Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine

903–908

Authors: Bala Chandra Sekhar Pappala, Jyothi Padmaja Indugula, Sateesh Kumar Talabhatula, Ramalakshmi Suryakarani Kolli, Arpit Kumar Shrivastava, Priyadarshi Soumyaranjan Sahu

Objective: To report cases of neurocysticercosis (NCC) from three neighboring districts of Andhra Pradesh state in India where NCC burden was never explored before. Methods: A total of 160 patients presenting with recent onset seizures were recruited from neurology, general medicine, and pediatric outpatient clinics of a local major tertiary care teaching hospital serving above districts during the period 2011–2014. Brain imaging was performed in all the above cases. A commercial immunoglobulin G-ELISA kit (sensitivity = 85%; specificity = 94%) was employed for the serological diagnosis of NCC. Results: The recruited patients presented with generalized, simple partial, and complex partial seizures (55%, 31.25% and 13.75% respectively). NCC was diagnosed in 44 of 160 (27.5%) seizure cases based on imaging characteristics, and a positive serum antibody ELISA. No association was detected between seropositivity with the number and location of the lesion(s) in the brain. Conclusions: The possible potentiality of NCC could be identified as an underlying cause of the recent onset of seizures in this region as explored in the present study. It is recommended that NCC should be suspected as one of the major differential in every recent onset seizure with or without a radio imaging supportive diagnosis, especially in areas endemic for taeniasis/cysticercosis.

914–923

Authors: Viviana Martínez-Betancur, Marl´en Martínez-Gutierrez

Objective: To identify the changes in the proteome of U937 cells infected with dengue virus (DENV). Methods: In this study, differentiated U937 cultures were infected with two DENV-2 strains, one of which was associated with dengue (DENV-2/NG) and the other one with severe dengue (DENV-2/16681), with the aim of determining the cellular proteomic profiles under different infection conditions. Cellular proteins were extracted and separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and those proteins with differential expression profiles were identified by mass spectrometry. The obtained results were correlated with cellular viability, the number of infectious viral particles, and the viral DNA/protein quantity. Results: In comparison with non-infected cultures, in the cells infected with the DENV- 2/NG strain, nine proteins were expressed differentially (five were upregulated and four were downregulated); in those cultures infected with the DENV-2/16681 strain, six proteins were differentially expressed (two were downregulated and four were upregulated). The downregulated proteins included fatty acid-binding protein, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein 1, protein disulfide isomerase, enolase 1, heat shock 70 kDa protein 9, phosphotyrosyl phosphatase, and annexin IV. The upregulated proteins included heat shock 90 kDa protein AA1, tubulin beta, enolase 1, pyruvate kinase, transaldolase and phospholipase C-alpha. Conclusions: Because the monocyte/macrophage lineage is critical for disease pathogenicity, additional studies on these proteins could provide a better understanding of the cellular response to DENV infection and could help identify new therapeutic targets against infection. 1. Introduction Dengue is the most common disease in humans that is transmitted by

931–936

Authors: Tankeu Nzufo Francine, Biapa Nya Prosper Cabral, Pieme Constant Anatole, Moukette Moukette Bruno, Nanfack Pauline, Ngogang Yonkeu Jeanne

Objective: To investigate the larvicidal activity of Syzygium guineense (Myrtaceae) (S. guineense), Monodora myristica and Zanthoxylum heitzii (Rutaceae) (Z. heitzii) extracts against Aedes albopictus (Ae. albopictus). Methods: The larvicidal activity of the hydro-ethanolic extracts from these plant species was assessed at three different concentrations (50, 100 and 200 mg/L) on first-instar of Ae. albopictus larvae in comparison with untreated controls. Mortality rate was recorded daily for a period of 12 days. The values of LC50 and lethal time killing 50% of the tested individuals (LT50) were calculated using the log-probit analysis. Results: The root extract of S. guineense exhibited the best activity with 100% mortality after 8 days of treatment at 200 mg/L, followed by the fruit extract of Z. heitzii with 83.33% mortality at the same concentration. Nonetheless, larvae were most susceptible to the fruit extract of Z. heitzii both in terms of LC50 (39.89 mg/L) and LT50 (145.68 h). A statistically significant difference between the control and the group treated at 200 mg/L was noticed in all the extracts. Conclusions: The present study shows that the hydro-ethanolic extracts of S. guineense, Monodora myristica and Z. heitzii tested have significant larvicidal activity. These preliminary results are of great interest and some of these plant species can be proposed for the formulation of new bioinsecticides to control Ae. albopictus populations.

