Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine

100-107

Authors: Sillma Rampadarath, Daneshwar Puchooa

Objective: To explore the phytochemical and antimicrobial activities as well as the insecticidal properties of the different sections of Ricinus communis (castor) plant in Mauritius. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative methods were used for the determination of phytochemicals in the crude leaves, pericarp, seeds, bark and root extracts obtained by using polar and non-polar solvents. The disc diffusion and micro-dilution methods were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of the crude solvent extracts against 13 microorganisms. The insecticidal properties of the crude extracts on larvae of Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae), which caused important economic losses to local fruits were also investigated. Results: All the extracts from the different parts of the plant showed antimicrobial activity against most tested microorganisms. The polar solvents' extracts of the fully mature parts of the castor plant were active against the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 25922), E. coli (0145:H28 Acc. No. CP006027.1) with inhibition zones ranging from 16 mm to 19 mm and against Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778) (B. cereus), Listeria innocua (ATCC 33090) (L. innocua). Lowest microbial inhibitory concentration was recorded for B. cereus, L. innocua, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), E. coli (ATCC 25922) and Proteus mirabilis strain (NCTC 11938) with value of 3.2 mg/mL. The most active extract against both Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria was extracted from the fully mature pericarps and it was the most active against E. coli (ATCC 25922), B. cereus, L. innocua and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213). In addition, the extracts obtained by using polar solvent and fully mature leaves demonstrated the strongest larvicidal activity against Bactrocera zonata (100%). Conclusions: Ricinus communis (castor) plant extracts possess larvicidal properties providing an effective eco-friendly control for fruit flies. The antimicrobial results justify the use of this plant in traditional medicine and the practice of supplementing decoctions/ concoctions with conventional antibiotics.

114-118

Authors: Lejan Miguel Alabastro Villareal, Rachelle Anne Montes Cruz, Michael Bagui Ples, Rodel Jonathan Santos Vitor II

Objective: To identify the effects of the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners on memory retention and on the histology of the hippocampus. Methods: In this study, 20 mice were used to determine if there is an effect of consuming the maximum allowable dose of the non-nutritive sweeteners on the memory retention and on the histology of the hippocampus. The mice were distributed into four groups and the treatments were given via oral gavage: Group 1 (water), Group 2 (aspartame: 1 000 mg/kg), Group 3 (stevia: 1 000 mg/kg) and Group 4 (sucralose: 16 000 mg/kg). Treatments were administered to the different experimental groups for 32 days, after which memory retention was tested using the two-day water maze protocol. After the tests, the mice were sacrificed and the brain was analyzed histologically for neurotrophic effects. Results: Based on the results of the two-day water maze protocol, there were no differences between the non-nutritive sweeteners and the control group. However, stevia showed high cellular apoptosis followed by aspartame, sucralose and control group. Conclusions: There was no significant effect on the memory of the mice. It showed histologically however, that stevia had a significant neurotropic effect compared to the other sweeteners.

125-131

Authors: Miah Mohammed Abdus Satter, Mohammed Murtaza Reza Linkon Khan, Syeda Absha Jabin, Nusrat Abedin, Mohammed Faridul Islam, Badhan Shaha

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional composition, including major minerals, essential trace elements and toxic heavy metals of five different wild vegetables Dhekishak (Dryopteris filix-mas), Helencha (Enhydra fluctuans), Kalmishak (Ipomoea aquatica), Patshak (Corchorus capsularis) and Shapla stem (Nymphaea stellata) and their safety aspects. Methods: Proximate parameters moisture, ash, fat, fiber, protein, carbohydrate and energy; major minerals Na, K, Ca and Mg; trace elements Fe, Zn and Cu; and toxic heavy metals Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni and Hg were evaluated in the selected wild vegetables using the standard food analysis techniques. Results: The results from nutritional analysis showed that all the wild vegetables used in this study had a low content of crude fat and high content of moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fiber, carbohydrate and energy having the recommended dietary allowances. The vegetables were also rich in major minerals Na, K, Ca and Mg, sufficient in essential trace elements Fe, Cu and Zn while the heavy metals Pb, Cr and Ni were detected higher in amount in all the vegetables except Patshak than the limits recommended by Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. The heavy metals Cd and Hg were not detected in any vegetable. Conclusions: The outcome of this study suggests that the wild vegetables have very good nutritional potential to meet the recommended dietary allowances, but special awareness should be taken for public health concern about the high level of Pb, Cr and Ni which exceed the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization recommended limits for the metals in vegetables.

