pharmacological studies on the compounds are recommended.

  18. Ee GC, Lim CM, Rahmani M, Shaari K, Bong CF
    Molecules, 2010 Apr;15(4):2398-404.
    PMID: 20428051 DOI: 10.3390/molecules15042398
    Pellitorine (1), which was isolated from the roots of Piper nigrum, showed strong cytotoxic activities against HL60 and MCT-7 cell lines. Microbial transformation of piperine (2) gave a new compound 5-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenyl]-pent-2-ene piperidine (3). Two other alkaloids were also found from Piper nigrum. They are (E)-1-[3',4'-(methylenedioxy)cinnamoyl]piperidine (4) and 2,4-tetradecadienoic acid isobutyl amide (5). These compounds were isolated using chromatographic methods and their structures were elucidated using MS, IR and NMR techniques.
  19. Ee GC, Lim CM, Lim CK, Rahmani M, Shaari K, Bong CF
    Nat Prod Res, 2009;23(15):1416-23.
    PMID: 19809914 DOI: 10.1080/14786410902757998
    Detailed chemical studies on the roots of Piper sarmentosum and Piper nigrum have resulted in several alkaloids. The roots of P. sarmentosum gave a new aromatic compound, 1-nitrosoimino-2,4,5-trimethoxybenzene (1). Piper nigrum roots gave pellitorine (2), (E)-1-[3',4'-(methylenedioxy)cinnamoyl]piperidine (3), 2,4-tetradecadienoic acid isobutyl amide (4), piperine (5), sylvamide (6), cepharadione A (7), piperolactam D (8) and paprazine (9). Structural elucidation of these compounds was achieved through NMR and MS techniques. Cytotoxic activity screening of the plant extracts indicated some activity.
  20. Abdul Ghani ZD, Husin JM, Rashid AH, Shaari K, Chik Z
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2016 Oct 7.
    PMID: 27725236 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.022
    Piper Betle L. (PB) belongs to the Piperaceae family. The presence of a fairly large quantity of diastase in the betel leaf is deemed to play an important role in starch digestion and calls for the study of weight loss activities and metabolite profile from PB leaf extracts using metabolomics approach to be performed. PB dried leaves were extracted with 70% ethanol and the extracts were subjected to five groups of rats fed with high fat (HF) and standard diet (SD). They were then fed with the extracts in two doses and compared with a negative control group given water only according to the study protocol. The body weights and food intakes were monitored every week. At the end of the study, blood serum of the experimental animal was analysed to determine the biochemical and metabolite changes. PB treated group demonstrated inhibition of body weight gain without showing an effect on the food intake. In serum bioassay, the PB treated group (HF/PB (100mg/kg and 500mg/kg) showed an increased in glucose and cholesterol levels compared to the Standard Diet (SD/WTR) group, a decrease in LDL level and increase in HDL level when compared with High Fat Diet (HF/WTR) group. For metabolite analysis, two separation models were made to determine the metabolite changes via group activities. The best separation of PCA serum in Model 1 and 2 was achieved in principle component 1 and principle component 2. SUS-Plot model showed that HF group was characterized by high-level of glucose, glycine and alanine. Increase in the β-hydroxybutyrate level similar with SD group animals was evident in the HF/PB(500mg/kg) group. This finding suggested that the administration of 500mg/kg PB extracts leads to increase in oxidation process in the body thus maintaining the body weight and without giving an effect on the appetite even though HF was continuously consumed by the animals until the end of the studies and also a reduction in food intake, thus maintaining their body weight although they were continuously consumed HF.
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