Journal of Coastal Life Medicine

925-930

Authors: Miquel Planas, José Antonio Vázquez, Beatriz Novoa

Objective: To study the effect of species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from telluric origin on the growth of the microalgae Isochrysis galbana (I. galbana) in small and medium volume flasks. Methods: In the first experiment, 7 LAB species [Carnobacterium piscicola, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactococcus lactis spp. lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides spp. mesenteroides (L. mesenteroides spp. mesenteroides) and Pediococcus acidilactici (P. acidilactici)] were inoculated in 250 mL flasks containing microalgae I. galbana (106 cells/mL). After fitting the growth data to two mathematical models, two LAB strains (L. mesenteroides spp. mesenteroides and P. acidilactici) were selected for the second experiment in which those strains were inoculated in medium size (5 L) volume cultures of I. galbana (1.2 × 105 –1.5 × 105 cells/mL). The bacterial load in cultures from the first experiment was analyzed by plating on marine agar, MRS agar and thiosulfate citrate bile saltssucrose media. Results: All strains of LAB tested enhanced the growth rate and the final biomass yield of I. galbana cultures, even in the absence of nutrients in the media. The best overall results and the maximal final cell densities in small flasks were achieved with strains L. mesenteroides spp. mesenteroides and P. acidilactici, respectively. These two strains also stimulated the growth (40% and 16% with respect to controls) of I. galbana in medium size volumes. For most strains, CFU values of LAB remained stable (105 –108 CFU/mL) for at least 4 days. A high variability was observed in bacteria strains among treatments, with Pseudomonas and Moraxella being the most abundant bacteria. Conclusions: The results of present study showed that the growth of I. galbana in both small and medium size volumes was enhanced by LAB, both in the absence and the presence of nutrients in the culture. The highest final biomass was achieved by adding P. acidilactici, whereas Carnobacterium piscicola and L. mesenteroides spp. mesenteroides provided maximal growth rates. The former also showed an inhibitory effect on Moraxella.

944-949

Authors: Thangaraj Ramasamy, Santhoshkumar Subramaniyam, Dhanasekaran Dharumadurai, Kala Karuppannan, Alharbi Naiyf Sultan, Arunachalam Chinnathambi, Ali Alharbi Sulaiman, Thajuddin Nooruddin

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using phycobilins of Anabaena variabilis NTSS17. Methods: The cyanobacterial isolate was collected from paddy field and morphologically identified as Anabaena variabilis NTSS17, that produces a pigment i.e. phycobiliproteins. The biosynthesized zinc nanoparticles were characterized by different spectroscopic and analytical techniques such as UV-visible spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction which confirmed the formation of zinc nanoparticles. Results: Antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles was examined against Escherichia coli, Rhodococcus rhodochrous and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The maximum zone of inhibition occurred at 5 mg/1000 mL concentration of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Conclusions: Due to potent antimicrobial and intrinsic properties of zinc oxide, it can be actively used for biomedical applications.

956-961

Authors: Naglaa Farag Soliman, Samir Mahmoud Nasr

Objective: To conduct a health risk assessment of some heavy metals attributed to consumption of common edible fish species available for consumers. Methods: Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn were determined in muscles, gills, livers, bones and skins of six common edible fish species, namely Oreochromis niloticus, Mugil cephalus, Sardinella aurita, Mullus barbatus, Boops boops, Pagrus pagrus. Concentrations of heavy metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and expressed as µg/g of wet tissue. Results: Results showed that iron and zinc were the most abundant among all fish tissues under investigation. The data obtained in the present work were compared well with the counterpart data reported internationally. The estimated values of all metals in muscles of fish in this study were below the permissible limits. Moreover, the potential health risks of metals to human via consumption of seafood were assessed by estimating daily intake and target heath quotient. Generally, risk values for the measured metals do not pose unacceptable risks at mean ingestion rate for muscles. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the investigated metals in edible parts of the examined species have no health problems for consumers.

967-970

Authors: Gary Kim Kuan Low, Seng Chiew Gan, Shu Cheow Ho

Objective: To evaluate five biomarkers (neopterin, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, thrombomodulin, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and pentraxin 3) in differentiating clinical dengue cases. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted whereby the blood samples were obtained at day of presentation and the final diagnosis were obtained at the end of patients’ follow-up. All patients included in the study were 15 years old or older, not pregnant, not infected by dengue previously and did not have cancer, autoimmune or haematological disorder. Median test was performed to compare the biomarker levels. A subgroup Mann-Whitney U test was analysed between severe dengue and non-severe dengue cases. Monte Carlo method was used to estimate the 2-tailed probability (P) value for independent variables with unequal number of patients. Results: All biomarkers except thrombomodulin has P value < 0.001 in differentiating among the healthy subjects, non-dengue fever, dengue without warning signs and dengue with warning signs/severe dengue. Subgroup analysis for all the biomarkers between severe dengue and non-severe dengue cases was not statistically significant except vascular endothelial growth factor-A (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Certain biomarkers were able to differentiate the clinical dengue cases. This could be potentially useful in classifying and determining the severity of dengue infected patients in the hospital.

