Mohamad Taufik Hidayat Baharuldin | Universiti Putra Malaysia (original) (raw)
Papers by Mohamad Taufik Hidayat Baharuldin
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Objective: Over the last decade, researchers have sought to develop novel medications against dem... more Objective: Over the last decade, researchers have sought to develop novel medications against dementia. One potential agent under investigation is cannabinoids. This review systematically appraised and meta-analyzed published pre-clinical research on the mechanism of endocannabinoid system modulation in glial cells and their effects on cognitive function in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Methods: A systematic review complying with PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Six databases were searched: EBSCOHost, Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science, using the keywords AD, cannabinoid, glial cells, and cognition. The methodological quality of each selected pre-clinical study was evaluated using the SYRCLE risk of bias tool. A random-effects model was applied to analyze the data and calculate the effect size, while I2 and p-values were used to assess heterogeneity.Results: The analysis included 26 original articles describing (1050 rodents) with AD-like symptoms. Rode...
Medicinal herbalism has become popular because of its documented efficacy, synergistic interactio... more Medicinal herbalism has become popular because of its documented efficacy, synergistic interactions against complex conditions and lesser side effects. CA (CA) is a traditional Ayurveda medicine widely used in India, China, and Malaysia and across countries in south-eastern Asia for treating a range of diseases. The whole plant or its parts (leaf or roots) are used for medicinal purpose and its chemical constituents have been proven scientifically to have neuro-protective, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and antioxidants activities. In this review we have retrieved and evaluated available literatures on neuro-therapeutic properties of CA on neurotoxic and transgenic models of Alzheimer’s diseases (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD). The extract was found to have neuroprotective ability through modifying a key signaling pathways and events concerned with neuro-degeneration. Further research is required to discover more bioactive compounds of CA and their exa...
Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
Methods in Molecular Biology
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016
Opiate abuse has been studied to cause adaptive changes observed in the presynaptic release and t... more Opiate abuse has been studied to cause adaptive changes observed in the presynaptic release and the mediated-synaptic plasticity proteins. The involvement of neuronal SNARE proteins reveals the role of the neurotransmitter release in expressing the opioid actions. The present study was designed to determine the effect of the alkaloid extract ofErythroxylum cuneatum(E. cuneatum) against chronic morphine and the influences ofE. cuneatumon neurotransmission processes observedin vitro. The human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-SH, was treated with the morphine, methadone, orE. cuneatum. The cell lysates were collected and tested forα-synuclein, calmodulin, vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP 2), and synaptotagmin 1. The extract ofE. cuneatumwas observed to upregulate the decreased expression of dependence proteins, namely,α-synuclein and calmodulin. The effects were comparable to methadone and control. The expressions of VAMP 2 and synaptotagmin 1 were normalised by the plant and ...
Physica medica : PM : an international journal devoted to the applications of physics to medicine and biology : official journal of the Italian Association of Biomedical Physics (AIFB), 2014
Cobalt-60 (Co-60) is a relatively new source for the application of high-dose rate (HDR) brachyth... more Cobalt-60 (Co-60) is a relatively new source for the application of high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Radiation dose to the rectum is often a limiting factor in achieving the full prescribed dose to the target during brachytherapy of cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to measure radiation doses to the rectum in-vivo during HDR Co-60 brachytherapy. A total of eleven HDR brachytherapy treatments of cervical cancer were recruited in this study. A series of diodes incorporated in a rectal probe was inserted into the patient's rectum during each brachytherapy procedure. Real-time measured rectal doses were compared to calculated doses by the treatment planning system (TPS). The differences between calculated and measured dose ranged from 8.5% to 41.2%. This corresponds to absolute dose differences ranging from 0.3 Gy to 1.5 Gy. A linear relationship was observed between calculated and measured doses with linear regression R(2) value of 0.88, indicating close association bet...