945–949

Authors: Mohamed Bonewend´e Belemlilga, Aristide Traor´e, Sylvin Ou´edraogo, Adama Kabor´e, Hamidou Hamadou Tamboura, Innocent Pierre Guissou

Objective: To evaluate the anthelmintic property of Saba senegalensis (A.DC) Pichon (Apocynaceae) (S. senegalensis) on Haemonchus contortus that is traditionally used in Burkina Faso for its gastrointestinal parasites treatment. Methods: The lyophilized aqueous decoction of leaves of S. senegalensis at concentrations of 0.10, 1.00, 3.00, 10.00 and 15.00 mg/mL was used on eggs and adult worms of Haemonchus contortus collected from gastrointestinal tract of small ruminant. Results: The LC50 on adult worms was 6.79 mg/mL and 3.25 mg/mL for the leaves of S. senegalensis and the levamisole (reference drug), respectively. Inhibition of hatching assay showed a concentration-dependent manner with an inhibition of 93.63% at the concentration of 15.00 mg/mL of S. senegalensis. Conclusions: These results indicate that the aqueous extract of S. senegalensis possesses an anthelmintic property and may justify its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal parasites.

957–961

Authors: Franelyne Pataueg Casuga, Agnes Llamasares Castillo, Mary Jho-Anne Tolentino Corpuz

Objective: To investigate and characterize the chemical composition of the different crude extracts from the leaves of Broussonetia luzonica (Blanco) (Moraceae) (B. luzonica), an endemic plant in the Philippines. Methods: The air dried leaves were powdered and subjected to selective sequential extraction using solvents of increasing polarity through percolation, namely, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol to obtain three different extracts. Then, each of the extracts was further subjected to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: Qualitative determination of the different biologically active compounds from crude extracts of B. luzonica using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed different types of high and low molecular weight chemical entities with varying quantities present in each of the extracts. These chemical compounds are considered biologically and pharmacologically important. Furthermore, the three different extracts possess unique physicochemical characteristics which may be attributed to the compounds naturally present in significant quantities in the leaves of B. luzonica. Conclusions: The three extracts possess major bioactive compounds that were identified and characterized spectroscopically. Thus, identification of different biologically active compounds in the extracts of B. luzonica leaves warrants further biological and pharmacological studies.

967–972

Authors: Farzana Abubakar Yousuf, Malik Hassan Mehmood, Abdul Malik, Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui, Naveed Ahmed Khan

Objective: To determine antiacanthamoebic activity of natural and marketed honey samples. Methods: Natural honey samples were collected directly from the bee hive and marketed honey samples were purchased from the local market in Karachi, Pakistan. Both honey samples were tested for their flavonoid content (quercetin equivalent per gram of the extract) and phenolic content (gallic acid equivalent per gram). Furthermore, their antioxidant activity was determined by measuring 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Using amoebistatic and amoebicidal assays, the effects of honey samples were tested against growth and viability of Acanthamoeba parasites. Results: Natural honey exhibited potent amoebistatic and amoebicidal effects, in a concentration-dependent manner. Honey-treated Acanthamoeba castellanii showed loss of acanthopodia, following which amoebae detached, rounded up, reduced in size, decreased in cytoplasmic mass and they were observed floating in the culture medium. Importantly, honey-treated amoebae did not revive when inoculated in fresh growth medium, however, glycerol-treated amoebae exhibited viable trophozoite and active growth. In contrast, marketed honey samples varied in their efficacy against Acanthamoeba castellanii. The proportion of flavonoid, as determined by quercetin measurements and the proportion of phenolic, as determined by gallic acid measurements was higher in natural honey compared with marketed honey. Similarly, the antioxidant activity, as determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity was higher in natural honey vs. marketed honey. Conclusions: This study shows that natural honey has antiacanthamoebic properties and possesses higher flavonoid, phenolic and antioxidant properties compared with the marketed honey. These findings are of concern to the public, health officials, and to the manufacturers regarding production of honey for medical applications.

975–981

Authors: Hamzeh Alipour, Abbasali Raz, Sedigheh Zakeri, Navid Dinparast Djadid

Non-invasive therapeutic methods have recently been used in medical sciences. Enzymes have shown high activity at very low concentrations in laboratories and pharmaceutical, enabling them to play crucial roles in different biological phenomena related to living organism, especially human medicine. Recently, using the therapeutic methods based on non-invasive approaches has been emphasized in medical society. Researchers have focused on producing medicines and tools reducing invasive procedures in medical. Collagenases are proteins which catalyze chemical processes and break the peptide bonds in collagen. Collagen may be generated more than the required amount or produced in unsuitable sites or may not degrade after a certain time. In such cases, using an injectable collagenase or its ointment can be helpful in collagen degradation. In both in vitro and in vivo tests, it has been revealed that collagenases have several therapeutic properties in wound healing, burns, nipple pain and some diseases including intervertebral disc herniation, keloid, cellulite, lipoma among others. This review describes the therapeutic application of collagenase in medical sciences and the process for its production using novel methods, paving the way for more effective and safe applications of collagenases.