Soyghurt Potentially Controls the Level of sFlt1 and PLGF in Preeclampsia Maternal Serum-Induced Placental Trophoblast Cell in vitro.

Purpose: To observe the effect of soya yoghurt (Soyghurt), which is high in flavonoid substance, on the expression of preeclampsia biomarkers (sFLT-1 and PLGF) on preeclampsia serum-induced trophoblast primary cell culture isolated from placental tissue. Methods: The trophoblast primary culture was induced by preeclampsia serum (10%). The Soyghurt treatment was performed with 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% Soyghurt supernatant concentrations in culture media. The expression of preeclampsia markers, sFLT-1 and PLGF, were evaluated using ELISA. Results: Expression of sFLT-1 on preeclampsia-induced cell culture treated with Soyghurt was significantly lowered compared to the untreated group (p<0.01). However, no significant difference was observed in the PLGF levels of all groups induced by preeclampsia serum (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potential effect of Soyghurt's in balancing preeclampsia marker expression by inhibiting the expression of sFLT-1 in preeclampsia serum -induced trophoblast cells.

The Potentials of Ageratum conyzoides and Other Plants from Asteraceae as an Antiplasmodial and Insecticidal for Malaria Vector: An Article Review.

Background: Malaria is a life-threatening disease prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) used as an antimalarial treatment has reduced efficacy due to resistance, not only to the parasite but also to the vector. Therefore, it is important to find alternatives to overcome malaria cases through medicinal plants such as Ageratum conyzoides and other related plants within Asteraceae family. Purpose: This review summarizes the antimalarial and insecticidal activities of A. conyzoides and other plants belonging to Asteraceae family. Data Source: Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and Springer link. Study Selection: Online databases were used to retrieve journals using specific keywords combined with Boolean operators. The inclusion criteria were articles with experimental studies either in vivo or in vitro, in English or Indonesian, published after 1st January 2000, and full text available for inclusion in this review. Data Extraction: The antimalarial activity, insecticidal activity, and structure of the isolated compounds were retrieved from the selected studies. Data Synthesis: Antimalarial in vitro study showed that the dichloromethane extract was the most widely studied with an IC50 value <10 µg/mL. Among 84 isolated active compounds, 2-hydroxymethyl-non-3-ynoic acid 2-[2,2']-bithiophenyl-5- ethyl ester, a bithienyl compound from the Tagetes erecta plant show the smallest IC50 with value 0.01 and 0.02 µg/mL in Plasmodium falciparum MRC-pf-2 and MRC-pf-56, respectively. In vivo studies showed that the aqueous extract of A. conyzoides showed the best activity, with a 98.8% inhibition percentage using a 100 mg/kg dose of Plasmodium berghei (NK65 Strain). (Z)- γ-Bisabolene from Galinsoga parviflora showed very good insecticidal activity against Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles subpictus with LC50 values of 2.04 µg/mL and 4.05 µg/mL. Conclusion: A. conyzoides and other plants of Asteraceae family are promising reservoirs of natural compounds that exert antimalarial or insecticidal activity.

Exercise intensities modulate ACE2/MasR/eNOS pathway in male Wistar rat's lung.

Specific exercise intensities could improve lung vascular function by increasing nitric oxide (NO). The ACE2/MasR/eNOS axis is one of the pathways facilitating NO synthesis. This study examines the effect of different intensities of aerobic training on the ACE2/MasR/eNOS axis and histology of lung muscular arteries. Male Wistar rats were used in this study and randomized into control and exercise groups receiving low-, moderate-, and high-intensity training. The training was conducted for 30 min daily, five times a week, for 8 weeks. We observed that different exercise intensities affect the ACE2/MasR/eNOS pathway differently. Compared to control, high-intensity aerobic exercise significantly increased ACE2, Mas receptor (MasR), and eNOS mRNA expressions (p < 0.01). Moderate-intensity exercise significantly increased MasR and eNOS mRNA expressions compared to the control (p < 0.05), and this intensity also increased ACE2 mRNA but not significantly. Low-intensity exercise increased ACE2, MasR, and eNOS mRNA expressions but not significantly. Low-, moderate-, or high-intensity exercises reduced the medial wall thickness of the lung muscular arteries but not significantly. In conclusion, high-intensity exercise may induce NO synthesis in the lung by increasing mRNA expression of ACE2, MasR, and eNOS without decreasing the medial wall thickness of the muscular artery. Thus, high-intensity exercise may be the optimal intensity to improve NO synthesis and vascular function in the lung.

