Oral acute toxicity study and in vivo antimalarial activity of Strychnos lucida R. Br. tablet.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Malaria eradication has been a major goal of the Indonesian government since 2020. Medicinal plants, such as Strychnos lucida R. Br., are empirically used to treat malaria through traditional preparation methods. However, the safety and efficacy of these plants have not yet been confirmed. Therefore, further investigations are necessary to confirm the safety and efficacy of S. lucida as an antimalarial agent. AIMS OF THE STUDY: To quantify the concentration of brucine in the S. lucida extract, determine the acute oral toxicity of the standardized extract, and evaluate the in vivo antimalarial potency of S. lucida tablet (SLT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acute oral toxicity of S.lucida extract was determined using the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 420 procedure, and the analytical method for brucine quantification was validated using high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, antimalarial activity was determined using the Peter's four-day suppressive method. RESULTS: Acute toxicity analysis revealed S. lucida as a low-toxicity compound with a cut-off median lethal dose of 2000-5000 mg/kg body weight [BW], which was supported by the hematological and biochemical profiles of the kidneys, liver, and pancreas (p > 0.05). Extract standardization revealed that S. lucida contained 3.91 ± 0.074% w/w brucine, adhering to the limit specified in the Indonesian Herbal Pharmacopeia. Antimalarial test revealed that SLT inhibited the growth of Plasmodium berghei by 27.74-45.27%. Moreover, SLT improved the hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. White blood cell and lymphocyte counts were lower in the SLT-treated group than in the K (+) group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Histopathological and biochemical evaluations revealed that S. lucida extract was safe at a dose of 2000 mg/kg BW with low toxicity. SLT inhibited Plasmodium growth and improved the hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell profiles. Additionally, SLT reduced the lymphocyte and WBC counts and increased the monocyte and thrombocyte counts as part of the immune system response against Plasmodium infection.

Continuity of CVD treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from East Java, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: In Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death and disability. Government efforts to reduce the burden of CVD include a community-based prevention and early detection programme, and the provision of medicines to prevent cardiovascular events. Disruptions to medicine supply chains, service provision, and movement during the COVID-19 pandemic potentially threatened the continuity of these efforts. We investigated the distribution and dispensing of common CVD medicines in Malang district, East Java, before the pandemic and early in its course. METHODS: From January to October 2020, we collected monthly data on stock levels, sales or dispensing volumes, and price for five common CVD medicines (amlodipine, captopril, furosemide, glibenclamide and simvastatin), from a public and a private distributor, and from public health facilities (n = 4) and private pharmacies (n = 2). We further complied monthly data on patient numbers in two primary health centres. We tracked changes in stocks held and volumes dispensed by medicine type and sector, comparing the three months before the local COVID-19 response was mobilised with the subsequent seven months. We conducted interviews with pharmacists (n = 12), community health workers (n = 2) and a supply chain logistics manager to investigate the reasons for observed changes, and to learn details of any impacts or mitigation measures. RESULTS: The pandemic affected demand more than supply, causing medicine stocks to rise. Restricted service provision, lock-down measures and fear of infection contributed to a sharp drop in patient numbers and dispensing volumes in the public sector. Meanwhile private sector sales, especially of lower-priced CVD medicines, rose. Community health workers attributed some poor health outcomes to interruption in regular patient check-ups; this interruption was aggravated by formal mitigation policies. CONCLUSIONS: Fears that COVID-19 would interrupt medicine availability were unfounded in East Java. Public sector patients may have compensated for reduced service access by switching to private pharmacies. Mitigation policies that ignored administrative procedures were not effective.

Variation in Price of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Medicine in Indonesia, and Relationship with Quality: A Mixed Methods Study in East Java.

