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@#Organochlorine organic pesticides used on a large scale still pose a great health hazard to humans and animals. Organochlorine pesticides contribute to reduced disease, higher yields and increased production. This research was to review various articles on management of organochlorine exposure and health risks. This research used multiple search engines (Scholar, PubMed). A few significant keywords were chosen to discover considers that fit this theme. Organochlorine as Persistent Organic Pollutants are difficult to remove from the environment. There are several health-causing effects of organochlorine most of which are chronic diseases (i.e., pulmonary function, cancer, reproductive issue). Organochlorine control in the environment is needed to reduce health effects, especially in farming communities, personal protective equipment including masks and gloves is also necessary. Local government may also promote and doing a prevention program from the danger of the use of pesticides in agriculture.
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@#Introduction: Indonesia is one of the countries whose inhabitants use well water for drinking and cooking purposes. In East Java, 48.90% of the population uses well water for their daily needs. Well water contained heavy metals had bad effects on health such as cancer, damage of liver, kidneys, and others. The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentration of heavy metals in well water and relate them to a potential health outcomes. Methods: The method used in this study was analytical descriptive. Data used was secondary from East Java Environmental Office. A total of 101 samples were collected from 33 locations. There were 5 heavy metals analyzed, namely cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, and zinc. Equipment using ICPMS and AAS. Data analyzed with descriptive statistics by SPSS. Data obtained were compared to the WHO Standard for Drinking Water Quality. Results: Concentration for cadmium was 0.002 mg/l, followed by manganese at 1.80 mg/l and zinc at 0.020 mg/l. Besides, all water samples had levels of chromium and lead below the detection limit. Conclusion: All heavy metals had concentrations below the maximum allowable standard, except for five water samples from three locations with levels of manganese which was above the maximum standard. Long term effects of manganese include neurological problems, intelligence, and low birth weight. Further studies need to be done to determine the source of manganese contamination. It is recommended that bottled water is used for drinking purposes in an area where heavy metal concentration is above the allowable limit.
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Alternative drug delivery for the treatment of resistant bacterial infections is necessary to bypass existing antibioticresistance mechanism and ensure direct delivery of the drug to the targeted site using locally sourced materialsto minimize cost in the long term. In this study, cockle shell-derived calcium carbonate aragonite nanoparticles(CS-CaCO3NP) was synthesized, loaded with oxytetracycline (OTC), and characterized using Zeta analysis,Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FESEM, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) andBrunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. The loaded OTC-CS-CaCO3NP was further characterized after which the in vitrorelease of OTC was studied. A homogenously spherical CS-CaCO3NP was observed on TEM with a mean diameter of29.90 nm and −19.9 zeta potential which increased to 62.40 nm and −23.5, respectively, after OTC loading. XRD andFTIR analysis of OTC-CS-CaCO3NP revealed that OTC maintained its functionality and crystallinity. The formulationof OTC:CS-CaCO3NP in ratio 1:4 with drug encapsulating efficiency (71%) was used for in vitro release studies.OTC was sustainably released from OTC-CS-CaCO3NP over a period of 96 hours. Our results suggest that OTC-CSCaCO3NP is a promising nanoparticle antibiotic delivery system with efficient physicochemical and pharmacologicalproperties whose antibiotic properties should be further investigated.
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Callophylum symingtonianum (Guttiferae), an evergreen broad-leaved tree that usually grows in hill forests, can be found distributed in the Malay Peninsula. The barks, leaves, flowers and seeds is often used medicinally to treat diarrhea and rheumatism. In the present study, we isolated two inophyllum type coumarins, 12-O-ethylinophyllum D (1) and iso-soulattrolide (2) from the stembarks of C. symingtonianum together with their antibacterial activity. The compounds were isolated by chromatographic methods on a silica gel. The structures were established by spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, (1D and 2D) NMR and mass spectrometry as well as by comparison with several literature sources. The antibacterial activity of those compounds was tested using a disc-diffusion assay against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both compound exhibited mild inhibition against P. aeruginosa with both 111 µg/ml MIC value. Compound 2 also inhibits S. aureus with 25 µg/ml MIC value.
