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  1. Yaya Liliana Hanapian, Joon Wah Mak, Paul Chieh Yee Chen
    MyJurnal
    The Orang Aslis are indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, numbering 147,412 in 2003.Currently, the Orang Asli are divided into four language groupings namely the Northern Aslian, the Central Aslian, and the Southern Aslian groups, all of whom speak Austroasiatic languages; a fourth group in the South of Peninsular Malaysia speak a Malay dialect belonging to the Austronesian group of languages.This research was carried out on only one of the Northern Aslian group, the Jehai, who are also named Negritos based on their physical features. The Jehai live in the Belum and the Temenggor Forest that straddles Upper Perak and West Kelantan and until recently, were nomadic and lived by hunting-gathering.The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately two billion people worldwide are infected with the soil-transmitted nematode helminths,Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and the hookworms Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale, with 400 million of these infected being children of school age.Global numbers of A. lumbricoides infection have been estimated at about 1.5 billion cases. (Crompton, 2001). T. trichiura infection affects approximately 1,049 million people worldwide and an estimated 1.2 billion people are infected by hookworms. In Malaysia, the most common soil-transmitted helminth infections are A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworms.
    However, as there have been no extensive surveys on these infections, it is difficult to estimate with certainty the current overall incidence of infection with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) among the Malaysian population.
  2. Jenn Haw Fong, Kenny Voon, Stephen Ambu, Joon Wah Mak
    MyJurnal
    Background: The tissue specimens used for extraction of DNA in this study were from rodents trapped in four states in Peninsular Malaysia, namely Kedah, Kelantan, Selangor and Johor. Methods: Histological sections of these rodent muscle tissues stained with hematoxylin and eos in showed infection with Sarcocystis spp. Based on these results, the current study was carried out to determine the phylogenetic relationship among the identified Sarcocystis spp. in these rodents.The formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) rodent muscle blocks were subjected to DNA extraction and followed with semi nested PCR targeting 5’ and 3’ regions of 18S rRNA of Sarcocystis spp. Results: Phylogenetic analysis showed two distinct groups of Sarcocystis spp. among the rodents in Peninsular Malaysia. Most of the identified Sarcocystis spp. were genetically closely related to Sarcocystis rodentifelis and Sarcocystis muris and were also observed to be genetically closely related to Sarcocystis sp. ex Columba livia and Sarcocystis sp. cyst type I ex Anser albifrons. Conclusion: Further classification to confirm these Sarcocystis spp. was not possible as only partial sequences of 18S rRNA was available and this was insufficient for
    optimal differentiation.
  3. Donald, Koh Fook Chen, Joon, Wah Mak, Soo, Shen Ooi, Kwai Hoe Chong, Kok, Fee Mak
    MyJurnal
    Background: A number of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) preparations are being used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Some components of these preparations have biochemical effects other than those of lowering blood glucose and indeed have been used for other medical indications in traditional practice. The primary objective of the study was to determine the effect of the oral mixture of Traditional Chinese Medicine for diabetes (TCM-D™ complex) on blood glucose level and the biochemical changes if any, on the liver (ALT, AST, gamma-GT, albumin, globulin) and renal (blood creatinine, urea) functions in normal mice. The oral mixture is an aqueous extract of four wellknown traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and consists of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim., Paeonia lactiflora Pall., Glycyrrhiza uranlensis Fisch., and Panax ginseng (red) CA Meyer in the proportion of 36%, 28%, 18%, and 18% respectively of the dry weight. These herbs have
    been shown to have blood glucose lowering activity and have been used for other traditional medicinal purposes.The safety of the combination was evaluated in the present study. Methods: Experimental Balb/c mice were treated orally via gastric tube with the extract at daily doses equivalent to 1 and 10 times the recommended human dose for 8 weeks. Blood glucose and other biochemical profiles were monitored at pre-treatment and monthly posttreatment until killed. Results: When compared to pre-treatment levels, the blood glucose levels were significantly lower in treated animals compared to those in the control group. At the recommended TCM-D™ dose the levels in treated animals were significantly lower than that of control animals and at pre-treatment. When compared with pre-treatment, the glucose levels were lowest at Week 8 of treatment, the mean levels being 111.23%, 83.32% and 70.33% in control, and in animals given 1 x and 10 x the recommended TCM-D™ dosage respectively. The blood glucose lowering effect was also associated with a significant weight loss in treated animals. There were transient increases in AST and ALT levels but these reverted to normal at Week 8 of treatment. The levels of bilirubin, g-GT, albumin, creatinine and blood urea were also not significantly different at Week 8 from pre-treatment levels in all groups. Conclusion: Even at 10 times the dosage recommended for humans, TCM-D™ did not affect the liver and renal functions of treated animals. Treated and control animals remained healthy and normal throughout the period of observation.
  4. Donald Koh Fook Chen, Joon Wah Mak, Soo Shen Ooi, Kok Fee Mak, Kwai Hoe Chong
    MyJurnal
    We previously evaluated the biochemical changes induced by the local product TCM for diabetes (TCM-D™) on blood glucose levels and other biochemical changes in normal mice fed orally with the recommended human dose (30 ml/kg daily) and ten times this dose for eight weeks. TCM-D™ is an aqueous extract of the roots of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim, Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Glycyrrhiza uranlensis Fisch. and Panax ginseng Meyer (red) combined at the dry weight proportions of 36%, 28%, 18% and 18% respectively. The study showed that at these dosages the blood glucose levels as well as the body weights in treated mice were significantly reduced when compared with pretreatment values and control animals. The present study evaluated the effect of the extract in a mouse model of Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
  5. Chin, Ramon Beng Ong, Kim, Patricia Chooi Lim, Joon, Wah Mak
    MyJurnal
    Background: Many proteins released by cells to the blood and other fluids are glycoproteins. One set of glycoproteins carry the ABO blood group determinants and glycoproteins have been shown to be vital in determining the structure and organization of plasma membranes. There is evidence suggesting their important role in cell-to-cell contact, adhesion, hormone interaction and vital transformation. Differences in proteins and glycoproteins in the different human blood groups may influence the invasion process of Plasmodium falciparum. The objectives of the study were to determine whether there are any changes in proteins and glycoproteins of red blood cells upon infection by P. falciparum and whether these protein and glycoprotein changes differ in the various ABO blood groups.

