Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine

757-767

Authors: Tawisa Jiyipong, Sathaporn Jittapalapong, Serge Morand, Jean-Marc Rolain

In this article, authors review the current knowledge of Bartonella infection in small mammals including rodents, insectivores, bats and exotic small mammal pets and their vectors in Asia. Species of Bartonella are Gram-negative intracellular bacteria that infect erythrocytes of various mammalian and non-mammalian animals and mainly transmitted by blood sucking arthropod vectors. The genus Bartonella includes several species of important human diseases with severe clinical signs. Several new Bartonella species were isolated from rodents and other small mammals, and from human patients in Asia. Bartonella species are identified using standard polymerase chain reaction amplification and a sequencing targeting two housekeeping genes (gltA and rpoB) and the internal transcribed spacer fragment. Authors also discuss the implications in term of potential emerging zoonotic diseases.

780-789

Authors: Nahid Jivad, Zahra Rabiei

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive brain disorder that gradually impairs the person's memory and ability to learn, reasoning, judgment, communication and daily activities. AD is characterized clinically by cognitive impairment and pathologically by the deposition of β amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, and the degeneration of the cholinergic basal forebrain. During the progression of AD patients may produce changes in personality and behavior, such as anxiety, paranoia, confusion, hallucinations and also to experience delusions and fantasies. The fi rst neurotransmitter defect discovered in AD involved acetylcholine as cholinergic function is required for short-term memory. Oxidative stress may underlie the progressive neurodegeneration characteristic of AD. Brain structures supporting memory are uniquely sensitive to oxidative stress due to their elevated demand for oxygen. The neurodegenerative process in AD may involve β amyloid toxicity. Neurotoxicity of β amyloid appears to involve oxidative stress. Currently, there is no cure for this disease but in new treatments, reveals a new horizon on the biology of this disease. This paper reviews the effects of a number of commonly used types of herbal medicines fo r the treatment of AD. The objective of this article was to review evidences from controlled studies in order to determine whether herbs can be useful in the treatment of cognitive disorders in the elderly.

791

Authors: Zuhal Dag, Galip Akturk, Levent Filik

No.

798-806

Authors: Lala Harivelo Raveloson Ravaomanarivo, Herisolo Andrianiaina Razafindraleva, Fara Nantenaina Raharimalala, Beby Rasoahantaveloniaina, Pierre Hervé Ravelonandro, Patrick Mavingui

Objective: To evaluate the potential efficacy of seed extracts of Annona squamosa and Annona muricata used as natural insecticides to control adult and larvae of the vectors Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus under laboratory conditions. Methods: Aqueous and oil extracts of the two plants were prepared from dried seeds. Preliminary identifications of the chemical components of each seed extracts were performed using microreactional and GCP techniques. Larvae and adults of Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus were collected from the breeding sites in coastal and highlands regions of Madagascar. WHO standardized tests of susceptibility for larvae and imaginal stage of mosquitoes were realized to determine mortality and LC50 of mosquitoes. Results: Chemical identifications showed that these extracts contain alkaloids and flavonoids compounds that probably confer their biological insecticidal proprieties. CPG analysis showed also the presence of various fatty acids. On adult mosquitoes, significant insecticidal effects were observed with both aqueous and oil extracts of the two plant seeds compared to mortality induced by deltamethrin, an insecticide used as reference. Extracts of Annona muricata induced high mortality rate to both species of mosquito compared to extracts of Annona squamosa at all concentrations tested. The LC 50of seed extracts ranged from 1% to 5% for adults and 0.5% to 1% for larvae. Conclusions: The seed extracts of these two plants may be used as mosquito controlling agents and offer a new approach to a less costly, practical and environmentally friendly control of vector borne diseases.

