Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 197 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Hellal K, Maulidiani M, Ismail IS, Tan CP, Abas F
    Molecules, 2020 Mar 10;25(5).
    PMID: 32164186 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25051247
    Claims of effective therapy against diabetes using plants including Peganum harmala L., Zygophyllum album, Anacyclus valentinus L., Ammodaucus leucotrichus, Lupinus albus, and Marrubium vulgare in Algerian empirical medicine prompted our interest in evaluating their antidiabetic activity by screening their free radical scavenging (DPPH), α-glucosidase, and nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activities as well as the total phenolic content (TPC). Extracts of the selected plants were prepared using different ratios of ethanol (0, 50, 80, and 100%). In this study, 100%, and 80% ethanol extracts of L. albus were found to be the most potent, in inhibiting α-glucosidase activity with IC50 values of 6.45 and 8.66 μg/mL, respectively. The 100% ethanol extract of A. leucotrichus exhibited the highest free radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 26.26 μg/mL. Moreover, the highest TPC of 612.84 μg GAE/mg extract was observed in M. vulgare, extracted with 80% ethanol. Metabolite profiling of the active extract was conducted using 1H-NMR metabolomics. Partial least square analysis (PLS) was used to assess the relationship between the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of L. albus and the metabolites identified in the extract. Based on the PLS model, isoflavonoids (lupinoisoflavone G, lupisoflavone, lupinoisolone C), amino acids (asparagine and thiamine), and several fatty acids (stearic acid and oleic acid) were identified as metabolites that contributed to the inhibition of α-glucosidase activity. The results of this study have clearly strengthened the traditional claim of the antihyperglycemic effects of L. albus.
  2. Azizan A, Xin LA, Abdul Hamid NA, Maulidiani M, Mediani A, Abdul Ghafar SZ, et al.
    Foods, 2020 Feb 11;9(2).
    PMID: 32053982 DOI: 10.3390/foods9020173
    Pineapple (Ananascomosus) waste is a promising source of metabolites for therapeutics, functional foods, and cosmeceutical applications. This study strives to characterize the complete metabolite profiles of a variety of MD2 pineapple waste extracts. Metabolomics strategies were utilized to identify bioactive metabolites of this variety prepared with different solvent ratios. Each pineapple waste extract was first screened for total phenolic content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. The highest TPC was found in all samples of the peel, crown, and core extracted using a 50% ethanol ratio, even though the results were fairly significant than those obtained for other ethanol ratios. Additionally, crown extracted with a 100% ethanol ratio demonstrated the highest potency in DPPH and NO scavenging activity, with IC50 values of 296.31 and 338.52 µg/mL, respectively. Peel extracted with 100% ethanol exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 92.95 µg/mL. Then, the extracts were analyzed and the data from 1H NMR were processed using multivariate data analysis. A partial least squares and correlogram plot suggested that 3-methylglutaric acid, threonine, valine, and α-linolenic acid were the main contributors to the antioxidant activities, whereas epicatechin was responsible for the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Relative quantification further supported that 100% crown extract was among the extracts that possessed the most abundant potential metabolites. The present study demonstrated that the crown and peel parts of MD2 pineapple extracted with 100% ethanol are potentially natural sources of antioxidants and α-glucosidase inhibitors, respectively.
  3. Abu Bakar Sajak A, Mediani A, Maulidiani, Mohd Dom NS, Machap C, Hamid M, et al.
    Phytomedicine, 2017 Dec 01;36:201-209.
    PMID: 29157816 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2017.10.011
    BACKGROUND: Ipomoea aquatica (locally known as "kangkung") has previously been reported to have hypoglycemic activities on glucose level in diabetes patients. However, the effect of I. aquatica ethanolic extract on the metabolites in the body has remained unknown.

    PURPOSE: This study provides new insights on the changes of endogenous metabolites caused by I. aquatica ethanolic extract and improves the understanding on the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of I. aquatica ethanolic extract.

    METHODS: By using a combination of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with multivariate analysis (MVDA), the changes of metabolites due to I. aquatica ethanolic extract administration in obese diabetic-induced Sprague Dawley rats (OB+STZ+IA) were identified.