The Open Behavioral Science Journal, 2012
THC is the primary psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa and while the human abuse potential o... more THC is the primary psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa and while the human abuse potential of THC is well recognised, knowledge of its reinforcing and dependence-producing effects is limited. In addition to euphoric properties, cannabinoids are known to attenuate learning and memory in both humans and animals but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The present study investigated the effects of chronic THC treatment on CB1 receptor-mediated reward. In addition, DA and 5HT and their metabolites DOPAC, HVA and 5HIAA were measured in the striatum and hippocampus. Chronic THC (0.5, 2.0 and 5.0mg/Kg ip, 21 days) had no significant effect on conditioned place preference while DA content of the striatum was increased by chronic THC in a dose-dependant manner.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2012
Cannabinoids and opioids systems share numerous pharmacological properties and antinociception is... more Cannabinoids and opioids systems share numerous pharmacological properties and antinociception is one of them. Previous findings have shown that mitragynine (MG), a major indole alkaloid found in Mitragyna speciosa (MS) can exert its antinociceptive effects through the opioids system. In the present study, the action of MG was investigated as the antinociceptive agent acting on Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and effects on the opioids receptor. The latency time was recorded until the mice showed pain responses such as shaking, licking or jumping and the duration of latency was measured for 2 h at every 15 min interval by hot plate analysis. To investigate the beneficial effects of MG as antinociceptive agent, it was administered intraperitoneally 15 min prior to pain induction with a single dosage (3, 10, 15, 30, and 35 mg/kg b.wt). In this investigation, 35 mg/kg of MG showed significant increase in the latency time and this dosage was used in the antagonist receptor study. The treated groups were administered with AM251 (cannabinoid receptor-1 antagonist), naloxone (non-selective opioid antagonist), naltrindole (δ-opioid antagonist) naloxonazine (µ 1-receptor antagonist) and norbinaltorpimine (κ-opioid OPEN ACCESS antagonist) respectively, prior to administration of MG (35 mg/kg). The results showed that the antinociceptive effect of MG was not antagonized by AM251; naloxone and naltrindole were effectively blocked; and norbinaltorpimine partially blocked the antinociceptive effect of MG. Naloxonazine did inhibit the effect of MG, but it was not statistically significant. These results demonstrate that CB1 does not directly have a role in the antinociceptive action of MG where the effect was observed with the activation of opioid receptor.
Molecules, 2013
Mitragynine (MG) is the major active alkaloid found in Mitragyna speciosa Korth. In the present s... more Mitragynine (MG) is the major active alkaloid found in Mitragyna speciosa Korth. In the present study, we investigated the enhancement of analgesic action of MG when combined with morphine and the effect of the combination on the development of tolerance towards morphine. Mice were administered intraperitoneally with a dose of MG (15 and 25 mg/kg b.wt) combined with morphine (5 mg/kg b.wt) respectively for 9 days. The antinociceptive effect was evaluated by a hot plate test. The protein expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cAMP response element binding (CREB) was analyzed by immunoblot. Toxicological parameters especially liver and kidney function tests were assessed after the combination treatment with MG and morphine. The concurrent administration of MG and morphine showed significant (p < 0.05) increase in latency time when compared to morphine alone group and the outstanding analgesic effects in the combination regimens were maintained until day 9. For the protein expression, there was a significant increment of cAMP and CREB levels (p < 0.05) in group treated with 5 mg/kg morphine but there was no significant change of these protein expressions when
Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, 2012
Advances in Medical …, 2010
Mitragyna Speciosa Korth from Rubiaceae family is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia p... more Mitragyna Speciosa Korth from Rubiaceae family is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia particularly in Thailand, Peninsular of Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaves have been used by natives for their opium-like effect and cocaine-like stimulant ability to combat fatigue and enhance tolerance to hard work. This study is designed to examine the binding affinity and selectivity of mitragynine towards opioid receptors namely µ-, δ-, and κ-receptors and the density of those opioid receptors in brain tissues, spinal cord, duodenum, ileum and vas deferens. Our results suggest that mitragynine has a high affinity to the 9-opioid receptors and brain has the highest density of opioid receptors.
Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2006
Cynanchum paniculatum KITAG. (Asclepiadaceae) is a vivacious plant distributed across all of Kore... more Cynanchum paniculatum KITAG. (Asclepiadaceae) is a vivacious plant distributed across all of Korea and also cultivated in China. The root of Cynanchum paniculatum is used as a Chinese traditional medicine. Recently, the plants of genus Cynanchum of Asclepiadaceae, e.g. Cynanchum atratum, Cynanchum auriculatum and Cynanchum paniculatum, were studied for their anticancer and analgesic effects. 1-3) In addition, Cynanchum paniculatum has been traditionally used for gastritis and relieving pain in China. In traditional medicine, the dried root of Cynanchum paniculatum relieves rheumatic arthralgia, lumbago, pain due to traumatic injuries, abdominal pain, toothache, and other kinds of pain, as well as skin diseases such as eczema, rubella, neurodermatitis and snake bite. 4) A number of chemical constituents such as cynapanosides A, B, and C, paeonol, and antopine have been identified from Cynanchum paniculatum, 3,5,6) of which paeonol had been found to have analgesic effects in mice. 6) These studies concentrated on its analgesic and anticancer effects, without investigating its anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, the present study employed NSAIDs; indomethacin, which is a non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, and phenidone, which is a dual blocker of COX and lipoxygenase (LOX), to compare the anti-inflammatory effects with EACP. Pentobarbital sodium was used to study the sedative effect. The present study was undertaken to further elucidate the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of Cynanchum paniculatum, using the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)soluble portion of the 70% methanol extract of its roots. MATERIALS AND METHODS Plant Material The roots of Cynanchum paniculatum were purchased from Young-chang Co., Seoul, Korea. This plant material was authenticated by Dr. D. Y. Kwon and a voucher specimen (No. 05-010) was deposited in the labora
Introduction: Hypercholesterolemia is the major cause of cardiovascular disturbances. The influen... more Introduction: Hypercholesterolemia is the major cause of cardiovascular disturbances. The influence of Tinospora crispa on atherosclerotic plaque formation in rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet was investigated. Methods: Thirty male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into 6 groups. The negative control (NC) and positive control (PC) groups were used as a negative and positive (0.5% cholesterol) control. The simvastatin control (SC) group was given a high cholesterol diet (HCD) with 5mg/kg simvastatin. Treatment groups T150 and T450 were given HCD with supplementation of 150,300 and 450mg/kg of T.crispa extract respectively for 10 weeks. Blood was collected from ear vein for plasma analysis while the aortas were excised and examined microscopically. Results: Comparison within groups showed that PC, T300 and T450 had a significant increase (p<0.05) in total cholesterol level throughout the study. The groups supplemented with T.crispa (T150, T300 and T450) were significantly...
The aimed of this study was to investigate the antioxidant properties of T. crispa as well as its... more The aimed of this study was to investigate the antioxidant properties of T. crispa as well as its ability to attenuate the release of oxidant markers in induced oxidation in Human Umbilical Vein Cells (HUVECs). In vitro studies of antioxidant properties of T. crispa showed the DPPH scavenging activity of T. crispa Aqueous (TCAE) and Methanol Extract (TCME) were 82±1.78 and 73±1.01%, respectively. FRAP value of TCAE and TCME were 1.04±0.27 and 1.64±0.06 mmol L-1, respectively. Total Flavonoids Content (TFC) of TCAE and TCME were 205.58±3.5 and 223±10.49 mg QE g-1 sample, respectively while Total Phenolics Content (TPC) of TCAE and TCME were 32.58±0.68 and 41.64±0.97 mg GAE mg-1 sample, respectively. The antioxidant enzymes activities (CAT, SOD and GPx) in HUVECs treated with T. crispa extracts to counter the oxidative effect by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation activity by Malondialdehyde (MDA) were also measured. The result showed TCAE and TCME at a concentration range...
Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is commonly known for its traditional use as a food supplement a... more Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is commonly known for its traditional use as a food supplement and for its medicinal values. P. granatum methanolic pulp and peel extract were investigated for its antidepressant activities on mice model of depression using tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). P. granatum pulp and peel extract were administered at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally, respectively while fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally as the standard drug. The results showed that P. granatum pulp extract at 25 mg/kg significantly exhibited antidepressant activity in both TST and FST which able to reduce the immobility time, similar to fluoxetine, a recognized antidepressant drug. It is concluded that P. granatum methanolic extract has the ability as antidepressant-like agent. Further research is required to investigate the exact pharmacological mechanism of action of this fruit.
The present invention relates to methods and compositions to counter the side effects of analgesi... more The present invention relates to methods and compositions to counter the side effects of analgesic treatments with opioids such as morphine. Provided are novel treatment regimes comprising the administration of mitragynine for the prevention, reversal and/or delay of the progression and/or development of a tolerance of a subject against the pharmaceutical effects of an opiate. Also comprised by the present invention are therapeutic means for the treatment of severe or chronic pain using a combination of mitragynine and opiates, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the present invention.
