Life Sciences Commons^™

Relationship Between Plasma Fluoride Levels, Glutathione Peroxidase Activity, Hemoglobin, And Abortion In Rural And Urban Pregnant Women From Settat (Morocco), Lalla Asmaa Katir Masnaoui, Abdellatif Rahim, Habiba Bouchab, Bouchra El Amiri, Boubker Nasser, Essamadi Abdel Khalid

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma fluoride and hemoglobin levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, and abortion among rural and urban pregnant women from Settat province (Morocco).

Methods: Blood samples were collected from rural pregnant women who had not undergone abortion (N = 224), rural pregnant women who had an abortion (N = 38), urban pregnant women who had not undergone abortion (N = 163), and urban pregnant women who had an abortion (N = 14).

Results: The highest (p < 0.01) plasma fluoride levels and the lowest (p < 0.01) GPx activity were observed in rural pregnant women. In all participants, plasma fluoride levels were significantly higher (p < 0.001), and the GPx activity was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in pregnant women who had an abortion compared with those who did not undergo such process. No significant difference was observed between the hemoglobin levels of all participants. Furthermore, abortion was positively correlated with plasma fluoride levels (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with GPx activity (p < 0.001) in rural participants.

Conclusions: Rural pregnant women had higher plasma …

Brominated Flame Retardants: A Literature Review Of The Toxicity Mechanisms, Clinical Manifestations, And Current Treatments, Yacobus Christian Prasetyo, Eti Nurwening Sholikhah

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are organohalogen compounds that can inhibit fire formation and delay its spread in manufacturing materials. BFRs are known to be toxic for the environment and humans. BFRs could persist for years prolonging potential exposure and toxicity to living beings. Indonesia had begun to reduce the use, even though some of toxic BFRs are still illegally circulating. This review aims to describe some aspects of BFRs toxicity including the mechanism, its clinical manifestations, and the current possible treatments. Toxicity after BFRs exposure includes endocrine, neurodevelopmental, and genotoxicity. The toxicity is manifested into some clinical conditions such as …

Diketopiperazine Cyclo-(S-Pro-R-Leu) Produced By Periconia Pseudobyssoides K5 Isolated From Toona Sureni (Meliaceae) And Its Heme Polymerization Inhibition Activity, Azmi Azhari, Desi Harneti, Asri Peni Wulandari, Yeni Mulyani, Sari Purbaya, Aprilia Permata Sari, Galih Bayu Pratama, Unang Supratman, Yoshihito Shiono

Makara Journal of Science

Fungi endophytes are living microorganisms colonizing inside the internal tissue of a plant and provide ecological benefits for their host. Endophytes provide various metabolites for plant adaptation toward biotic and abiotic stresses and have tremendous pharmacological activities. Toona sureni (T. sureni) (Meliaceae) belongs to the Toona genera and is reported to have antimalarial activity. To determine the compounds produced by the endophytic fungus from this plant, we isolated a compound from Periconia pseudobyssoides (P. pseudobyssoides) K5 endophytes from the stem bark of T. sureni. Diketopiperazine cyclo-(S-Pro-R-Leu), a non-ribosomal peptide, was isolated from brown …

Synthesis Of Alginate/Hydroxyapatite Beads For Acetaminophen Delivery, Anesylvia Angan, Nonni Soraya Sambudi

Makara Journal of Science

Conventional drug delivery systems usually involve the intake of multiple drugs, which could amplify the risk of overdosing. Acetaminophen is a widely used pain relief substance that is prone to accidental overdosing. Hence, a controlled drug delivery system is needed to ensure its efficacy. A nanocomposite hydroxyapatite/alginate system that was used as a drug carrier for acetaminophen was synthesized through the sol-gel method, and the mechanism underlying its controlled drug delivery was investigated. Spherical nanocomposite bead samples were synthesized by incorporating 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt% hydroxyapatite into mixtures containing alginate. The mixtures were then dropped into calcium …

Evaluation Of Biochemical And Pathological Parameters At Different Doses Of Cisplatin In Experimental Animal Model: Toxicological Study On An Antineoplastic Drug, Farhana Sultana, Muhammed Mohibul Islam, Mohammad Nurul Amin, Nusrat Jahan, Asma Kabir, Talha Bin Emran, Bibek Chandra Sutradhar, Sujan Banik

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to assess the effect of cisplatin-induced toxicities on biochemical and pathological parameters such as body, liver, and kidney weights, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and blood cells (RBCs and WBCs) in white Swiss albino mice.

Methods: Cisplatin’s potential toxic effects on body, liver, and kidney weights were evaluated using standard laboratory methods. Blood biochemical levels such as BUN, creatinine, and ALT levels were determined by an auto-hemolyzer using commercial diagnostic kits. Blood cells (RBCs and WBCs) were counted under a microscope by a hemocytometer.