    RESULTS: The results suggested 19 potential biomarkers with variable importance projections (VIP) above 0.5, which include creatine/creatinine, glucose, creatinine, citrate, carnitine, 2-oxoglutarate, succinate, hippurate, leucine, 1-methylnicotinamice (MNA), taurine, 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-HB), tryptophan, lysine, trigonelline, allantoin, formiate, acetoacetate (AcAc) and dimethylamine. From the changes in the metabolites, the affected pathways and aspects of metabolism were identified.

    CONCLUSION: I. aquatica ethanolic extract increases metabolite levels such as creatinine/creatine, carnitine, MNA, trigonelline, leucine, lysine, 3-HB and decreases metabolite levels, including glucose and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) intermediates. This implies capabilities of I. aquatica ethanolic extract promoting glycolysis, gut microbiota and nicotinate/nicotinamide metabolism, improving the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and reducing the β-oxidation rate. However, the administration of I. aquatica ethanolic extract has several drawbacks, such as unimproved changes in amino acid metabolism, especially in reducing branched chain amino acid (BCAA) synthesis pathways and lipid metabolism.

  4. Mediani A, Hamezah HS, Jam FA, Mahadi NF, Chan SXY, Rohani ER, et al.
    Front Nutr, 2022;9:1057366.
    PMID: 36518998 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1057366
    Preserving fresh food, such as meat, is significant in the effort of combating global food scarcity. Meat drying is a common way of preserving meat with a rich history in many cultures around the globe. In modern days, dried meat has become a well enjoyed food product in the market because of its long shelf-life, taste and health benefits. This review aims to compile information on how the types of meat, ingredients and the used drying technologies influence the characteristics of dried meat in physicochemical, microbial, biochemical and safety features along with technological future prospects in the dried meat industry. The quality of dried meat can be influenced by a variety of factors, including its production conditions and the major biochemical changes that occur throughout the drying process, which are also discussed in this review. Additionally, the sensory attributes of dried meat are also reviewed, whereby the texture of meat and the preference of the market are emphasized. There are other aspects and concerning issues that are suggested for future studies. It is well-known that reducing the water content in meat helps in preventing microbial growth, which in turn prevents the presence of harmful substances in meat. However, drying the meat can change the characteristics of the meat itself, making consumers concerned on whether dried meat is safe to be consumed on a regular basis. It is important to consider the role of microbial enzymes and microbes in the preservation of their flavor when discussing dried meats and dried meat products. The sensory, microbiological, and safety elements of dried meat are also affected by these distinctive changes, which revolve around customer preferences and health concerns, particularly how drying is efficient in eliminating/reducing hazardous bacteria from the fish. Interestingly, some studies have concentrated on increasing the efficiency of dried meat production to produce a safer range of dried meat products with less effort and time. This review compiled important information from all available online research databases. This review may help the food sector in improving the efficiency and safety of meat drying, reducing food waste, while maintaining the quality and nutritional content of dried meat.
  5. Adamu Ahmad K, Sabo Mohammed A, Abas F
    Molecules, 2016 Mar 14;21(3):256.
    PMID: 26985885 DOI: 10.3390/molecules21030256
    The use of chitosan as a delivery carrier has attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NP) and chitosan-ΦKAZ14 bacteriophage-loaded nanoparticles (C-ΦKAZ14 NP) were prepared by a simple coercavation method and characterized. The objective was to achieve an effective protection of bacteriophage from gastric acids and enzymes in the chicken gastrointestinal tract. The average particle sizes for CS-NP and C-ΦKAZ14 NP were 188 ± 7.4 and 176 ± 3.2 nm, respectively. The zeta potentials for CS-NP and C-ΦKAZ14 NP were 50 and 60 mV, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of C-ΦKAZ14 NP gave an onset temperature of -17.17 °C with a peak at 17.32 °C and final end set of 17.41 °C, while blank chitosan NP had an onset of -20.00 °C with a peak at -19.78 °C and final end set at -20.47. FT-IR spectroscopy data of both CS-NP and C-ΦKAZ14 NP were the same. Chitosan nanoparticles showed considerable protection of ΦKAZ14 bacteriophage against degradation by enzymes as evidenced in gel electrophoresis, whereby ΦKAZ14 bacteriophage encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles were protected whereas the naked ΦKAZ14 bacteriophage were degraded. C-ΦKAZ14 NP was non-toxic as shown by a chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) toxicity assay. It was concluded that chitosan nanoparticles could be a potent carrier of ΦKAZ14 bacteriophage for oral therapy against colibacillosis in poultry.
  6. Zolkeflee NKZ, Wong PL, Maulidiani M, Ramli NS, Azlan A, Abas F
    Planta Med, 2023 Aug;89(9):916-934.
    PMID: 36914160 DOI: 10.1055/a-2053-0950
    Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic endocrine disorder caused by decreased insulin concentration or poor insulin response. Muntingia calabura (MC) has been used traditionally to reduce blood glucose levels. This study aims to support the traditional claim of MC as a functional food and blood-glucose-lowering regimen. The antidiabetic potential of MC is tested on a streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA)-induced diabetic rat model by using the 1H-NMR-based metabolomic approach. Serum biochemical analyses reveal that treatment with 250 mg/kg body weight (bw) standardized freeze-dried (FD) 50% ethanolic MC extract (MCE 250) shows favorable serum creatinine (37.77 ± 3.53 µM), urea (5.98 ± 0.84 mM) and glucose (7.36 ± 0.57 mM) lowering capacity, which was comparable to the standard drug, metformin. The clear separation between diabetic control (DC) and normal group in principal component analysis indicates the successful induction of diabetes in the STZ-NA-induced type 2 diabetic rat model. A total of nine biomarkers, including allantoin, glucose, methylnicotinamide, lactate, hippurate, creatine, dimethylamine, citrate and pyruvate are identified in rats' urinary profile, discriminating DC and normal groups through orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis. Induction of diabetes by STZ-NA is due to alteration in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, gluconeogenesis pathway, pyruvate metabolism and nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. Oral treatment with MCE 250 in STZ-NA-induced diabetic rats shows improvement in the altered carbohydrate metabolism, cofactor and vitamin metabolic pathway, as well as purine and homocysteine metabolism.
  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. Chandradevan M, Simoh S, Mediani A, Ismail NH, Ismail IS, Abas F
    PMID: 32047522 DOI: 10.1155/2020/3238561
    This study aimed to determine the total phenolic content, DPPH scavenging, α-glucosidase, and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition of Gynura procumbens and Cleome gynandra extracts obtained with five different ethanolic concentrations. The findings showed that the 100% ethanolic extract of G. procumbens had the highest phenolic content and the lowest IC50 values for DPPH scavenging and NO inhibition activity compared to the properties of the other extracts. For C. gynandra, the 20% and 100% ethanolic extracts had comparably high total phenolic contents, and the latter possessed the lowest IC50 value in the NO inhibition assay. In addition, the 20% ethanolic extract of C. gynandra had the lowest IC50 value in the DPPH scavenging assay. However, none of the extracts from either herb had the ability to inhibit α-glucosidase enzyme. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a strong relationship between the phenolic content and DPPH scavenging activity in both herb extracts. A moderately strong relationship was also observed between the phenolic content and NO inhibition in G. procumbens extracts and not in C. gynandra extracts. The UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS revealed major phenolics from the groups of hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, and flavonoid derivatives from both herbs, which could be the key contributors to their bioactivities. Among the identified metabolites, 24 metabolites were tentatively assigned for the first time from both species of studied herbs. These two herbs could be recommended as prospective natural products with valuable medicinal properties.
  10. Zolkeflee NKZ, Wong PL, Maulidiani M, Ramli NS, Azlan A, Mediani A, et al.
    Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2024 May 14;708:149778.
    PMID: 38507867 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149778
    The increasing prevalence of lean diabetes has prompted the generation of animal models that mimic metabolic disease in humans. This study aimed to determine the optimum streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA) dosage ratio to elicit lean diabetic features in a rat model. It also used a proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) urinary metabolomics approach to identify the metabolic effect of metformin treatment on this novel rat model. Three different STZ-NA dosage regimens (by body weight: Group A: 110 mg/kg NA and 45 mg/kg STZ; Group B: 180 mg/kg NA and 65 mg/kg STZ and Group C: 120 mg/kg NA and 60 mg/kg STZ) were administered to Sprague-Dawley rats along with oral metformin. Group A diabetic rats (A-DC) showed favorable serum biochemical analyses and a more positive response toward oral metformin administration relative to the other STZ-NA dosage ratio groups. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed that glucose, citrate, pyruvate, hippurate, and methylnicotinamide differentiating the OPLS-DA of A-MTF rats (Group A diabetic rats treated with metformin) and A-DC model rats. Subsequent metabolic pathway analyses revealed that metformin treatment was associated with improvement in dysfunctions caused by STZ-NA induction, including carbohydrate metabolism, cofactor metabolism, and vitamin and amino acid metabolism. In conclusion, our results identify the best STZ-NA dosage ratio for a rat model to exhibit lean type 2 diabetic features with optimum sensitivity to metformin treatment. The data presented here could be informative to improve our understanding of non-obese diabetes in humans through the identification of possible activated metabolic pathways in the STZ-NA-induced diabetic rats model.
  11. Mohd Zahari H, Ridwan Wong MM, Fazan Ahmad ND, Abas F
    MethodsX, 2024 Jun;12:102733.
