Prophylactic effect of edible bird's nest on acetaminophen-induced liver injury response in mice model.

Edible bird's nest (EBN) is one of the natural products believed to pose health-enhancing properties. To provide a better insight into the protective role of EBN from a toxicological perspective, acetaminophen (APAP) as a common hepatotoxicant is chosen. This study focuses on the regenerative response of prophylaxis EBN extract in APAP-induced liver injury (AILI) of mice model. Eighty (80) ICR mice were assigned to groups of control, APAP (500 mg/kg), silymarin (200 mg/kg), and prophylactic EBN (60, 120 and 250mg/kg). The EBN and silymarin were orally administered daily for 7 days followed by an APAP intraperitoneal induction. Animals were sacrificed at 5, 10 and 24 hours post-APAP dosing (hpd). Liver samples were processed for hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining. Significant differences in histological changes between APAP and prophylactic EBN groups were observed at 10 hpd with complete liver recovery for all groups at 24 hpd except for EBN 250 that continuously showed injuries. Hepatocyte proliferation was initiated at 5 hpd in EBN 60 and 120, while at 24 hpd, EBN 120 and 250 expressed higher PCNA-stained hepatocytes. The hepatoprotective role of EBN was shown earlier in EBN 60 and 120, while cellular proliferation delay in EBN 250. In conclusion, EBN has the potential as a prophylactic liver supplement to accelerate hepatic regeneration in the AILI model.

Extrusion enhances apparent metabolizable energy, ileal protein and amino acid digestibility of palm kernel cake in broilers.

OBJECTIVE: This study consisted of two stages; the first was to determine the effect of extrusion and sieving treatments on the chemical properties of palm kernel cake (PKC), and accordingly, a follow-up experiment (second stage) was conducted to determine and compare the apparent metabolizable energy (AME), and protein and amino acid digestibility of extruded and sieved PKC. METHODS: Two physical treatments, namely extrusion (using temperature profiles of 90°C/100°C/100°C, 90°C/100°C/110°C, and 90°C/100°C/120°C) and sieving (to 8 particles sizes ranging from >8.00 to 0.15 mm) were carried out to determine their effects on chemical properties, primarily crude protein (CP) and fiber contents of PKC. Based on the results from the above study, PKC that extruded with temperature profile 90/100/110°C and of sieved size between 1.5 to 0.15 mm (which made up of near 60% of total samples) were used to determine treatments effect on AME and CP and amino acid digestibility. The second stage experiment was conducted using 64 male Cobb 500 chickens randomly assigned to 16 cages (4 cages [or replicates] per treatment) to the following four dietary groups: i) basal (control) diet, ii) basal diet containing 20% untreated PKC, iii) basal diet containing 20% extruded PKC (EPKC), and iv) basal diet containing 20% sieved PKC (SPKC). RESULTS: Extrusion and sieving had no effect on CP and ash contents of PKC, however, both treatments reduced (p<0.05) crude fiber by 21% and 19%, respectively. Overall, extrusion and sieving reduced content of most of the amino acids except for aspartate, glutamate, alanine and lysine which increased, while serine, cysteine and tryptophan remained unchanged. Extrusion resulted in 6% increase (p<0.05) in AME and enhanced CP digestibility (p<0.05) by 32%, as compared to the untreated PKC while sieving had no effect on AME but improved CP digestibility by 39% which was not significantly different from that by extrusion. CONCLUSION: Extrusion is more effective than sieving and serves as a practical method to enhance AME and digestibility of CP and several amino acids in broiler chickens.

Subacute Oral Toxicity Assesment of Ethanol Extract of Mariposa christia vespertilionis Leaves in Male Sprague Dawley Rats.

The term Butterfly tea refers to decoction of Mariposa christia vespertilionis leaves which is widely consumed by cancer patients throughout Malaysia and has gained a huge popularity among Malaysians, not only cancer patients but also researchers to discover the real potential of this plant. Herein, the study is aimed at evaluating the possible toxicity in 28-day subacute oral toxicity of ethanolic extract M. christia vespertilionis in male Sprague Dawley rats. The 28-day subacute toxicity study was conducted to detect the no-observed adverse effect level (NOAEL). In this study, a total of 30 rats were divided into the control, 5% DMSO (vehicle), low dose (75 mg/kg), medium dose (125 mg/kg) and high dose (250 mg/kg) groups. The extract was administered daily from day 1 until day 28. At the end of the study, the animals were humanely sacrificed and assessed for the effect extract of Mariposa christia vespertilionis leaves on body weight and relative organ weights and haematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters. The haematological and serum biochemical parameters for the assessment of kidney and liver injuries were carried out. Results of haematological and serum biochemistry results showed no changes in the control and treated groups. In the histopathology, evaluation of kidney tissues in all treated groups showed no significant (p > 0.05) lesions. In contrast to kidney, liver tissues showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in lesions observed in low dose (430 mg), medium dose (700 mg) and high dose (1480 mg) groups with very mild, mild and mild to moderate lesion of hepatic necrosis, in the respective groups, and very mild hepatic degeneration and hepatitis were scored in all three groups.

Identification and comparison of RCMV ALL 03 open reading frame (ORF) among several different strains of cytomegalovirus worldwide.

