Di Malaysia, timun laut lebih dikenali sebagai Gamat. Di kalangan kaum Melayu,
gamat sering digunakan sebagai ubat tradisional untuk melegakan kesakitan,
merawat luka dan kesan terbakar. Ianya juga digunakan sebagai tonik untuk
memberi sumber tenaga tambahan. Stichopus chloronotus merupakan salah satu
spesies timun laut yang boleh didapati di Malaysia. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk
menentukan dos optimum ekstrak akues Stichopus chloronotus emulsi salap ke
atas luka pada model tikus. Beberapa siri kepekatan iaitu 0.1%, 0.5% dan 1%
ekstrak akues Stichopus chloronotus emulsi salap diberikan ke atas luka eksisi sekali
sehari selama 10 hari. Perubahan pada kawasan luka diukur dengan menggunakan
angkup dan gambar luka diambil pada hari pertama, ke-3, ke-6, ke-8 dan ke-10
selepas pembentukan luka. Keputusan daripada peratusan pengurangan luka dan
pemerhatian makroskopik akan menentukan dos optimum Stichopus chloronotus.
Hasil kajian menunjukkan, kumpulan tikus kajian yang menerima rawatan
Stichopus chloronotus 0.5% mempunyai peratusan pengurangan luka yang lebih
tinggi dan pemerhatian makroskopik yang lebih baik bermula dari hari ke-6 selepas
pembentukan luka berbanding kumpulan yang lain. Kesimpulannya, dos 0.5%
merupakan kepekatan optimum bagi Stichopus chloronotus memberikan kesan
kepada penyembuhan luka dan akan digunakan pada kajian sebenar
Phytosterols are plant sterols with a chemical structure similar to cholesterol. It has anti-cholesterol, anti-cancer and anti-oxidant properties which are probably mediated by suppression of lipid peroxidation. However, there are limited studies on the effects of phytosterols on lipid peroxidation. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of phytosterols on plasma and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) of rats exposed to carbon tetrachloride. The rats were divided into four groups of normal control (NC), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), phytosterol (P) and phytosterol+carbon tetrachloride (P+CCl4).
The P and P+CCl4 groups were pretreated with subcutaneous phytosterol at 140 mg/kg once weekly for 5 weeks while the NC and CCl4 groups only received olive oil (vehicle). A single oral dose of carbon tetrachloride was then given to rats in the CCl4and P+CCl4 groups to induce lipid peroxidation. After 24 hours, all the rats were sacrificed and the plasma and tissue MDA were measured. Our results showed carbon tetrachloride had caused significant elevations of the plasma and hepatic MDA of the CCl4 group compared to the NC group. Phytosterol pretreatment (P+CCl4 group) were able to prevent the MDA elevations. Phytosterols treatments in normal rats (P group) were found to reduce the hepatic MDA level. The conclusion of this study was that phytosterols are effective suppressor of plasma and hepatic lipid peroxidation. They have potential as supplements to further reduce lipid peroxidation in healthy individuals.
Osteoporosis dikenali sebagai penyakit senyap kerana tidak mempunyai tanda-tanda awal. Ini disebabkan oleh kepadatan tulang yang berkurangan secara perlahanlahan seiring dengan peningkatan usia. Insiden penyakit ini semakin meningkat setiap tahun di seluruh dunia. Mengukur ketumpatan mineral tulang (BMD) menggunakan densitometry tulang konvensional (DXA) adalah praktikal dalam diagnosis osteoporosis tetapi kosnya adalah tinggi dan tidak dapat dilaksanakan dalam masyarakat. Untuk mengukur ketumpatan tulang, “quantitative ultrasound” (QUS) adalah teknik yang agak moden untuk diagnosis osteoporosis. Ianya agak mudah, konsisten, lebih murah dan kaedah yang selamat berbanding dengan teknik densitometry yang lain. Kedua-dua parameter QUS yang diukur pada masa kini adalah ultrasound jalur pengecilan (BUA) dan kelajuan bunyi (SOS). QUS juga dapat menjangka risiko patah. Ianya kini digunakan untuk memantau tindakbalas kepada rawatan anti-osteoporosis. Kajian in-vitro menunjukkan bahawa indeks QUS berhubungkait dengan BMD, bentuk tulang mikro dan parameter mekanikal. Oleh yang demikian, QUS berupaya untuk menjadi teknik baru untuk penilaian tulang.
Oxidative stress has been associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis which pre-disposes to risk of fracture. Palm tocotrienol is a potent antioxidant and has the poten-tial to be used for treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis. The aim of the study is to determine if palm tocotrienol supplementation could alleviate oxidative stress in ovariectomised rat model and improve its bone strength. The rats were di- vided into four groups: (i) sham-operated group (SHAM) (ii) ovariectomised-control group (OVX) (iii) ovariectomised and given 60mg/kg α-tocopherol by oral gavage (OVX + ATF) (iv) ovariectomised and given 60mg/kg palm tocotrienols by oral gavage (OVX + PTT). After eight weeks of treatment, blood samples were taken to measure oxida-tive status (MDA, SOD and GPX) while the femurs were biomechanically tested for strength and resistance to fracture. Ovariectomy was shown to induce oxidative stress as shown by the raised MDA levels and reduced GPX activity. Palm tocotrienols seemed to offer protection against the ovariectomy-induced oxidative stress as shown by the suppression of MDA levels and raised GPX and SOD activities in the OVX+PTT group. In comparison, α-tocopherol was only able to raise the SOD but not as high as palm tocotrienols. The biomechanical tests have shown that ovariectomy has not af-fected the bone strength significantly after eight weeks. Palm tocotrienols supplemen-tation for eight weeks was effective in preventing oxidative stress in a post-meno-pausal rat.
Micro computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging is a useful tool to monitor fracture
healing in osteoporosis model. It creates a 3-D image of the fracture callus which can
be analysed to assess bone parameters quantitatively. In this study, micro-CT was
used to assess the fracture healing of orchidectomised rats, an androgen-deficient
osteoporosis model. The effects of Eurycoma longifolia, a medicinal plant with proandrogenic
effects, on fracture healing were assessed. The rats were grouped into
orchidectomised-control (ORX), sham-operated (SHAM), orchidectomised and
injected with testosterone intramuscularly once weekly (TEN) and orchidectomised
and daily oral gavage of Eurycoma longifolia (EL). Treatment duration was six
weeks following bone fracture. Fracture was induced in the right tibia of all the
rats. A total of 100 axial slices above and below fracture line were scanned with
a micro-CT. The micro-CT analysis was able to detect significant difference in the
fracture healing rate of ORX and TEN groups. The bridging cortices and fraction
of mineralized tissue of the bridging cortices of the callous of ORX group was
significantly lower than TEN group. No significant micro-CT changes were seen
in the fracture healing of the EL group. The effect of EL on fracture healing was not
demonstrable in orchidectomised rat model.