816-820

Authors: Bereket Abew, Samuel Sahile, Feleke Moges

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial activities of the crude leaves extracts of Zehneria scabra (Z. scabra) and Ricinus communis (R. communis) against Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and methicillin resistance S. aureus. Methods: The crude powdered leaves of Z. scabra and R. communis were extracted successively by organic solvents in increasing polarity [benzene, chloroform:acetone (1:1), 70% alcohol and distilled water]. The antibacterial susceptibility of the crude leaves extracts of were tested against standard strains of E. coli (ATCC 25922) and S. aureus (ATCC 2923) and clinical isolates of E. coli, S. aureus and methicillin resistance S. aureus using agar well diffusion method. Results: In Z. scabra and R. communis leaf extracts, the most sensitive standard strain was S. aureus with an inhibition zone of (14.00±1.20) mm and (15.90±2.13) mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of Z. scabra extracts against test organisms ranged from 1.95 mg/mL for extract 3 in clinical and standard strains of S. aureus to 250 mg/mL for extract 1 and 4 in clinical and standard strains of E. coli. The MIC values of R. communis extracts against test organisms ranged from 1.95 mg/mL for extract 2 and 3 standard strains of S. aureus to 250 mg/mL for extract 1 in clinical isolate of E. coli. Most of the minimum bactericidal concentration and MIC values of plant extracts were almost similar particularly in R. communis, or minimum bactericidal concentration equal to one dilution factor less than MIC value of the extracts mainly in Z. scabra. Conclusions: The potency of plant extracts against test organisms were depend on different organic solvents used. Clinical isolate of bacterial pathogens showed less zones of diameter compared to the standard strains. Gram-positive had wide inhibition zones than Gram-negative bacteria. Further studies should be carried out to isolate the pure compounds and standardization of the methods of plant extracts for an in vitro testing.

825-831

Authors: Satyendra Singh, Pritesh Prasad, Ramesh Subramani, William Aalbersberg

Objective: To isolate, purify, characterize, elucidate structure and evaluate bioactive compounds fr om the sponge-derived Salinispora sp. FS-0034. Methods: The symbiotic actinomycete strain FS-0034 with an interesting bioactivity profile was isolated from the Fijian marine sponge Theonella sp. Based on colony morphology and obligatory requirement of seawater for growth, and mycelia morphological characteristics the isolate FS-0034 was identified as a Salinispora sp. The bioactive compound was identified by using various spectral analysis of ultraviolet, high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, correlated spectroscopy and heteronuclear multiple bond coherence spectral data. A minimum inhibitory concentration assay were performed to evaluate the biological properties of the pure compound against multi-drug resistant pathogens. Results: Bioassay guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of the culture of Salinispora sp. FS-0034 by different chromatographic methods yielded the isolation of an antibacterial compound, which was identified as rifamycin W (compound 1). Rifamycin W was reported for its potent antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, wild type Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and displayed minimum inhibitory concentrations of 15.62, 7.80 and 250.00 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusions: The present study reported the rifamycin W from sponge-associated Salinispora sp. and it exhibited appreciable antibacterial activity against multi-drug resistant human pathogens which indicated that sponge-associated Actinobacteria are significant sources of bioactive metabolites.

835-837

Authors: Naima Fasih, Kanza Noor Qaiser, Syeda Aisha Bokhari, Bushra Jamil, Mohammad Asim Beg

Ocular myiasis due to Oestrus ovis larvae infestation is an eye infection in humans. A case of ophthalmomyiasis externa in a young male from Karachi, Pakistan in winter (December 2012), without history of close proximity to domestic animals or visit to any rural area was reported. The condition is self-limiting and the disease is confined to the conjunctiva. The eye was locally anesthetized and washed with 5% povidine iodine solution. A total number of 27 first instar larvae of Oestrus ovis were removed with fine forceps. The patient received 0.5% moxifloxacin and diclofenac eye drops for one week. His eye was examined after one day, one week and one month and the recovery status was favorable. The present case raise the awareness among ophthalmologists regarding larval conjunctivitis as one of the causes of conjunctivitis and it can occur throughout the year in any season including winter. Moreover, it can occurr in any area either rural or urban with or without close proximity to domestic animals especially in subtropical regions with high parasitic burden.