ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Objective: Developing anti-cancer drugs from natural products is receiving increasing interest worldwide due to limitations and side effects of anti-cancer drugs. The purpose of this study was to explore the anti-proliferative or cytopathic potential of natural compounds derived from plant sources as alternatives of synthetic compounds on human embryonic kidney carcinoma (HEK) cell line. Methods: In this study, aqueous and methanolic extracts were obtained from various plants, viz, Thapsia garganica, Citrus sinesis, Citrus limon and Vinca rosea. Extracts were serially diluted into 96-well microtitre plates and were screened for anti-proliferative potential against the HEK cell line via the neutral red dye uptake assay. Results: The findings revealed that methanolic extracts of T. garganica leaf and V. rosea leaf were the most effective as anti-proliferative or cytotoxic against the HEK cell line, with IC50 at 32-fold dilution of the extract. Conclusion: The extracts of T. garganic and V, rosea have been used as anti-proliferative drugs but after trial in experimental animals for being not toxic.
ABSTRACT
@#HIV-2 surveillance has been carried out in Malaysia for more than 25 years ago. Tests to discriminate HIV-1 and HIV-2 are available but the options of test are limited and the need to develop a new in-house HIV-2 real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) is crucial. A study was done on 29 samples from hospitals in Malaysia which were found to be positive screening for HIV-2 antibodies by the commercial Western Blot assay. These samples were further tested by a Western Blot assay that detects specific antibodies to HIV-2. Detection of HIV-2 genome was then performed by using a commercial kit. Fifteen samples were evaluated by using in-house real-time RT-PCR for HIV-2. Ninety-three percent (27/29) of samples have positive results for HIV-2 on HIV-2 Western Blot with only 2 samples showing indeterminate results. All samples showed negative results for HIV-2 genomes by using a PCR commercial kit and the 15 samples that were subjected to our in-house real-time RT-HIV-2 PCR were also tested negative for HIV-2 RNA. Results of HIV-2 Western Blot did not reflect the actual positivity as both HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies may cross-react with either viral proteins. None of the samples was confirmed positive for HIV-2 by the commercial and in-house real-time RTPCR. In-house real-time RT-HIV-2 PCR assay can be further used to confirm the presence of HIV-2 genome. Up to the year 2015, Malaysia is still free from HIV-2 infection.