In silico prediction of flavan-3-ol as a bioactive compound of Calophyllum macrophyllum as a potential drug against angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis.

Background and Aim: Angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis is caused by larvae of the rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis. It manifests as meningitis, radiculitis, cranial nerve abnormalities, and encephalitis, which can be fatal. A flavan-3-ol compound isolated from the bark of Calophyllum macrophyllum Scheff. has several medicinal properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antibacterial activities. This compound is stronger than other types of flavan-3-ols such as catechin. This study aimed to identify the hydroxylation pattern of this flavan-3-ol compound and evaluated its potential as an anti-meningitis drug, using an in silico approach through pharmacophore and molecular docking methods. Materials and Methods: Pharmacokinetic and toxicological data were analyzed and supported by the server http://www.swissadme.ch/index.php and https://tox-new.charite.de/protox_II/index.php. The hydroxylation pattern of the flavan-3-ol compound was identified using shear reagents (MeOH, NaOH, NaOAc, HCl, and AlCl3). The CviR receptor (pdb id.3QP5) was used in the in silico approach, and seven ligands were downloaded from PubChem in "SMILES" format. Results: The spectroscopic analysis conducted using the shear reagents confirmed that the flavan-3-ol compound has a "p-diOH" pattern on the cinnamoyl ring. Pharmacophore analysis revealed this compound "hit" with pharmacophore features, and molecular docking analysis showed that this compound has a strong affinity with both receptors. Conclusion: The flavan-3-ol compound is a potential drug candidate for meningitis caused by pathogenic bacteria and the worm A. cantonensis. This result was supported by the pharmacokinetic profile, which had a very low toxicity level to the host. However, further investigation is required to confirm the data in vitro and in vivo.

Effects of polymorphism of myostatin and fatty acid-binding protein 4 genes on the chemical composition of meat in cull female Aceh cattle.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphism of the myostatin (MSTN) and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) genes on the total water, ash, fat, protein, and cholesterol contents of sirloin (gluteus medius muscle) and silverside (biceps femoris muscle) meats of cull female Aceh cattle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This analysis covered a total of 27 cull female Aceh cattle slaughtered at the Animal Slaughterhouse of Banda Aceh that was purposively selected based on hair color referred to the criteria described in the Decree of Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia. Genomic DNA was extracted from 25 mg of fresh meat using the spin column method before subjected to a polymerase chain reaction amplification using primer sets specific for 1346-bp and 275-bp fragments of MSTN and FABP4, respectively. A 4-h digestion reaction was done separately for the MSTN/HaeIII and FABP4/NlaIII loci genotyping. The total protein, ash, and fat of the meat were measured using the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) methods whereas its cholesterol content was determined using the AOAC method. The association between each polymorphism and the variation in meat chemical parameters was analyzed using the Pearson correlation test. RESULTS: The results showed that the MSTN/HaeIII locus was polymorphic in Aceh cattle, but the FABP4/NlaIII locus was monomorphic. Meat chemical parameters were not influenced by different commercial cuts and MSTN genotypes, showing that there was no association between different commercial cuts, cattle hair colors, and MSTN/HaeIII and FABP4/NlaIII markers with the meat chemical parameters in Aceh cattle. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that focusing on the novel effects of MSTN and FABP4 gene polymorphisms on meat production traits might not be useful for marker-assisted selection in Aceh cattle.

Identification of Staphylococcus species isolated from preputium of Aceh cattle based on 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis.

AIM: This research aimed to identify Staphylococcus species isolated from preputial swabs of healthy Aceh cattle, based on 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bacterium was isolated from preputial swabs of healthy Aceh cattle. The total DNA from the isolated bacteria was extracted using the Genomic DNA Mini Kit followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 16S rRNA gene. The product of PCR amplification was then sequenced and aligned to the known sequences in the GenBank database by multiple alignments and was also analyzed by bioinformatics software to construct a phylogenetic tree. RESULTS: The results revealed that the bacterial isolate 3A had genetically closed relation to Staphylococcus pasteuri with <97% maximum identity. Data derived from the phylogenetic tree revealed that the bacterial isolate 3A was also related to Staphylococcus warneri, yet, it shows a different evolutionary distance with the ancestors (S. pasteuri). CONCLUSION: The results of this research suggested that the bacterium 3A, isolated from preputial swabs of healthy Aceh cattle, is a Staphylococcus species.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Jatropha curcas Linn. latex in cream formulation on CD68 expression in mice skin wound.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to determine the potential of Jatropha curcas latex in the cream formulation on CD68 immune expression (macrophages) during inflammatory phase wound healing process in mice skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Amount of 12 two-months-old male mice were used between 30 and 40 g. To surgical procedures, wound skin incision was performed 2.0 cm in length until subcutaneous on the paravertebral of each animal. The treatment was carried under locally anesthetized with procaine cream. The mice were allotted into four groups of each, entire surface of each group wound covered by base cream control, sulfadiazine 0.1% cream, J. curcas latex cream 10% and, 15%, respectively. All experiments were performed twice a day for 3 days. The wound healing was assayed in stained histological sections in immunohistochemical of the wounds. CD68 expression was investigated under a microscope. RESULTS: The results showed that the cream from the 10% and 15% latex of J. curcas revealed moderate immune reaction to CD68 on wound healing. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the latex cream of J. curcas possesses anti-inflammatory activity in wound healing process of mice skin.

Cuticular surface damage of Ascaridia galli adult worms treated with Veitchia merrillii betel nuts extract in vitro.

AIM: The objective of this research was to in vitro evaluate the cuticular surface damage of Ascaridia galli adult worms treated with ethanolic extract of betel nuts Veitchia merrillii. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phytochemical screening was done using FeCl3, Wagner and Dragendorff reagents, NaOH, MgHCl, and Liebermann-Burchard reaction test. Amount of 16 worms were segregated into four groups with three replicates. Four worms of each group submerged into phosphate buffered saline, 25 mg/ml, and 75 mg/ml crude ethanolic extract of V. merrillii, and 15 mg/ml albendazole. The effect of these extract was observed 40 h after incubation as soon as worms death. The worms were sectioned transversally and were explored for any cuticular histopathological changes in their body surface under microscope. RESULTS: We found that the ethanolic extract of V. merrillii betel nuts contains tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and saponins. The ethanolic extract of betel nuts V. merrillii induces surface alterations caused cuticular damage of A. galli adult worms. CONCLUSION: We concluded that ethanolic extract of betel nuts V. merrillii possess anthelmintic activity caused cuticular damage of A. galli adult worms.