DSpace Community: Collection of conferences and journal articles

Cytotoxicity of Physalis minima Linn (Solanaceae) fruit against HCT116 and HT29 colorectal cancer cell lines

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Cytotoxicity of Physalis minima Linn (Solanaceae) fruit against HCT116 and HT29 colorectal cancer cell lines Authors: Ng, Wei Lun; Tan, Jen Kit; Gnanaraj, Charles; Shah, Muhammad Dawood; Nurshamimi Nor Rashid; Iskandar Abdullah; Yong, Yoong Soon; (UniKL RCMP) Abstract: The pantropical Physalis minima are traditionally used for the prevention and treatment of various illnesses, diseases, and cancers. While most earlier studies on the species have focused on the phytochemistry of the leaf and stem extracts, recent studies have indicated that its fruit may contain bioactive compounds of medical interest. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of extracts from the fruit of P. minima against colorectal cancer cell lines and revealed its phytochemical profile via high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Following a 24-h treatment with the fruit extract, cytoplasm shrinkage and nucleus condensation were observed in the colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29, indicating the induction of programmed cell death. Phytochemically, 71 putative metabolites were identified. Some of these metabolites have been reported to inhibit cancers to varying degrees, further supporting the correlation of the putative metabolites with the cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer cells demonstrated in this study.

Anthropometric measurements of the external nose among Malay and Chinese: A Cross-sectional study from Sarawak, Malaysia

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Anthropometric measurements of the external nose among Malay and Chinese: A Cross-sectional study from Sarawak, Malaysia Authors: Nwe, Tin Moe; Roy, Bedanta; Yee, Khin Than; Htwe, Than Than; Than, Myo; Lwin, Soe; Yi, Myat San; Latt, Swe Swe; Than, Thida; (UniKL RCMP) Abstract: Nasal anthropometry is among the best clues to racial origin and sexual determination. The nose's shape and structure differ between genders, races, and ethnicities. The understanding of nasal anthropometry is applied in forensic medicine, nasal reconstruction surgery, and naso-facial dysmorphology identification. This research aimed to investigate the anthropometry of the external noses among Malay and Chinese university students in Sarawak. A total of 80 university students (40 males and 40 females) aged between 18 and 25 participated. The nasal height, length, width, and philtrum length were measured anthropometrically using a slide calliper. Malay males had significantly more nasal width than females (p<0.05). Nasal width, philtrum length, and nasal index were significantly higher in males than female Chinese students (p<0.05). The philtrum length was significantly longer in Chinese students than in Malays (p<0.05). Further study can be done by using a larger sample size to obtain a better representation of the particular ethnicities. In conclusion, sexual dimorphism and ethnic differences can be observed in the anthropometry of the external noses among Malay and Chinese in Sarawak.

An Integrated Metabolomics Study on Antidiabetic Activity of Christia vespertilionis Leaves Extract Using Chemometric and Molecular Docking Analysis

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: An Integrated Metabolomics Study on Antidiabetic Activity of Christia vespertilionis Leaves Extract Using Chemometric and Molecular Docking Analysis Authors: Selvarajoo, Puvana Devi; Alfi Khatib ; Mohd R. Razali; Mediani, Ahmed; Murugesu, Suganya; Perumal, Vikneswari; (UniKL RCMP) Abstract: In disease treatment, the utilisation of medicinal plants has witnessed a discernible rise, driven by concerns over the adverse effects associated with synthetic drugs available in the market. Analyses of the plant Christia vespertilionis (L.f.) Bakh. F., indigenous to Malaysia, has suggested its antidiabetic property linked to α-glucosidase inhibition, but metabolites responsible for antidiabetic are unexplored. The metabolomics approaches and molecular docking simulations were integrated to identify the putative α-glucosidase inhibitors and their enzyme interaction. In this study, the crude leaves extracted from this plant were extracted using solvents of varying polarity, followed by gas and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry metabolomics. The highest inhibition activity in a mixture of n-hexane and ethyl acetate (1:1, v/v)) was observed. Six putative metabolites corresponding to antidiabetic activity were identified: palmitic acid (2), linolenic acid (4), 7-tetradecenal (5), aloeemodin-8-monoglucoside (14), bruceine I (15), and sanjidin B (16). The mechanism of action of all the identified compounds is competitive, mainly involving hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions with the protein residues. Compounds 14, 15, and 16 exhibited strong binding capabilities with both enzyme crystal structures compared to the positive control, quercetin. The metabolites extracted from C. vespertilionis leaves have demonstrated promising antidiabetic effects. These antidiabetic compounds can potentially commercialise new drug candidates in managing diabetes conditions.

QbD Assisted Systematic Review for Optimizing the Selection of PVP as a Ternary Substance in Enhancing the Complexation Efficiency of Cyclodextrins: a Pilot Study

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: QbD Assisted Systematic Review for Optimizing the Selection of PVP as a Ternary Substance in Enhancing the Complexation Efficiency of Cyclodextrins: a Pilot Study Authors: Mulenga, Glovanna; Alahmed, Teejan Ameer Abed; Sami, Farheen; Majeed, Shahnaz; Ali, Md Sajid; Le, Janice Lo Jia; Rhu, Carol Lee Qhai; Nair, Rajesh Sreedharan; Hasan, Nadeem; Ansari, Mohammed Tahir; (UniKL RCMP) Abstract: Inclusion complexes require higher concentration of Beta cyclodextrins (βCD) resulting in increased formulation bulk, toxicity, and production costs. This systematic review offers a comprehensive analysis using Quality by design (QbD) as a tool to predict potential applications of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a ternary substance to address issues of inclusion complexes. We reviewed 623 documents from 2013 to 2023 and Eighteen (18) research papers were selected for statistical and meta-analysis using the QbD concept to identify the most critical factors for selecting drugs and effect of PVP on inclusion complexes. The QbD analysis revealed that Molecular weight (MW), Partition coefficient (Log P), and the auxiliary substance ratio directly affected complexation efficiency (CE), thermodynamic stability in terms of Gibbs free energy (ΔG), and percent drug release. However, Stability constant (Ks) remained unaffected by any of these parameters. The results showed that low MW (250), median Log P (6), and a βCD: PVP ratio of 2:3 would result in higher CE, lower G, and improved drug release. PVP improves drug solubility, enhances delivery and therapeutic outcomes, and counteracts increased drug ionization due to decreased pH. In certain cases, its bulky nature and hydrogen bonding with CD molecules can form non-inclusion complexes. The findings of the study shows that there is potential molecular interaction between PVP and β-cyclodextrins, which possibly enhances the stability of inclusion complexes for drug with low MW and log P values less than 9. The systematic review shows a comprehensive methodology based on QbD offers a replicable template for future investigations into drug formulation research.