    PMID: 38707211 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102733
    Firefighters encounter numerous complex and ever-changing hazards when carrying out emergency response activities, necessitating the development of effective risk profiling methods to enhance both their safety and operational efficiency. This study outlines a comprehensive approach to constructing risk profiles tailored specifically for firefighters, integrating various methodologies to create a robust and adaptable framework. The methods used incorporating historical incident data, environmental variables, and individual firefighter characteristics to identify and assess potential risks. Additionally, the risk profiling framework include Psychosocial risk factors are also considered, allowing for a holistic understanding of the human element in firefighting risk assessment. By developing risk profiles to the specific needs and characteristics of firefighters, this method aims to significantly improve their safety, ability to make decisions, and overall operational efficiency in the demanding and ever-changing setting of emergency response situations. This article discussed methods•To identify safety cultures using questionnaires•To analyse risk from incident reports using content analysis•To verify and validate risk using thematic analysis from Focus Group Discussion.
  12. Noor Hashim, N.H., Maulidiani, M., Mediani, A., Abas, F.
    MyJurnal
    Persicaria hydropiper, locally known as kesum, is an herb belongs to the family Polygonaceae. It has been used widely in many countries as food flavoring and possesses a wide range of medicinal values. The total phenolic content and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of the methanolic extract of P. hydropiper and fractions were determined spectrophotometrically. The butanol fraction was found to contain high phenolic content and was able to inhibit xanthine oxidase activity. Online profiling using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation spectrometry (LC-ESIMS/MS) has revealed ten constituents in this active fraction. The major components were flavonoid derivatives and flavonoid sulphates, which were confirmed by comparison with an authentic standards as well as their MS/MS fragmentation patterns and UV spectra.
  13. Rukayadi, Y., Lau, K.Y., Zainin, N.S., Zakaria, M., Abas, F.
    MyJurnal
    Edible medicinal plants are often used in the treatment of various ailments and spice in traditional food preparation. In this study, 45 of tropical edible medicinal plants extracts from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand were screened for their antimicrobial activity against five standard microorganisms for food preservative namely Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The methanol extracts of Piper nigrum L. seed, Piper cubeba L. seed, and the root of Ligusticum acutilobum Siebold and Zucc. showed antimicrobial activity against five species of standard microorganisms. Among them, P. cubeba L. extract demonstrated the most susceptible against all tested microorganisms. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal or fungicidal concentration (MBC or MFC) were performed by the broth microdilution techniques as described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute. MIC values of P. cubeba L. extract to A. niger, C. albicans, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were 12.8, 1.6, 3.2, 6.4, and 1.6 mg/ml, respectively. P. cubeba extract killed A. niger, C. albicans, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus with MBC values of 25.6, 3.2, 6.4, 12.8, and 3.2 mg/ml, respectively. The potent antimicrobial activity of P. cubeba L. extract may support its use for natural food preservative.
  14. Lee, S.Y., Ismail, I.S., Ang, E.L., Abas, F.
    MyJurnal
    Neptunia oleracea Lour. is a tropical plant cultivated in Southeast Asia. It is consumed as vegetable and traditional herb for the treatment of several disorders. The objective of the present work was to isolate the phenolic compounds from N. oleracea, followed by their bioactivity evaluation and quantitative analysis. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) fractions of N. oleracea were subjected to various chromatographic techniques to isolate the phenolic compounds. The isolated phenolic compounds were characterised by several spectroscopic methods, including mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Then, these compounds were subjected to DPPH free radical scavenging as α-glucosidase inhibitory assays for the evaluation of their activities. Their contents in the fractions were analysed via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantitative analysis. Five phenolic compounds including quercetin-3-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (1), quercetin-3-O-α-Larabinopyranoside (2), quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside (3), methylgallate (4) and rutin (5) were isolated from N. oleracea for the first time. Evaluation on the DPPH free radical scavenging and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of these compounds showed that methylgallate (4) was the most potent antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitors among them, with IC50 values of 17.25 and 50.76 μM, respectively. The HPLC quantitative analysis revealed the high content of the quercetin derivatives (compounds 1, 2 and 3) in the EtOAc fraction (ranging from 125.68 to 157.55 μg/mg) and methylgallate (4) in the MeOH fraction (75.25 μg/mg). Comparison of the bioactivities of the isolated phenolic compounds with the fractions indicated their significant contribution for the DPPH free radical scavenging of N. oleracea; while they might be working synergistically for the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The results of the present work could help to validate the contribution of phenolic compounds for the studied bioactivities of N. oleracea.