Lower-middle income Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, has struggled to contain costs in its mandatory, single-payer public health insurance system since the system's inception in 2014. Public procurement policies radically reduced prices of most medicines in public facilities and the wider market. However, professional associations and the press have questioned the quality of these low-cost, unbranded generic medicines. We collected 204 samples of four cardiovascular and one antidiabetic medicines from health facilities and retail outlets in East Java. We collected amlodipine, captopril, furosemide, simvastatin, and glibenclamide, sampling to reflect patients' likelihood of exposure to specific brands and outlets. We recorded sales prices and maximum retail prices and tested medicines for dissolution and percentage of labeled content using high-performance liquid chromatography. We conducted in-depth interviews with supply chain actors. All samples, including those provided free in public facilities, met quality specifications. Most manufacturers make both branded and unbranded medicines. Retail prices varied widely. The median ratio of price to the lowest price for an equivalent product was 5.1, and a few brands sold for over 100 times the minimum price. Prices also varied between outlets for identical products because retail pharmacies set prices to maximize profit. Because very-low-cost medicines were universally available and of good quality, we believe richer patients who chose to buy branded products effectively protected medicine quality for poorer patients in Indonesia because manufacturers cross-subsidize between branded and unbranded versions of the same medicine.

A study of the quality of cardiovascular and diabetes medicines in Malang District, Indonesia, using exposure-based sampling.

BACKGROUND: The WHO has warned that substandard and falsified medicines threaten health, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the magnitude of that threat for many medicines in different regions is not well described, and high-quality studies remain rare. Recent reviews of studies of cardiovascular and diabetes medicine quality recorded that 15.4% of cardiovascular and 6.8% of diabetes samples failed at least one quality test. Review authors warn that study quality was mixed. Because they did not record medicine volume, no study reflected the risk posed to patients. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We investigated the quality of five medicines for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Malang district, East Java, Indonesia. Our sample frame, based on dispensing volumes by outlet and price category, included sampling from public and private providers and pharmacies and reflected the potential risk posed to patients. The content of active ingredient was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and compared with the labelled content. Dissolution testing was also performed.We collected a total of 204 samples: amlodipine (88); captopril (22); furosemide (21); glibenclamide (21) and simvastatin (52), comprising 83 different brands/products. All were manufactured in Indonesia, and all samples met specifications for both assay and dissolution. None was suspected of being falsified. CONCLUSIONS: While we cannot conclude that the prevalence of poor-quality medicines in Malang district is zero, our sampling method, which reflects likely exposure to specific brands and outlets, suggests that the risk to patients is very low; certainly nothing like the rates found in recent reviews of surveys in LMICs. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of sampling medicines based on likely exposure to specific products and underlines the dangers of extrapolating results across countries.

Expression of GFP in the mitochondrial compartment using DQAsome-mediated delivery of an artificial mini-mitochondrial genome.

PURPOSE: We describe a novel strategy for expression of GFP in mammalian mitochondria. METHODS: The key components of the strategy were an artificially created mitochondrial genome pmtGFP and a DQAsome transfection system. RESULTS: Using immunofluorescence and a combination of immunohistochemical and molecular based techniques, we show that DQAsomes are capable of delivering the pmtGFP construct to the mitochondrial compartment of the mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7, albeit at low efficiency (1-5%), resulting in the expression of GFP mRNA and protein. Similar transfection efficiencies were also demonstrated in a range of other mammalian cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: The DQAsome-transfection technique was able to deliver the exogenous DNA into the cellular mitochondria and the pmtGFP was functional. Further optimization of this strategy would provide a flexible and rapid way to generate mutant cells and useful animal models of mitochondrial disease.

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and its Components in Kanifing Municipality, The Gambia.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex syndrome with clustering of interrelated risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Its rising worldwide prevalence has been largely related to the increasing obesity. In The Gambia, the last and only time a MetS related study was conducted, and then reported, was 21 years. Therefore, there is need for evaluating the prevalence of MetS and its components in the country. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MetS and its individual components in Kanifing Municipality (KM). METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at Kanifing General Hospital, Kanifing Municipality. Data obtained from each participants included anthropometric indices, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein levels, and clinical information. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six participants were included in the analysis. The overall MetS prevalence was 54.4% with significant female predominance (female, 58%; male, 29.4%; P=0.025). The most predominant component among the study population was central obesity (raised WC) (72.8%). Hypertriglyceridemia was found to be the strongest predictor of MetS among our participants (OR: 118.13; 95% CI: 33.79-412.77; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study discloses a very high prevalence of MetS among the participants, and a significant female predominance, with central obesity the commonest Mets component. The results suggest that hypertriglyceridemia is the strongest predictor of metabolic syndrome in our study participants.