Acute and sub-chronic oral toxicity study of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam) yogurt in mice (Mus musculus).

Background and Aim: Food safety is an important aspect to be evaluated in preventing any potentially harmful side effects of food product such as yogurt. The purple sweet potato yogurt product was developed to combine the benefits of probiotic activities in yogurt and the bioactive effects of anthocyanin in purple sweet potato. This study was performed to investigate acute and sub-chronic oral toxicity of purple sweet potato yogurt (PSPY) in mice. Materials and Methods: Acute oral toxicity was evaluated by a 14-day observation for any clinical sign of toxicity on fifteen female balb/c mice following a single dosage of PSPY (nil, 2 or 5 g/kg body weight). The sub-chronic oral toxicity study was conducted by feeding PSPY to four groups of mice with the dose of 0, 12, 20, and 40 g/kg body weight for 28 days, and another group of mice receiving 40 g/kg body weight purple sweet potato for 14 days longer to observe any delayed toxicity effect. Body weight and clinical signs of toxicity were observed daily. Liver and kidney macroscopy and relative organ weight, liver histology, liver enzyme, and hematology profile analyses were done at the end of the study. Results: There were no signs of toxicity observed from the acute toxicity study and no abnormality in body weight, relative organ weight, and gross organ examination. In the sub-chronic toxicity study, there were no clinical signs of toxicity, no significant differences in body weight, relative liver weight, liver enzymes, hematology profile, or abnormality in gross and histological examination of the liver. Conclusion: This study shows that oral administration of PSPY in mice up to 5 g/kg body weight did not result in acute toxicity, while the dosage up to 40 g/kg body weight did not lead to sub-chronic toxicity.

Low Dose of ß-Carotene Regulates Inflammation, Reduces Caspase Signaling, and Correlates with Autophagy Activation in Cardiomyoblast Cell Lines.

BACKGROUND Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulate mitochondrial damage that causes degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). ß-carotene (BC), a natural antioxidant able to counteract free radicals, acts as a cytoprotective agent. However, knowledge of the role of BC on cardiomyoblasts is limited. In this study, we explored its role on COX4, Tom20, Nfr1, Nrf2, Nf-kappaB, LC3, p62, caspase 3, and caspase 9 and its association with cardiomyoblast viability and survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS H9C2 cell lines were seeded, cultivated until 90% to 100% confluency, and treated with various doses of BC: 10 µM, 1 µM, 0.1 µM, and 0.01 µM. After 24 h, the cells were harvested, lyzed, and tested for specific related protein expressions from each dose. RESULTS Low-dose BC induced autophagy most effectively at 1 µM, 0.1 µM, and 0.01 µM, as indicated by a decrease of LC3II and p62 levels. We observed that Nf-kB protein levels were suppressed; Nrf2 was stimulated, but Nrf1 was not altered significantly. Further, low-dose BC might stimulate cell viability by reducing apoptotic signals of caspase 3 and 9. Notably, low-dose BC also showed potential to increase Tom20 protein levels. CONCLUSIONS Low-dose BC supplementation shows beneficial effects, especially at 0.01 µM, by reducing inflammation through the suppression of Nf-kappaB and increase of Nrf2 level. Autophagy as a cellular maintenance mechanism was also stimulated, and the amount of the mitochondria marker Tom20 increased. Taken together, results showed that specific low-dose BC is effective and might improve cell viability by stimulating autophagy, inhibiting proinflammatory factors, and suppressing apoptosis.