BACKGROUND: Rat cytomegalovirus ALL-03 (Malaysian strain) which was isolated from a placenta and uterus of a house rat, Rattus rattus diardii has the ability to cross the placenta and infecting the fetus. To further elucidate the pathogenesis of the Malaysian strain of Rat Cytomegalovirus ALL-03 (RCMV ALL-03), detailed analysis on the viral genome sequence is crucial. METHODS: Genome sequencing of RCMV ALL-03 was carried out in order to identify the open reading frame (ORF), homology comparison of ORF with other strains of CMV, phylogenetic analysis, classifying ORF with its corresponding conserved genes, and determination of functional proteins and grouping of gene families in order to obtain fundamental knowledge of the genome. RESULTS: The present study revealed a total of 123 Coding DNA sequences (CDS) from RCMV ALL-03 with 37 conserved ORF domains as with all herpesvirus genomes. All the CDS possess similar function with RCMV-England followed by RCMV-Berlin, RCMV-Maastricht, and Human CMV. The phylogenetic analysis of RCMV ALL-03 based on conserving genes of herpes virus showed that the Malaysian RCMV isolate is closest to RCMV-English and RCMV-Berlin strains, with 99% and 97% homology, respectively. Similarly, it also demonstrated an evolutionary relationship between RCMV ALL-03 and other strains of herpesviruses from all the three subfamilies. Interestingly, betaherpesvirus subfamily, which has been shown to be more closely related with gammaherpesviruses as compared to alphaherpesviruses, shares some of the functional ORFs. In addition, the arrangement of gene blocks for RCMV ALL-03, which was conserved among herpesvirus family members was also observed in the RCMV ALL-03 genome. CONCLUSION: Genomic analysis of RCMV ALL-03 provided an overall picture of the whole genome organization and it served as a good platform for further understanding on the divergence in the family of Herpesviridae.

Pathological vicissitudes and oxidative stress enzyme responses in mice experimentally infected with reptarenavirus (isolate UPM/MY01).

Boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) is a viral disease of boid snakes believed to be caused by reptarenavirus belonging to the family Arenaviridae. Unlike most mammalian arenaviruses, the reservoir host for reptarenavirus is still unknown. In this study, the pathological responses were evaluated in a mouse model for a period of 28 days. Blood and tissue samples (lung, liver, spleen, heart, kidney and brain) were collected for evaluation of hematology, biochemistry, histopathology and oxidative enzyme levels at six time points (1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days), after viral infection (2.0 × 106 pfu/mL) in the infected and normal saline in the control groups. An initial increase (p < 0.05) in white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were observed in the infected group at day 3 post infection, and a decline (p < 0.05) on day 7 and 4 post infection. Significant (p < 0.05) increases in alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine, total protein and globulin levels were also observed in the infected group. An increased (p < 0.05) level of hydrogen peroxide, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and catalase activity (CAT) were frequently observed on different days in the infected group. The MDA activity was increased (p < 0.05) in the infected group on day 7 and 14. Histopathological changes observed in the liver, kidney, spleen, brain and lungs were mainly associated with degeneration, necrosis and infiltration of lymphocytes. Viral counts were low on days 7 and 14 but surged in both the liver and spleen on day 21 and 28. This study has shown that reptarenavirus replicates in mammalian host and induces oxidative stress. Furthermore, the resultant hematobiochemical and histopathological changes observed in infected mice were similar to what has been reported in mammarenavirus infections. This suggests that rodents may serve as potential reservoir hosts for reptarenavirus.

In vitro isolation and molecular identification of reptarenavirus in Malaysia.

Boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) is a viral disease of boids caused by reptarenavirus. In this study, tissue from naturally infected boid snakes were homogenized and propagated in African Monkey kidney (Vero) and rat embryonic fibroblast (REF) cells. Virus replication was determined by the presence of cytopathic effect, while viral morphology was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Viral RNA was amplified using RT-PCR with primers specific for the L-segment of reptarenavirus; similarly, quantification of viral replication was done using qPCR at 24-144 h postinfection. Viral cytopathology was characterized by cell rounding and detachment in both Vero and REF cells. The viral morphology showed round-to-pleomorphic particles ranging from 105 to 150 nm which had sand-like granules. Sanger sequencing identified four closely associated reptarenavirus species from 15 (37.5 %) of the total samples tested, and these were named as follows: reptarenavirus UPM-MY 01, 02, 03, and 04. These isolates were phylogenetically closely related to the University Helsinki virus (UHV), Boa Arenavirus NL (ROUTV; BAV), and unidentified reptarenavirus L20 (URAV-L20). Comparison of deduced amino acid sequences further confirmed identities to L-protein of UHV, L-polymerase of BAV and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of URAV-L20. Viral replication in Vero cells increased steadily from 24 to 72 h and peaked at 144 h. This is the first study in South East Asia to isolate and characterize reptarenavirus in boid snakes with BIBD.

Antiviral Activity of Resveratrol against Human and Animal Viruses.

Resveratrol is a potent polyphenolic compound that is being extensively studied in the amelioration of viral infections both in vitro and in vivo. Its antioxidant effect is mainly elicited through inhibition of important gene pathways like the NF-κß pathway, while its antiviral effects are associated with inhibitions of viral replication, protein synthesis, gene expression, and nucleic acid synthesis. Although the beneficial roles of resveratrol in several viral diseases have been well documented, a few adverse effects have been reported as well. This review highlights the antiviral mechanisms of resveratrol in human and animal viral infections and how some of these effects are associated with the antioxidant properties of the compound.

Complete Genome Sequence of Rat Cytomegalovirus Strain ALL-03 (Malaysian Strain).

The complete genome sequence of the ALL-03 strain of rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV) has been determined. The RCMV genome has a length of 197,958 bp and is arranged as a single unique sequence flanked by 504-bp terminal direct repeats. This strain is closely related to the English strain of RCMV in terms of genetic arrangement but differs slightly in size.