143-147

Authors: Nurul Izzati Osman, Norrizah Jaafar Sidik, Asmah Awal

Objective: To induce callus from the medicinally valuable species, Barringtonia racemosa L. (B. racemosa) whereby the formation of callus is essential for micropropagation studies and in vitro plant secondary metabolites production. Methods: The callus induction potential in B. racemosa was assessed from endosperm explant cultured on different culture media and plant hormonal treatments. Lloyd and McCown's woody plant medium and Murashige and Skoog's medium were used in the study as culture media. On the other hand, various concentrations and combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (1.0–2.0 mg/L) and kinetin (0.5–2.5 mg/L) had been incorporated in the culture media to exert the effects of auxin and cytokinin on callus induction. Results: From the present study, it was found that the profuse [(1.681 ± 0.770) g fresh weight, (0.239 ± 0.239) g dry weight] and friable callus formation was optimally produced with desirable morphology and considerable percentage of callus induction (56.70%) in endosperm explants cultured on 1.0 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 1.5 mg/L kinetin in Murashige and Skoog's medium. Conclusions: A reliable protocol for inducing callus formation of profuse and friable morphology in endosperm explant of B. racemosa had therefore been successfully established.

155-158

Authors: Faizal Rajeeb Mangudadatu Hussin, Rodel Jonathan Santos Vitor II, Julie Ann Oraa Joaquin, Melody Mendoza Clerigo, Anamy Ma. Caterial Paano

Objective: To examine the anti-hyperglycemic effects of aqueous Lenzites betulina (L. betulina) extracts on normoglycemic glucose-loaded mice. Methods: Different doses of aqueous extract from L. betulina were administered to 45 ICR mice (Mus musculus) to determine whether there was an effect ofL. betulina extracts on the blood glucose level of the ICR mice. Aqueous extracts of L. betulina were orally gavaged to mice using oral glucose tolerance test. A total of five groups were used to determine the effect of the fungi on blood glucose of the mice. Group A (positive control) was given 16.7 mg/kg glimepiride; Group B (negative control) was given distilled water; Group C (low dosage) was given 200 mg/kg aqueous extract; Group D (mid dosage) was given 400 mg/kg aqueous extract and Group E (high dosage) was given 800 mg/kg aqueous extract. Baseline blood glucose value was firstly acquired before induction of hyperglycemia through D-glucose, after which another check on blood glucose was made after 0.5 h. Immediately, after the acquisition of hyperglycemic blood glucose level, the individual administration of treatments were done. After that, three blood collections were done spanning 3 h with 1 h interval. Results: The low dose (200 mg/kg) and the mid dose (400 mg/kg) of L. betulina extracts were significantly different (P < 0.05) from their respective baseline values throughout the whole experiment with the latter surpassing its baseline value during the 3rd hour. On the other hand, the high dose (800 mg/kg) during the 1st hour after administration was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from its corresponding baseline value, acting faster than the positive control (glimepiride), which only became significantly different (P < 0.05) at the 2nd hour. Conclusions: Aqueous L. betulina extract is able to produce hypoglycemic effects on the mice with all doses, which are able to normalize blood glucose levels at varying times.

164-172

Authors: Ivan Viktorovich Borozda, Nikolay Alexandrovich Ganzhurov, Alexander Alexandrovich Kapustyansky, Roman Valerievich Nikolaev, Kirill Sergeevich Golokhvast

Objective: To evaluate the treatment outcomes of patients with pelvic ring injury by applying step-by-step external pelvic fixation and circular external fixation device. Methods: A total of 28 patients suffering from disintegrated pelvic ring injury are involved in the study. Fourteen patients (the treatment group) underwent step-by-step external pelvic fixation by applying anterior (anti-shock) and posterior modules. For the rest 14 patients (the experimental group), the osteosynthesis were conducted by means of a circular external fixation device. The long-term outcomes were evaluated in a year after the injury. Results: The residual deformity of 5 (4–7) mm was observed in 10 patients (71.4%) from the experimental group. In the treatment group, the residual deformity was evident only in 4 (28.6%) cases being 2.5 (2–3) mm (P = 0.000 319) on the average. The functional result (according to the Majeed scale) was statistically better in the treatment group (P = 0.000 319). Nine (64.3%) and five (35.7%) patients in treatment group showed excellent and positive results, respectively. The excellent result was demonstrated by 3 patients (21.4%) of the experimental group, the positive outcomes were observed in 6 cases (42.9%) and the unsatisfactory one was displayed by 1 patient (7.1%) of the same group. Conclusions: The modular approach applied is the advantage of the transosseous osteosynthesis allowing for a separate anterior (anti-shock) fixation and final posterior reposition of the pelvic ring preceded by the stabilization of vital functions. The above mentioned method gives an opportunity to increase the amount of techniques applied for the pelvic external fixation in polytrauma cases.

179-180

Authors: Beuy Joob, Viroj Wiwanitkit

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