Malacca leaf ethanolic extract (Phyllanthus emblica) as a hepatoprotector of the liver of mice (Mus musculus) infected with Plasmodium berghei.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although existing research confirms the antiparasitic effect of the Malacca plant against Plasmodium, its effect on the liver, one of the target organs of Plasmodium has not been investigated. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the potential of the ethanolic extract of Malacca (Phyllanthus emblica) leaves in preventing liver damage in mice (Mus musculus) caused by Plasmodium berghei infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted using the livers of 18 mice fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin. A completely randomized design with a unidirectional pattern comprising six treatments was used in this study, with each treatment consisting of three replications. Treatment 0 was the negative control group infected with P. berghei, treatment 1 was the positive control group infected with P. berghei followed by chloroquine administration at a dose of 5 mg/kg BW, and treatments 2, 3, 4, and 5 were groups infected with P. berghei and administered Malacca leaf ethanolic extracts at doses of 100, 300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg BW, respectively. The extracts were administered orally using a gastric tube for 4 consecutive days. Mice were sacrificed on the 7th day and livers were collected for histopathological examination. RESULTS: Histopathological examination of the livers of mice infected with P. berghei demonstrated the presence of hemosiderin, hydropic degeneration, fat degeneration, necrosis, and megalocytosis. However, all these histopathological changes were reduced in the livers of P. berghei-infected mice treated with various doses of Malacca leaf ethanolic extract. The differences between the treatments were found be statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Ethanolic extract of Malacca leaves has the potential to protect against liver damage in mice infected with P. berghei. The dose of 600 mg/kg BW was found to be the most effective compared with the doses of 100, 300, and 1200 mg/kg BW.

Detection of parasitic helminths in cattle from Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

AIM: The objective of this research was to identify the parasite species found in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas of Aceh cattle slaughtered in a Banda Aceh slaughterhouse using lactophenol and semichon carmine staining. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each sample out of 50 samples of gastrointestinal tract and pancreas from Aceh cattle slaughtered in a Banda Aceh slaughterhouse was separated by organ. Each organ was examined for the presence of worm. Then, the parasitic worms found were subsequently collected and separated based on class and species, followed by staining using lactophenol and semichon carmine. The worms were then identified and their prevalence was determined. RESULTS: The results showed that three species of parasites were successfully identified, all belonging to the nematode class, namely, Oesophagostomum radiatum, Oesophagostomum columbianum, and Setaria labiatopapillosa with the prevalence of 12%, 10%, and 6%, respectively. In addition, there was one species of parasite from the trematode class, namely, Eurytrema pancreaticum with prevalence of 0.4%. CONCLUSION: The nematode class worms, such as O. radiatum, O. columbianum, and S. labiatopapillosa, can be stained by lactophenol, while the trematode class worm such as E. pancreaticum can be stained by semichon's carmine.

Concentration and motility of spermatozoa and testosterone level of kacang goat after seminal vesicle extract administration.

This study aimed to determine the effect of seminal vesicle extract administration to increase the concentration and motility of spermatozoa and testosterone level of kacang goat. The experiment was arranged using a randomly completely block design (RCBD). Three kacang goats were used and each goat received three treatments namely P0 (2 mL of 0.9% NaCl), P1 (1.5 mL Capriglandin, PGF2α), and P2 (2 mL of seminal vesicle extract, EVS). Semen and blood were collected two days post-treatment to measure the concentration and motility of spermatozoa and testosterone level. Testosterone levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Duration between treatments was one week after semen collection. The result showed that the average spermatozoa concentration (x106) in P0; P1; and P2 respectively were 2,763.0±395.0; 2,060.00±678.2; and 2,387.0±442.7 (P>0.05), while the spermatozoa motility score in P0; P1; and P2 respectively were 3.7±1.1, 3.4±0.5, and 3.4±0.5 (P>0.05). The mean testosterone levels in P0, P1, and P2 respectively were 10.27±5.42, 18.51±19.46, and 29.57±12.96 ng/mL (P<0.05). It can be concluded that administration of EVS did not increase concentration and motility of spermatozoa but increased the level of testosterone in kacang goat.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii copro-prevalence by polymerase chain reaction using repetitive 529 bp gene in feces of pet cats (Felis catus) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