Results: Cisplatin’s potential toxic effects on …

Antibacterial, Hemagglutination, And Insecticidal Activity Studies On The Solvent Extracts Of The Roots Of Olea Ferruginea, Muhammad Yaseen, Muhammad Kamran, Arshad Farid, Salmah Ismail, Muhammad Muzammal, Kamal Abdul Amir, Muhammad Hashim Khan, Sohail Ahmad, Sheikh Abdur Rashid

Makara Journal of Science

Olea ferruginea has been used to treat skin ailments, as well as kidney and ocular problems for a long time. The current study was designed with the aim of investigating and scientifically validating its widespread use. Chloroform, n-hexane, and ethyl acetate were used to assess the antibacterial, hemagglutination, and insecticidal properties of O. ferruginea roots. Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were among the bacterial strains selected for assessing antibacterial activity. The results showed that ethyl-acetate (EtOAc) extract (56%) and chloroform (CHCl₃) extract (56%) showed the widest zone of inhibition against …

The Benefits Of Astaxanthin To Improve Pain Relief In Patients With Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: An Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial, Rizaldy Taslim Pinzon, Mary Rose Angelina Budi Harsana

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Treatment of diabetic neuropathy is still carried out by providing symptomatic therapy, which only improves ± 50% of the total symptoms felt by patients, but does not tackle the underlying causes of the disease. Astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic carotenoid that could be an additional treatment option. We aimed to measure the effectiveness of administering astaxanthin as an additional therapy to improve the impact of pain and discomfort experienced daily by diabetes mellitus patients with painful diabetic neuropathy. We conducted a randomized experimental study with an open label design of 36 patients who had been diagnosed with …

Isolation And Characterization Of Ethyl Acetate Fraction From Abroma Augusta L As An Anti-Inflammatory Agent, Madyawati Latief, Indra Lasmana Tarigan, Muhaimin Muhaimin, Hilda Amanda, Nike Desvi Yulianti

Makara Journal of Science

Abroma augusta is a bush plant that lives on the edge of the river. This plant is commonly used as an anti-inflammatory drug for joints and broken bones. It contains several secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, triterpenoids, steroids, and flavonoids, which exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry of isolate 1.3 indicated absorption at a maximum wavelength of 282 nm. The wavelength suggested that the electron transition π–π* is the absorption of UV spectra typical for triterpenoid compounds that have chromophores in the form of non-conjugated double bonds. FT-IR spectrophotometer characterization data from isolate 1.3 revealed the presence of triterpenoid compounds …

Synthesis Of 1-(4-Ethoxy-3-Methoxybenzyl)-1,10-Phenanthrolin-1-Ium Bromide And Its Evaluation As Antiplasmodium Through Heme Polymerization Inhibitory Activity (Hpia) Assay, Dhina Fitriastuti, Viny Alfiyah, Mustofa Mustofa, Jumina Jumina, Muhammad Idham Darussalam Mardjan

Makara Journal of Science

This study describes the development of N-benzyl-1,10-phenantrolinium salt as an antiplasmodium agent. The salt, that is, 1-(4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-1,10-phenanthrolin-1-ium bromide, was prepared using vanillin as the starting material in four simple synthetic steps. First, the alkylation of vanillin using diethyl sulfate produced 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde in 79% yield. Second, the reduction of the protected vanillin by NaBH₄ through the grinding method allowed us to obtain 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol in 96% yield. Next, the bromination of the benzyl alcohol under solvent-free condition led to the formation of the corresponding benzyl bromide, which in turn underwent bimolecular nucleophilic substitution with 1,10-phenanthroline to produce the desired …

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus) Ethanolic Extract Exhibited Activities That Inhibit -Glucosidase Enzymes And Postprandial Blood Glucose Elevation, Maria Dewi Puspitasari Tirtaningtyas Gunawan Puteri, Felicia Melissa Tjiptadi, Phebe Hendra, Filiana Santoso, Zalinar Udin, Nina Artanti, Florence Ignatia Florence Ignatia

Makara Journal of Science

Lemongrass is a common ingredient in Indonesian traditional herbal medicine that potently inhibits carbohydrate hydrolysis. In this study, the in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory (AGI) activity of lemongrass was compared with its in vivo activity to retard postprandial blood glucose elevation, and the bioactive compounds responsible for these activities were observed. Both water and ethanolic extracts of lemongrass (WLG and ELG, respectively) were tested in vitro for its inhibition of the sucrose and maltose hydrolyzing activities of rat intestinal glucosidase. ELG was observed to exert higher inhibitory activities (Sucrase IC₅₀ = 8.74 mg/mL; Maltase IC₅₀ = 18.93 mg/mL) than …