Ergogenic aids usage by athletes is a common scenario that can be seen in any level of athletes a... more Ergogenic aids usage by athletes is a common scenario that can be seen in any level of athletes and any types of sports nowadays. Ergogenic aids can range from drugs, food, hormone, mechanical aid and herbs. Traditionally, ergogenic aids can be classified into categories namely: physiological, psychological, mechanical, pharmacological and nutrition. Despite all these classification, all ergogenic aids had one common purpose, which is to improve physical performance. Herbs consumption as ergogenic aids had been practiced since years ago by athletes as either nutritional or pharmacological aids. Using herbs as physical performance booster has gained popularity since it was claimed safer and natural. One of local herb that gets attention as energy booster is Ficus deltoidea (Mas Cotek). Ficus deltoidea had been used traditionally to restore energy. Few studies had reveal that Ficus deltoidea had medicinal properties such anti-nociceptive, antioxidant, wound healing enhancer and blood ...
Haruan fish is a fresh water carnivorous fish popularly known in tropical countries like Malaysia... more Haruan fish is a fresh water carnivorous fish popularly known in tropical countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The aqueous extract of the fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, namely, eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and deicosahexaenoic acids (HA). These fatty acids possess cytotoxic effects. Here we study the cytotoxic effects of the extract on neuroblastoma cancer cell line, SK-N-SH cells, MTI assay, phase contrast microscopy and flow cytometry were the methods used to determine the cytotoxic effects of the extract. For MTT assay, the cells were treated with different concentrations of the extract range from 3.125 µg/ml to 100 µg/ml. For the phase contrast microscopy and flow cytometry, 100 µg/ml of the extract was adopted as the concentration used for the treatment of the cells prior to observation and recording of results. From MTT assay, cell visibility of 68.8% were recorded, indicating lack of cytotoxic effect. The result for phase contrast microscopy showed no clear di...
Toxics
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with cholinergic dysfunction... more Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with cholinergic dysfunctions and impaired redox homeostasis. The plant Centella asiatica (CA) is renowned for its nutritional benefits and herbal formulas for promoting health, enhancing cognition, and its neuroprotective effects. The present study aims to investigate the protective role of CA on D-gal/AlCl3-induced cognitive deficits in rats. The rats were divided into six groups and administered with donepezil 1 mg/kg/day, CA (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day) and D-gal 60 mg/kg/day + AlCl3 200 mg/kg/day for 10 weeks. The ethology of the rats was evaluated by the Morris water maze test. The levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, the ultrastructure of the prefrontal cortex of the rats’ was observed using transmi...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Objective: Over the last decade, researchers have sought to develop novel medications against dem... more Objective: Over the last decade, researchers have sought to develop novel medications against dementia. One potential agent under investigation is cannabinoids. This review systematically appraised and meta-analyzed published pre-clinical research on the mechanism of endocannabinoid system modulation in glial cells and their effects on cognitive function in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Methods: A systematic review complying with PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Six databases were searched: EBSCOHost, Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science, using the keywords AD, cannabinoid, glial cells, and cognition. The methodological quality of each selected pre-clinical study was evaluated using the SYRCLE risk of bias tool. A random-effects model was applied to analyze the data and calculate the effect size, while I2 and p-values were used to assess heterogeneity.Results: The analysis included 26 original articles describing (1050 rodents) with AD-like symptoms. Rode...
Medicinal herbalism has become popular because of its documented efficacy, synergistic interactio... more Medicinal herbalism has become popular because of its documented efficacy, synergistic interactions against complex conditions and lesser side effects. CA (CA) is a traditional Ayurveda medicine widely used in India, China, and Malaysia and across countries in south-eastern Asia for treating a range of diseases. The whole plant or its parts (leaf or roots) are used for medicinal purpose and its chemical constituents have been proven scientifically to have neuro-protective, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and antioxidants activities. In this review we have retrieved and evaluated available literatures on neuro-therapeutic properties of CA on neurotoxic and transgenic models of Alzheimer’s diseases (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD). The extract was found to have neuroprotective ability through modifying a key signaling pathways and events concerned with neuro-degeneration. Further research is required to discover more bioactive compounds of CA and their exa...
Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
Methods in Molecular Biology
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016
Opiate abuse has been studied to cause adaptive changes observed in the presynaptic release and t... more Opiate abuse has been studied to cause adaptive changes observed in the presynaptic release and the mediated-synaptic plasticity proteins. The involvement of neuronal SNARE proteins reveals the role of the neurotransmitter release in expressing the opioid actions. The present study was designed to determine the effect of the alkaloid extract ofErythroxylum cuneatum(E. cuneatum) against chronic morphine and the influences ofE. cuneatumon neurotransmission processes observedin vitro. The human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-SH, was treated with the morphine, methadone, orE. cuneatum. The cell lysates were collected and tested forα-synuclein, calmodulin, vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP 2), and synaptotagmin 1. The extract ofE. cuneatumwas observed to upregulate the decreased expression of dependence proteins, namely,α-synuclein and calmodulin. The effects were comparable to methadone and control. The expressions of VAMP 2 and synaptotagmin 1 were normalised by the plant and ...
Physica medica : PM : an international journal devoted to the applications of physics to medicine and biology : official journal of the Italian Association of Biomedical Physics (AIFB), 2014
Cobalt-60 (Co-60) is a relatively new source for the application of high-dose rate (HDR) brachyth... more Cobalt-60 (Co-60) is a relatively new source for the application of high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Radiation dose to the rectum is often a limiting factor in achieving the full prescribed dose to the target during brachytherapy of cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to measure radiation doses to the rectum in-vivo during HDR Co-60 brachytherapy. A total of eleven HDR brachytherapy treatments of cervical cancer were recruited in this study. A series of diodes incorporated in a rectal probe was inserted into the patient's rectum during each brachytherapy procedure. Real-time measured rectal doses were compared to calculated doses by the treatment planning system (TPS). The differences between calculated and measured dose ranged from 8.5% to 41.2%. This corresponds to absolute dose differences ranging from 0.3 Gy to 1.5 Gy. A linear relationship was observed between calculated and measured doses with linear regression R(2) value of 0.88, indicating close association bet...
The Open Behavioral Science Journal, 2012
THC is the primary psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa and while the human abuse potential o... more THC is the primary psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa and while the human abuse potential of THC is well recognised, knowledge of its reinforcing and dependence-producing effects is limited. In addition to euphoric properties, cannabinoids are known to attenuate learning and memory in both humans and animals but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The present study investigated the effects of chronic THC treatment on CB1 receptor-mediated reward. In addition, DA and 5HT and their metabolites DOPAC, HVA and 5HIAA were measured in the striatum and hippocampus. Chronic THC (0.5, 2.0 and 5.0mg/Kg ip, 21 days) had no significant effect on conditioned place preference while DA content of the striatum was increased by chronic THC in a dose-dependant manner.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2012
Cannabinoids and opioids systems share numerous pharmacological properties and antinociception is... more Cannabinoids and opioids systems share numerous pharmacological properties and antinociception is one of them. Previous findings have shown that mitragynine (MG), a major indole alkaloid found in Mitragyna speciosa (MS) can exert its antinociceptive effects through the opioids system. In the present study, the action of MG was investigated as the antinociceptive agent acting on Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and effects on the opioids receptor. The latency time was recorded until the mice showed pain responses such as shaking, licking or jumping and the duration of latency was measured for 2 h at every 15 min interval by hot plate analysis. To investigate the beneficial effects of MG as antinociceptive agent, it was administered intraperitoneally 15 min prior to pain induction with a single dosage (3, 10, 15, 30, and 35 mg/kg b.wt). In this investigation, 35 mg/kg of MG showed significant increase in the latency time and this dosage was used in the antagonist receptor study. The treated groups were administered with AM251 (cannabinoid receptor-1 antagonist), naloxone (non-selective opioid antagonist), naltrindole (δ-opioid antagonist) naloxonazine (µ 1-receptor antagonist) and norbinaltorpimine (κ-opioid OPEN ACCESS antagonist) respectively, prior to administration of MG (35 mg/kg). The results showed that the antinociceptive effect of MG was not antagonized by AM251; naloxone and naltrindole were effectively blocked; and norbinaltorpimine partially blocked the antinociceptive effect of MG. Naloxonazine did inhibit the effect of MG, but it was not statistically significant. These results demonstrate that CB1 does not directly have a role in the antinociceptive action of MG where the effect was observed with the activation of opioid receptor.