Association of CDH13 Gene Polymorphism and Metabolic Syndrome in Gambian Population.

BACKGROUND: Polymorphism in CDH13 gene, which encodes for the adiponectin receptor, T-cadherin, is a genetic risk factor associated with metabolic syndrome. CDH13 rs3865188, which is found in the promoter region of the CDH13 gene, has been found to be associated with metabolic syndrome and its traits in Asian and European Caucasian populations. However, to the best of our knowledge, it was yet to be assessed in a Black African population. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of CHD13 rs3865188 and metabolic syndrome in a Gambian population. METHODS: It was a genetic association study in a cross-sectional design in 136 Gambian participants. CDH13 rs3865188 was genotyped using PCR master mix and sequencing. Blood sugar, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein levels were determined by standard clinical laboratory methods. RESULTS: CDH13 rs3865188 was found to be significantly associated metabolic syndrome (p=0.034). Genotype AT appeared to be risk factor for metabolic syndrome (OR=2.41, 95% CI, 1.20-4.84, p=0.014). We found genotypes CC and CA in CHD13 rs3865188 for the first time. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated significant association between CDH13 rs385618 and metabolic syndrome in a Gambian population (Black African population for the first time). Individuals with genotype AT are at higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Masticatory Functional Load Increases the mRNA Expression Levels of ACTN2 and ACTN3 and the Protein Expression of α-Actinin-2 in Rat Masseter Muscle.

OBJECTIVES: α-actinins play structural and regulatory roles in cytoskeletal organization. They form a lattice structure that secures actin in thin filaments, which generate and transmit muscle contractile forces. The morphological and biochemical characteristics of rat masseter muscles are known to change reactions to masticatory functional loads, but their effect on α-actinins remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the response of α-actinins to masticatory functional loads. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four male Wistar rats aged 3 weeks were divided randomly into 3 groups of liquid diet (LD), soft diet, and hard diet (HD). The rats were then sacrificed at the end of 8 weeks. The middle part of superficial masseter muscles was examined to investigate the masticatory effect of functional load on the mRNA expression levels of ACTN2 and ACTN3 and the protein expression levels of α-actinin-2 and α-actinin-3. RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels of ACTN2 and ACTN3 and the protein expression levels of α-actinin-2 of the HD group were significantly higher than those of the LD group, which served as the control group. CONCLUSION: Masticatory functional load organizes the mRNA expression levels of ACTN2 and ACTN3 and the protein expression levels of α-actinin-2 in rat masseter muscles through stimuli during muscle physiological adaptation.

Interactions between Bacteriophages and Eukaryotic Cells.

As the name implies, bacteriophage is a bacterium-specific virus. It infects and kills the bacterial host. Bacteriophages have gained attention as alternative antimicrobial entities in the science community in the western world since the alarming rise of antibiotic resistance among microbes. Although generally considered as prokaryote-specific viruses, recent studies indicate that bacteriophages can interact with eukaryotic organisms, including humans. In the current review, these interactions are divided into two categories, i.e., indirect and direct interactions, with the involvement of bacteriophages, bacteria, and eukaryotes. We discuss bacteriophage-related diseases, transcytosis of bacteriophages, bacteriophage interactions with cancer cells, collaboration of bacteriophages and eukaryotes against bacterial infections, and horizontal gene transfer between bacteriophages and eukaryotes. Such interactions are crucial for understanding and developing bacteriophages as the therapeutic agents and pharmaceutical delivery systems. With the advancement and combination of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches and clinical trials, bacteriophages definitely serve as useful repertoire for biologic target-based drug development to manage many complex diseases in the future.