  15. Murugesu, S., Khatib, A., Ibrahim, Z., Ahmed, Q. U., Uzir, B.F., Nik-Yusoff, N.I., et al.
    MyJurnal
    Clinacanthus nutans (Acanthaceae) is a local plant consumed as tisane in Indonesia and ‘ulam’ in Malaysia. This plant has been claimed for its ability to prevent many diseases including diabetes. However, the scientific proof on this claim is still lacking. Therefore, the present work study was designed to evaluate the antidiabetic potential and antioxidant capacity of C. nutans leaves extracts using in vitro bioassay tests. The 80% methanolic crude extract of this plant was further partitioned using different polarity solvents namely hexane, hexane:ethyl acetate (1:1, v/v), ethyl acetate, ethyl acetate:methanol (1:1, v/v), and methanol. All the sub-fractions were analysed for antioxidant effect via 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) scavenging activity, ferric reducing power (FRAP) and xanthine oxidase (XO) assays followed by antidiabetic evaluation via α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory assays and glucose uptake experiment. The ethyl acetate fraction showed a good antioxidant potential while the hexane fraction exhibited high α-glucosidase and DPP-IV enzyme inhibition. The hexane fraction also improved glucose uptake in a dose-dependent manner. The present work thus provides an informative data on the potential of C. nutans to be developed as a functional food in preventing diabetes.
  16. Siti Zulaikha, A.G., Mediani, A., Khoo, L.W., Lee, S.Y., Leong, S.W., Abas, F.
    MyJurnal
    The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory
    activities of Phyllanthus acidus. The P. acidus fruits were dried using three different methods,
    namely oven (OD), air (AD) and freeze (FD) dryings and extracted with ethanol at different
    ratios (50 and 100%). The proximate analysis and total phenolic content (TPC) as well as
    free radical scavenging and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were determined. The proximate
    analysis of P. acidus fruit indicated that all the dried samples contained potential nutrient
    contents. The highest TPC value, α-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities were
    observed for 50% ethanolic extract from OD method with TPC value of 28.39 mg GAE/g dried
    extract, IC50 value of 12.394 μg/mL and 64.17% inhibition, respectively. The study revealed
    that phenolic compounds could be the main contributors to the antioxidant and α-glucosidase
    inhibitory activities based on the Pearson correlation coefficients with R values of 95.0 and
    73.8%, respectively. The study could provide scientific evidence for some folk uses in the
    treatment of diseases related to the production of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress.
  17. Mohamed Yunus SN, Abas F, Jaafar AH, Azizan A, Zolkeflee NKZ, Abd Ghafar SZ
    Food Sci Biotechnol, 2021 Feb;30(2):195-208.
    PMID: 33732510 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-020-00856-x
    The 70% ethanolic extracts from eight neglected fruits; Muntingia calabura, Leucaena leucocephala, Spondias dulcis, Syzygium jambos, Mangifera caesia, Ardisia elliptica, Cynometra cauliflora and Ficus auriculata were evaluated for their 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, α-glucosidase inhibitory activities as well as total phenolic content. The results of this study revealed that M. caesia fruit extract demonstrated the most potent radical scavenging activity. Among the fruits examined for α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, M. calabura and F. auriculata exhibited strong activity with no significant difference. The Pearson correlation indicated that the activities of M. caesia and F. auriculata contributed by phenolic compounds. A total of 65 metabolites were tentatively identified by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHLPC-MS/MS). These findings suggested that the possible application of M. caesia and F. auriculata as a functional food with antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties.
  18. 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.
  19. Razali NA, Nazarudin NA, Lai KS, Abas F, Ahmad S
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2018 Jul 16;18(1):217.
    PMID: 30012134 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-018-2223-8
    BACKGROUND: Histamine is a well-known mediator involved in skin allergic responses through up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Antihistamines remain the mainstay of allergy treatment, but they were found limited in efficacy and associated with several common side effects. Therefore, alternative therapeutic preferences are derived from natural products in an effort to provide safe yet reliable anti-inflammatory agents. Curcumin and their derivatives are among compounds of interest in natural product research due to numerous pharmacological benefits including anti-inflammatory activities. Here, we investigate the effects of chemically synthesized curcumin derivative, 2,6-bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)cyclohexanone (MS65), in reducing cytokine production in histamine-induced HaCaT cells.