Molecules, 2013
Mitragynine (MG) is the major active alkaloid found in Mitragyna speciosa Korth. In the present s... more Mitragynine (MG) is the major active alkaloid found in Mitragyna speciosa Korth. In the present study, we investigated the enhancement of analgesic action of MG when combined with morphine and the effect of the combination on the development of tolerance towards morphine. Mice were administered intraperitoneally with a dose of MG (15 and 25 mg/kg b.wt) combined with morphine (5 mg/kg b.wt) respectively for 9 days. The antinociceptive effect was evaluated by a hot plate test. The protein expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cAMP response element binding (CREB) was analyzed by immunoblot. Toxicological parameters especially liver and kidney function tests were assessed after the combination treatment with MG and morphine. The concurrent administration of MG and morphine showed significant (p < 0.05) increase in latency time when compared to morphine alone group and the outstanding analgesic effects in the combination regimens were maintained until day 9. For the protein expression, there was a significant increment of cAMP and CREB levels (p < 0.05) in group treated with 5 mg/kg morphine but there was no significant change of these protein expressions when
Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, 2012
Advances in Medical …, 2010
Mitragyna Speciosa Korth from Rubiaceae family is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia p... more Mitragyna Speciosa Korth from Rubiaceae family is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia particularly in Thailand, Peninsular of Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaves have been used by natives for their opium-like effect and cocaine-like stimulant ability to combat fatigue and enhance tolerance to hard work. This study is designed to examine the binding affinity and selectivity of mitragynine towards opioid receptors namely µ-, δ-, and κ-receptors and the density of those opioid receptors in brain tissues, spinal cord, duodenum, ileum and vas deferens. Our results suggest that mitragynine has a high affinity to the 9-opioid receptors and brain has the highest density of opioid receptors.
Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2006
Cynanchum paniculatum KITAG. (Asclepiadaceae) is a vivacious plant distributed across all of Kore... more Cynanchum paniculatum KITAG. (Asclepiadaceae) is a vivacious plant distributed across all of Korea and also cultivated in China. The root of Cynanchum paniculatum is used as a Chinese traditional medicine. Recently, the plants of genus Cynanchum of Asclepiadaceae, e.g. Cynanchum atratum, Cynanchum auriculatum and Cynanchum paniculatum, were studied for their anticancer and analgesic effects. 1-3) In addition, Cynanchum paniculatum has been traditionally used for gastritis and relieving pain in China. In traditional medicine, the dried root of Cynanchum paniculatum relieves rheumatic arthralgia, lumbago, pain due to traumatic injuries, abdominal pain, toothache, and other kinds of pain, as well as skin diseases such as eczema, rubella, neurodermatitis and snake bite. 4) A number of chemical constituents such as cynapanosides A, B, and C, paeonol, and antopine have been identified from Cynanchum paniculatum, 3,5,6) of which paeonol had been found to have analgesic effects in mice. 6) These studies concentrated on its analgesic and anticancer effects, without investigating its anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, the present study employed NSAIDs; indomethacin, which is a non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, and phenidone, which is a dual blocker of COX and lipoxygenase (LOX), to compare the anti-inflammatory effects with EACP. Pentobarbital sodium was used to study the sedative effect. The present study was undertaken to further elucidate the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of Cynanchum paniculatum, using the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)soluble portion of the 70% methanol extract of its roots. MATERIALS AND METHODS Plant Material The roots of Cynanchum paniculatum were purchased from Young-chang Co., Seoul, Korea. This plant material was authenticated by Dr. D. Y. Kwon and a voucher specimen (No. 05-010) was deposited in the labora
Introduction: Hypercholesterolemia is the major cause of cardiovascular disturbances. The influen... more Introduction: Hypercholesterolemia is the major cause of cardiovascular disturbances. The influence of Tinospora crispa on atherosclerotic plaque formation in rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet was investigated. Methods: Thirty male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into 6 groups. The negative control (NC) and positive control (PC) groups were used as a negative and positive (0.5% cholesterol) control. The simvastatin control (SC) group was given a high cholesterol diet (HCD) with 5mg/kg simvastatin. Treatment groups T150 and T450 were given HCD with supplementation of 150,300 and 450mg/kg of T.crispa extract respectively for 10 weeks. Blood was collected from ear vein for plasma analysis while the aortas were excised and examined microscopically. Results: Comparison within groups showed that PC, T300 and T450 had a significant increase (p<0.05) in total cholesterol level throughout the study. The groups supplemented with T.crispa (T150, T300 and T450) were significantly...