Thalassemia Major and Intermedia Patients in East Java do not Show Fetal Hemoglobin Level Difference in Relation to XMNI Polymorphism.

INTRODUCTION: Thalassemia is a genetic disorder, which shows, varies phenotype due to genetic modifier. XmnI is one of the genetic modifiers which affect clinical severity in thalassemia. XmnI polymorphism may increase HbF production beyond fetal life, thus ameliorating the clinical phenotype. AIM: this study aimed to investigate the difference in HbF level and the relation of HbF level and XmnI polymorphism in Thalassemia Major (TM) and Thalassemia Intermedia (TI) patients. METHODS: forty-eight beta thalassemia patients (28 males and 20 females), consists of 16 TM and 32 TI; mean age, 25.30 year old. Hemoglobin Fetal and HbA2 level were determined using High performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and XmnI polymorphism was confirmed by PCR-RFLP. Statistical analysis was done using T-test, Mann-Whitney and Pearson Chi-square. RESULTS: The frequency of heterozygote (+/-) XmnI polymorphism in TM and TI patients was 56.25% vs 71.87%, while the frequency of homozygote (-/-) in TM and TI was 43.75% vs 28.13% with p value >0.05. The insignificant difference also found in HbF level between XmnI +/- and -/- in TM and TI patients. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that thalassemia major and thalassemia intermedia patients in East Java showed similar XmnI polymorphism. These phenomena also showed by HbF level in relation to XmnI polymorphism in the phenotype groups (TM and TI).

Salivary sIg-A response against the recombinant Ag38 antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Indonesian strain.

An evaluation of the humoral response based on secretory immunoglobulin A levels in the saliva of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) acid-fast bacillus-positive (TB-AFB+) patients against a recombinant 38 kDa antigen (Ag38-rec) is reported. A total of 60 saliva samples consist of 30 TB-AFB+ patients and 30 healthy controls were tested against 500 ng of semi-purified antigen using the dot blot method. Results showed that the protein antigen could differentiate between healthy individuals and TB-AFB(+) patients. Whole saliva demonstrated better reactivity than centrifuged saliva. The Ag38-rec protein indicated statistically comparable sensitivity (80% versus 90%), but lower specificity (36.6% versus 70%) compared with purified protein derivative (PPD). Surprisingly, both antigens similarly recognized secretory immunoglobulin A in the saliva of the healthy group (50% versus 50%, respectively). These findings suggest that the Ag38-rec protein originating from a local strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis may be used for TB screening, however require purity improvement.

Asian-specific mtDNA backgrounds associated with the primary G11778A mutation of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

We studied 19 patients of Southeast Asian (SEA) ethnic ancestry with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) to investigate the mtDNA haplotypes associated with the primary mutation(s). Eighteen patients carried a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) G11778A mutation (Arg340His in the respiratory complex I ND4 subunit), while one had a T14484C mutation (Met64Val in the ND6 subunit). One patient had a class II LHON mtDNA mutation, G3316A. Sequencing data of the ND genes showed many single-nucleotide polymorphisms (62 SNPs in 17 individuals; 10 LHON patients and 7 normal controls) not previously reported in Europeans or Japanese. The SEA G11778A LHON mutation was associated mostly with two mtDNA haplogroups, M (47%) and a novel lineage, characterized by the gain of a 10394 DdeI site but absence of the 10397 AluI site, designated BM (37%). A significant association was observed between one SNP, A10398G, resulting in a Thr114Ala substitution in the ND3 subunit, and the primary LHON mutation. This SNP also characterizes haplogroup J, with which the European LHON 11778 and 14484 mutations show preferential association. The combination of A10398G and other SNPs, specific for the haplogroups J, M, or BM, might act synergistically to increase the penetrance of the LHON mutations, thus allowing their detection.