975-977

Authors: Oyetunde Oyeyemi, Ifeoluwani Adesanya, Bolaji Ogunnowo, Isaac Oyewole

Objective: To assess the association between urine pH and specific gravity (SG) and occurrence of urinary tract pathogens involved in urinary tract infection (UTI) in school pupils. Methods: Laboratory culture techniques and biochemical tests were carried out to identify the UTI-associated bacteria in school pupils’ urine of United Nursery and Primary School, IlaraRemo, in Ikenne Local Government area, Ogun State, Nigeria. Urine dip-stick tests were carried out on the samples to take pH and SG measurements. Results: The prevalence of urinary tract pathogens in the study population was 82.4%. This prevalence was not gender and age dependent (P > 0.05). Escherichia coli (E. coli ) (37.0%) and Klebsiella (0.9%) were the highest and least prevalent uropathogens. There was significant increase in proportion of subjects diagnosed with E. coli (37.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (32.0%), Klebsiella (57.1%) in pH 9, pH 6 and pH 8, respectively (P < 0.05). However, an increase in proportion of individuals diagnosed with Proteus occurred in pH 6 and 9 (31.3% each); these proportions were not significant compared with results in other pH categories (P > 0.05). There were significant increase in proportion of subjects diagnosed with E. coli (50.0%), Proteus (56.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (44.0%), Klebsiella (71.4%) in SG 1.010, 1.015, 1.015 and 1.010, respectively (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, the urine pH 9 and SG 1.010–1.015 are the best diagnostic indicators of UTI-associated uropathogens in school children.

982-986

Authors: Md. Razibul Habib, Mohammad Mustakim Billah, Mohammad Mahfuz-E-Alam, Kashfia Nawrin, Md. Rakibul Hasan, Md. Mominur Rahman, Md. Anisul Islam, Irfan Newaz Khan

Objective: To evaluate the analgesic, neuropharmacological, cytotoxic and thrombolytic potentials of the aqueous, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves. Methods: At the dose of 400 mg/kg body weight, the analgesic activity of the extracts were evaluated by the acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin-induced persistent pain tests while neuropharmacological activity was evaluated by the open field, hole cross and elevated plus maze tests. The cytotoxic potential was observed by brine shrimp lethality bioassay and the thrombolytic potential was investigated by clot lysis test. Results: The aqueous extract significantly suppressed the number of writhing (96.78%) as well as the formalin-induced persistent pain on the early phase (46.92%) and on the late phase (40.98%). Again in case of hole cross and open field tests, the locomotor activity was decreased significantly (P < 0.001) mostly by the ethyl acetate extract. Furthermore, the sedative-anxiolytic activity was supported by the increased percent (P < 0.01) of frequency into the open arm on elevated plus maze test. Besides, the extracts showed moderate lethality and thrombolytic activity. Conclusions: The findings showed that activities are comparable to the standards and in some cases are stronger than the standards. Therefore, based on the results, it is evident that it has great analgesic and sedative-anxiolytic activity with moderate cytotoxic and thrombolytic potential.

992-995

Authors: Aisha Mohammad Ibrahim, Bashir Lawal, Ndababru Amos Tsado, Abubakar Awwal Yusuf, Adisa Mohammed Jimoh

Objective: To identify the active ingredients presented in methanol extract of Senna occidentalis (S. occidentalis). Methods: Dried powdered leaves of S. occidentalis were extracted with methanol by Soxhlet extraction and the extract was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening by using standard procedure and methods. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis was performed by comprising a GC-MS (model: QP2010 Plus Shimadzu, Japan) comprising an AOC-20i auto-sampler and gas-chromatograph interfaced to a mass spectrometer. Results: The phytochemical study revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, glycoside, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, anthraquinones and phlobatannins while cardiac glycoside was not detected. GC-MS chromatogram showed nine peaks. A total of 31 compounds were identified when the mass spectra of the constituents was compared with the National Institute Standard and Technology library. The first compounds identified with less retention time (15.929 s) were n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid and pentadecanoic acid while decanoic acid, decyl ester, ether, octadecyl vinyl, oleic acid, hexyl ester, stearic acid, octadecyl ester and decyl fluoride took the longest retention time (20.600 s) for identification. Conclusions: The presence of these compounds in the plant extract may at least be responsible for one of the pharmacological properties of S. occidentalis and thus could be of considerable interest to the development of new drugs.

1000-1002

Authors: Pradeep Singh, Ratan Lal Khosa, Garima Mishra, Mohd Adil Tahseen

The Acanthaceae family is an important source of therapeutic drugs and the ethno pharmacological knowledge of this family requires urgent documentation as several of its species are near extinction. Justicia is the largest genus of Acanthaceae with approximately 600 species. Aim of the present review is to present literature for the traditional uses & pharmacological review of Justicia picta (Family: Acanthaceae) and to discuss further priorities of research yet to be discovered.

1006-1007

Authors: Lott Pooi Wah, Tan Boon Hooi, Leow Sue Ngein, Shuaibah Abdul Ghani, Visvaraja A/L Subrayan

A 52 year-old construction worker presented with progressive painful blurring of vision in the left eye associated with redness for past 1 month. There was a history of penetrating injury in the same eye 10 years ago and he underwent primary wound toilet and suturing, lens removal with intraocular lens implantation. Slit lamp examination revealed a corneal scar at 9’oclock, a large transilluminant iris cyst superotemporally and adherent to corneal endothelium. It was extended from angle of the pupil and obstructing the visual axis. The patient underwent excision of an iris cyst through superior limbal incision. Viscodissection was done to separate the cyst from the corneal endothelium and underlying iris stroma. Trypan blue ophthalmic solution was injected into the cyst to stain the cyst capsule. Post operatively 7 days, vision improved to 6/7.5 without complication. There was no recurrence up to 1 year postoperation. Histopathological finding revealed a benign cyst mass lined by simple cuboidal to nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium. We had achieved a good surgical outcome with no complication to date for our case study. We advocate this modified surgical method to completely remove iris cyst.