AIM: The aim of this research was to determine the copro-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with repetitive 529 bp gene and to construct the phylogenetic tree of Toxoplasma oocyst from pet cats in Yogyakarta. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 9 of 132 pet cat samples which serologically positive for Toxoplasma were used in this research. To determine the copro-prevalence of T. gondii in pet cat, 10 g of feces samples taken from practitioners and household cats in Yogyakarta were used in the PCR method utilizing repetitive 529 bp gene sequences. RESULTS: The result shows that copro-prevalence by PCR using repetitive 529 bp gene was 33.3% (3/9). The phylogenetic tree of Toxoplasma grouped into two clades, which clade 1 consists of Toxoplasma isolates collected from pet cats in Yogyakarta Indonesia and T. gondii isolates from China and in clade 2 consist of the T. gondii isolates from India. CONCLUSION: Copro-prevalence of T. gondii in pet cats in Yogyakarta by means of PCR using repetitive 529 bp gene is around 33.3%.

Anatomical and histological changes of uterine horn of Aceh cattle with repeat breeding.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to observe the changes in anatomical pathology, histopathology, and histomorphometry of uterine horn in Aceh cattle with repeat breeding (RB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, five uterine horns were collected from fertile Aceh cattle (N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5) and Aceh cattle with RB (RB1, RB2, RB3, RB4, and RB5). Changes in the anatomical pathology of uterine horn were observed prior to histopathological preparations. The results were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: The observation of anatomical pathology revealed that the uterus of fertile cattle was yellowish white with horn-like shape consisting of hollow muscles, while RB cattle were reddish-pale. Furthermore, uterine horn swelling with purulent exudate was observed in the uterine horn of RB1 and RB4, while swelling with serous exudates was found in RB2, RB3, and RB5. Thin-walled uterine horn with caruncular atrophy was observed only in RB3. Histopathological observations showed erosion and hyperplasia of endometrial columnar epithelial and uterine glands in RB1, RB2, RB4, and RB5. Atrophy of uterine gland was found in RB3 and edema of caruncular was observed in RB1 and RB4. In addition, hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration (neutrophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages) were found in all RB cattle. Histologically, cow uterus is divided into three layers, endometrium, myometrium, and perimetrium with the uterine gland found in the endometrium. Histomorphometric measurements found that the uterine horn wall (endometrial, myometrial, and perimetrium) of RB cattle were thicker than of fertile Aceh cattle, 208.06 ± 39.90 vs. 187.39 ± 29.09 µm, 400.138 ± 51.96 vs. 277.91 ± 42.88 µm, and 23.59 ± 9.67 vs. 18.53 ± 4.40 µm. However, the endometrial gland diameter of RB cattle is smaller than that of fertile Aceh cattle, 4.04 ± 0.88 vs. 4.99 ± 1.37 µm. CONCLUSION: The changes in anatomical pathology and histopathology of the uterine horn of Aceh cattle with RB indicate endometritis which caused by subacute and chronic bacterial infections. Endometritis causes disrupted blood circulation, which is characterized by hemorrhage, edema, and thickening of the endometrium, myometrium, and perimetrium, resulting in an increased diameter of the endometrial gland in RB Aceh cattle.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in cat's internal organs by immunohistochemistry methods labeled with-[strept] avidin-biotin.