    Methods: A Malaysian strain of P. falciparum was cultured in vitro in red blood cells from A, B, O and AB blood groups. Protein and glycoprotein profiles of uninfected and P. falciparum- infected red blood cells from the different human ABO blood groups were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. For protein bands, the gels were stained with Coomassie blue while glycoproteins were visualized following staining of gels using GelCode ® Glycoprotein Staining Kit.

    Results: Cell membranes of P. falciparum infected erythrocytes from different ABO blood groups have different glycoprotein profiles compared to uninfected cells. All the infected samples showed a prominent protein band of molecular weight 99 kDa which was not present in any of the uninfected samples while a 48 kDa band was seen in four out of the seven infected samples. The erythrocyte cell membranes of A and AB blood groups showed different glycoprotein profiles upon infection with P. falciparum when compared to those from blood groups B and O.

    Conclusion: The two glycoproteins of molecular weights 99 kDa and 48 kDa should be further studied to determine their roles in the pathogenesis of malaria and as potential targets for drug and vaccine development.
  6. Ambu, Stephen, Yin, Evelyn Synn Yeoh, Joon, Wah Mak, Chakravarthi, Srikumar
    MyJurnal
    The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in wild and peri-urban rodents in some states in Peninsular Malaysia. The thigh muscle from these rodents were formalin preserved, sectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined under light microscopy. Of the 146 muscle tissue examined only 73 were positive for Sarcocystis infection.
    Morphological identification showed the presence of some new morphological types to be present. Different species of Sarcocystis were seen in the sections but more extensive studies are needed to identify them to species level.
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