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Bacillus cereus , Calophyllum , Coumarins , Diarrhea , Escherichia coli , Flowers , Forests , Malaysia , Mass Spectrometry , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Rheumatic Diseases , Silica Gel , Staphylococcus aureus , TreesABSTRACT
Melastoma malabathricum L. Smith [Melastomaceae] has been used in the Malay traditional culture to treat ulcer-based ailments. The objective of the present study was to investigate the potential anti-ulcer effect of aqueous extract of M. malabathricum leaves [AEMM] using ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer models in rats. Rats were divided into ten groups [n=6] and received DMSO [10%; negative group], ranitidine [100mg/kg; positive group] or AEMM [50, 250 and 500mg/kg] orally for 7 days and on the 8[th] day subjected to the respective gastric ulcer models. The stomachs were collected and subjected to macroscopic and microscopic analysis. At all groups tested, the AEMM exerted significant [p<0.05] anti-ulcer effect only against the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model. The percentage of anti-ulcer for the 50-500mg/kg AEMM ranging between 50-82%, respectively. The macroscopic observations were supported by histological findings. In conclusion, AEMM exhibits potential anti-ulcer activity attributed to its previously proven high flavonoids content and antioxidant activity
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The present study aimed to determine the hepatoprotective activity of Dicranopteris linearis L. [family Gleicheniaceae] leaf aqueous extract [DLAE] using two models of liver injury in rats. Rats were divided into ten groups [n=6] and received dH2O [negative control], 200 mg/kg silymarin [positive control] or DLAE [50, 250 and 500 mg/kg] orally once daily for 7 consecutive days and on the 8th day subjected to the hepatotoxic induction either using carbon tetrachloride [CCl[4]] or paracetamol [PCM]. The bloods and livers were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. From the data obtained, only the highest dose of DLAE significantly [p<0.05] reduced the ALP, ALT and AST levels in CCl[4]-and PCM-induced hepatotoxic rats while the other doses caused significant [p<0.05] reduction only in the levels of ALT and AST. The histological results obtained were in line with the biochemical analysis wherein reduction in the CCl[4]- and PCM-induced tissue formation of necrosis, steatosis and inflammation occurred in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the DLAE possesses hepatoprotective activity, which could be attributed to its free radicals scavenging and antioxidant activities, and high flavonoids content. Thus, in-depth studies regarding the hepatoprotective activity of DLAE are warranted
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This study was to assess the identification and antimicrobial activities of two actinomycete isolates. The two isolates designated as B8 and C2, were isolated from a patch of soil in the peripheral area of Universiti Putra Malaysia by streaking on starch casein agar after standard serial dilution procedures. Their antimicrobial activities were first evaluated against eight clinical laboratory strains namely Bacillus sp., Enterococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis by perpendicular streak method on Mueller Hinton and Tryptic Soy agar. In both media, a broad-spectrum antibacterial activity was observed for both isolates, with B8 against all the test bacteria and C2 against five of them (Bacillus sp., E. coli, Pseudomonas sp., S. aureus and S. epidermidis). Re-assessment against E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 25923 strains by similar method showed antibacterial activities by isolate B8 against both ATTC strains while C2 only against S. aureus ATCC 25923. Streptomyces griseus ATCC 10137 was included in the later experiment and showed antibacterial activity against both ATCC strains. Subsequently, the two isolates were identified by PCR/sequencing techniques and phylogenetic analysis to be Streptomyces species (>93% homology based on 16S rRNA and rpoB genes). Characterization on cultural characteristic and viable count at different temperatures (37ºC and 28ºC), on different microbiological media (AIA, ISP-2, MHA, NA, PDA and TSA), were performed. More morphological features were observed on ISP-2 for both isolates. A higher growth yield was also observed at 28ºC in all media but in comparing that between the two isolates, isolate B8 outnumbered C2 at all experimental conditions. The observed variation in cultural traits and growth yield indicate unique properties between the two antibiotic-producing isolates
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The present study was carried out to determine the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the aqueous extract of Bauhinia purpurea leaves using animal models. The air-dried, powdered leaves [approx; 20 g] were soaked in distilled water [1:20; w/v] at room temperature for 72 h and the supernatant obtained was freeze-dried. The crude dried extract [approx; 2.4 g] was prepared in doses of 6.0, 30.0 and 60.0 mg/kg, and subjected to the respective antinociceptive [abdominal constriction, hot plate and formalin tests], anti-inflammatory [carrageenan-induced paw edema test] and antipyretic [brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia test] assays. The results obtained indicate that the extract possessed significant [p < 0.05] antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities, which were not dependent on the doses of extract used. The highest concentration of extract was less effective as an anti-inflammatory and an antipyretic agent. This study showed that the aqueous extract of B. purpurea leaves possesses potential pharmacological activities that require further investigation and, thus, confirms the folklore use of the plant in the treatment of ailments associated with pain and inflammation
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Animals, Laboratory , Plant Extracts , Plant Leaves , Analgesics , Phytotherapy , Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Analgesics, Non-Narcotic , Models, Animal , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Mice, Inbred BALB CABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to investigate the antinociceptive activity of the aqueous extract of Muntingia calabura [MCAE] leaves and to determine the effect of temperature and the involvement of the opioid receptor on the said activity using the abdominal constriction test [ACT] and hot-plate test [HPT] in mice. The extract was prepared by soaking the dried powdered leaves of M. calabura in distilled water [dH[2]O] overnight, and the supernatant obtained was considered as a stock solution with 100% concentration. The stock solution was diluted to 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100% and used to determine the antinociceptive activity of MCAE. A further experiment was done with 50% concentration to determine the effect of temperature and naloxone involvement of the opioid receptor system in MCAE antinociceptive activity. At the various concentrations MCAE showed significant antinociceptive activity in both tests. However, the concentration-dependent activity was observed only in the ACT but not in the HPT. The 50% concentration of MCAEs were also stable against the effect of various temperatures as indicated by the presence of activity in both tests. The temperatures [40, 60 and 100°C] also showed an enhanced extract activity only in the HPT. Pre-treatment with naloxone [2 and 10 mg/kg] blocked the extract activity in both tests, indicating the involvement of the opioid receptor system in MCAE antinociceptive activity. Our data indicate that M. calabura leaves possess antinociceptive activity against chemically and thermally induced noxious stimuli. The bioactive compound[s] responsible for its antinociceptive activity is/are heat-stable and work partly via the opioid receptor system