Natural radioactivity and effective dose due to the bottom sea and estuaries marine animals in the coastal waters around Peninsular Malaysia.

Malaysia is among the countries with the highest fish consumption in the world and relies on seafood as a main source of animal protein. Thus, the radioactivity in the mostly consumed marine animals such as fishes, crustaceans and molluscs collected from the coastal waters around Peninsular Malaysia has been determined to monitor the level of human exposure by natural radiation via seafood consumption. The mean activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides (226)Ra ((238)U), (228)Ra ((232)Th) and (40)K ranged from 0.67 ± 0.19 Bq kg(-1) (Perna viridis) to 1.20 ± 0.70 Bq kg(-1) (Rastrelliger), from 0.19 ± 0.17 Bq kg(-1) (Teuthida) to 0.82 ± 0.67 Bq kg(-1) (Caridea) and from 34 ± 13 Bq kg(-1) (Caridea) to 48 ± 24 Bq kg(-1) (Teuthida), respectively. The mean annual committed effective dose due to the individual radionuclides shows an order of (228)Ra > (226)Ra > (40)K in all marine samples. The obtained doses are less than the global internal dose of 290 µSv y(-1) set by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, discarding any significant radiological risks to the populace of Peninsular Malaysia.

Muntingia calabura: a review of its traditional uses, chemical properties, and pharmacological observations.

CONTEXT: Different parts of Muntingia calabura L. (Elaeocarpaceae), or "kerukup siam" in Malay, have been reported to possess medicinal value, supported by a number of scientific studies. OBJECTIVE: To gather all information related to the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical compositions, and pharmacological activities of M. calabura and present them as a comprehensive and systematic review article. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature has been retrieved from a number of databases (e.g., Pubmed, Science Direct, Springer Link, etc.). General web searches were also carried out using Google and Yahoo search engines by applying some related search terms (e.g., Muntingia calabura, phytochemical, pharmacological, extract, and traditional uses). The articles related to agriculture, ecology, and synthetic work and those using languages other than English or Malay have been excluded. The bibliographies of papers relating to the review subject were also searched for further relevant references. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The literature search conducted using the above-mentioned Internet search engines only lead to the identification of 36 journals published as early as 1987. From the articles reviewed, M. calabura possessed various pharmacological activities (e.g., cytotoxic, antinociceptive, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory), which supported the folklore claims and could be attributed to its phytoconstituents. CONCLUSION: Muntingia calabura possesses remarkable medicinal value, which warrants further and in-depth studies. Therefore, this review paper is presented to help guide researchers to plan their future studies related to this plant in the hope of isolating potential leads for future drug development.