    METHODS: Interleukin (IL)-6 cytokine production in histamine-induced HaCaT cells were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and cytotoxicity effects were determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was carried out to determine the inhibitory effects of MS65 on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways.

    RESULTS: Histamine enhanced IL-6 production in HaCaT cells, with the highest production of IL-6 at 97.41 ± 2.33 pg/mL after 24 h of exposure. MS65 demonstrated a promising anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting IL-6 production with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 4.91 ± 2.50 μM and median lethal concentration (LC50) value of 28.82 ± 7.56 μM. In gene expression level, we found that MS65 inhibits NF-κB and MAPK pathways through suppression of IKK/IκB/NFκB and c-Raf/MEK/ERK inflammatory cascades.

    CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results suggest that MS65 could be used as a lead compound on developing new medicinal agent for the treatment of allergic skin diseases.

  20. Mostofa F, Yasid NA, Shamsi S, Ahmad SA, Mohd-Yusoff NF, Abas F, et al.
    Molecules, 2022 Nov 28;27(23).
    PMID: 36500396 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238304
    The bone morphogenic protein (BMP) family is a member of the TGF-beta superfamily and plays a crucial role during the onset of gut inflammation and arthritis diseases. Recent studies have reported a connection with the gut-joint axis; however, the genetic players are still less explored. Meanwhile, BDMC33 is a newly synthesized anti-inflammatory drug candidate. Therefore, in our present study, we analysed the genome-wide features of the BMP family as well as the role of BMP members in gut-associated arthritis in an inflammatory state and the ability of BDMC33 to attenuate this inflammation. Firstly, genome-wide analyses were performed on the BMP family in the zebrafish genome, employing several in silico techniques. Afterwards, the effects of curcumin analogues on BMP gene expression in zebrafish larvae induced with TNBS (0.78 mg/mL) were determined using real time-qPCR. A total of 38 identified BMP proteins were revealed to be clustered in five major clades and contain TGF beta and TGF beta pro peptide domains. Furthermore, BDMC33 suppressed the expression of four selected BMP genes in the TNBS-induced larvae, where the highest gene suppression was in the BMP2a gene (an eight-fold decrement), followed by BMP7b (four-fold decrement), BMP4 (four-fold decrement), and BMP6 (three-fold decrement). Therefore, this study reveals the role of BMPs in gut-associated arthritis and proves the ability of BDMC33 to act as a potential anti-inflammatory drug for suppressing TNBS-induced BMP genes in zebrafish larvae.
Filters
Contact Us

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

External Links