AIM: The aims of the study are to detect the presence of Toxoplasma gondii antigen and to determine its distribution location in several organs of domestic cat using immunohistochemistry (IHC) method with Labeled-[Strept] Avidin-Biotin (LAB-SA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four domestic cats aged 1-2 years were used as sample in this research. The sample divided into two groups with two cats each. Cats in Group I were positive Toxoplasma based on serologically screening test, while cats in Group II were orally infected with 1×106Toxoplasmaoocyst. All samples then necropsied, and the organs including brain, liver, kidney, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, lungs, and spleen were collected for IHC method with LAB-SA. RESULT: The result showed that Toxoplasma antigens were detected in ileum of both serologically positive domestic cat and the experimentally infected cats. Toxoplasma was also observed in kidney of serologically positive domestic cat. In the serologically positive domestic cat, necrotic lesions were found on ileum, kidney, and liver, whereas in experimentally infected cat, the lesion was only found on ileum. CONCLUSION: The presence of Toxoplasma antigen is successfully detected in several organs of domestic cat using IHC method with the LAB-SA.

The expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate responsive element modulator in rat sertoli cells following seminal extract administration.

AIM: This study aims to determine the effect of seminal vesicle extract on cyclic adenosine monophosphate responsive element modulator (CREM) expression in rat Sertoli cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study examined the expression of CREM on 20 male rats (Rattus norvegicus) at 4 months of age, weighing 250-300 g. The rats were divided into four groups: K0, KP1, KP2, and KP3. K0 group was injected with 0.2 ml normal saline; KP1 was injected with 25 mg cloprostenol (Prostavet C, Virbac S. A); KP2 and KP3 were injected with 0.2 and 0.4 ml seminal vesicle extract, respectively. The treatments were conducted 5 times within 12-day interval. At the end of the study, the rats were euthanized by cervical dislocation; then, the testicles were necropsied and processed for histology observation using immunohistochemistry staining. RESULTS: CREM expression in rat Sertoli cells was not altered by the administration of either 0.2 or 0.4 ml seminal vesicle extract. CONCLUSION: The administration of seminal vesicle extract is unable to increase CREM expression in rat Sertoli cells.

The ribosomal protein L19 mRNA is induced by copper exposure in the swordtail fish, Xiphophorus helleri.

Teleosts are useful vertebrate model species for understanding copper toxicity due to the dual entry route for copper intake via the gills and intestine. In this present study, we utilized the differential display reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to isolate potential novel hepatic genes induced by sublethal copper exposure in the freshwater swordtail fish, Xiphophorus helleri. Full length cloning of a cDNA fragment induced by copper exposure to 1 µg/ml during 24 h resulted in the positive identification of a hepatic ribosomal protein L19 (RPL19) gene. Further characterization of this gene revealed that its transcriptional expression was dependent on dosage and time of copper exposure. This study describes for the first time the involvement of RPL19 in copper toxicity, probably as a result of increase in ribosome synthesis rate to support activities such as cellular protein translation, transcriptional activation and mRNA stabilization during sublethal copper exposure.

Identification of Wap65, a human homologue of hemopexin as a copper-inducible gene in swordtail fish, Xiphophorus helleri.

Copper is one of the major heavy metal pollutants found in the aquatic environment. Therefore, it is important for determining the genes that play a key role in copper metabolism in aquatic organisms. This study, thus, aimed to identify a new copper-inducible gene in swordtail fish, Xiphophorus helleri. Using ACP-based RT-PCR coupled with RLM-RACE, we cloned Wap65, a mammalian homologue of hemopexin gene. The gene exhibits high identity at amino acid levels with the Wap65 gene of other fish species (42-68%) and mammalian hemopexin gene (35-37%). In addition, ten cysteine and two histidine residues are conserved in the swordtail fish Wap65 gene. These cysteine residues are vital for structural integrity, and histidine residues provide high binding affinity towards heme. As revealed by RT-PCR, the gene was upregulated in swordtail fish that were exposed to copper in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Therefore, the identification of Wap65, a mammalian homologue of hemopexin, as a new copper-inducible gene will provide greater insight into the role of this gene in copper metabolism.