The aimed of this study was to investigate the antioxidant properties of T. crispa as well as its... more The aimed of this study was to investigate the antioxidant properties of T. crispa as well as its ability to attenuate the release of oxidant markers in induced oxidation in Human Umbilical Vein Cells (HUVECs). In vitro studies of antioxidant properties of T. crispa showed the DPPH scavenging activity of T. crispa Aqueous (TCAE) and Methanol Extract (TCME) were 82±1.78 and 73±1.01%, respectively. FRAP value of TCAE and TCME were 1.04±0.27 and 1.64±0.06 mmol L-1, respectively. Total Flavonoids Content (TFC) of TCAE and TCME were 205.58±3.5 and 223±10.49 mg QE g-1 sample, respectively while Total Phenolics Content (TPC) of TCAE and TCME were 32.58±0.68 and 41.64±0.97 mg GAE mg-1 sample, respectively. The antioxidant enzymes activities (CAT, SOD and GPx) in HUVECs treated with T. crispa extracts to counter the oxidative effect by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation activity by Malondialdehyde (MDA) were also measured. The result showed TCAE and TCME at a concentration range...
Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is commonly known for its traditional use as a food supplement a... more Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is commonly known for its traditional use as a food supplement and for its medicinal values. P. granatum methanolic pulp and peel extract were investigated for its antidepressant activities on mice model of depression using tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). P. granatum pulp and peel extract were administered at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally, respectively while fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally as the standard drug. The results showed that P. granatum pulp extract at 25 mg/kg significantly exhibited antidepressant activity in both TST and FST which able to reduce the immobility time, similar to fluoxetine, a recognized antidepressant drug. It is concluded that P. granatum methanolic extract has the ability as antidepressant-like agent. Further research is required to investigate the exact pharmacological mechanism of action of this fruit.
The present invention relates to methods and compositions to counter the side effects of analgesi... more The present invention relates to methods and compositions to counter the side effects of analgesic treatments with opioids such as morphine. Provided are novel treatment regimes comprising the administration of mitragynine for the prevention, reversal and/or delay of the progression and/or development of a tolerance of a subject against the pharmaceutical effects of an opiate. Also comprised by the present invention are therapeutic means for the treatment of severe or chronic pain using a combination of mitragynine and opiates, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the present invention.
Ergogenic aids usage by athletes is a common scenario that can be seen in any level of athletes a... more Ergogenic aids usage by athletes is a common scenario that can be seen in any level of athletes and any types of sports nowadays. Ergogenic aids can range from drugs, food, hormone, mechanical aid and herbs. Traditionally, ergogenic aids can be classified into categories namely: physiological, psychological, mechanical, pharmacological and nutrition. Despite all these classification, all ergogenic aids had one common purpose, which is to improve physical performance. Herbs consumption as ergogenic aids had been practiced since years ago by athletes as either nutritional or pharmacological aids. Using herbs as physical performance booster has gained popularity since it was claimed safer and natural. One of local herb that gets attention as energy booster is Ficus deltoidea (Mas Cotek). Ficus deltoidea had been used traditionally to restore energy. Few studies had reveal that Ficus deltoidea had medicinal properties such anti-nociceptive, antioxidant, wound healing enhancer and blood ...
Haruan fish is a fresh water carnivorous fish popularly known in tropical countries like Malaysia... more Haruan fish is a fresh water carnivorous fish popularly known in tropical countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The aqueous extract of the fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, namely, eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and deicosahexaenoic acids (HA). These fatty acids possess cytotoxic effects. Here we study the cytotoxic effects of the extract on neuroblastoma cancer cell line, SK-N-SH cells, MTI assay, phase contrast microscopy and flow cytometry were the methods used to determine the cytotoxic effects of the extract. For MTT assay, the cells were treated with different concentrations of the extract range from 3.125 µg/ml to 100 µg/ml. For the phase contrast microscopy and flow cytometry, 100 µg/ml of the extract was adopted as the concentration used for the treatment of the cells prior to observation and recording of results. From MTT assay, cell visibility of 68.8% were recorded, indicating lack of cytotoxic effect. The result for phase contrast microscopy showed no clear di...
Toxics
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with cholinergic dysfunction... more Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with cholinergic dysfunctions and impaired redox homeostasis. The plant Centella asiatica (CA) is renowned for its nutritional benefits and herbal formulas for promoting health, enhancing cognition, and its neuroprotective effects. The present study aims to investigate the protective role of CA on D-gal/AlCl3-induced cognitive deficits in rats. The rats were divided into six groups and administered with donepezil 1 mg/kg/day, CA (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day) and D-gal 60 mg/kg/day + AlCl3 200 mg/kg/day for 10 weeks. The ethology of the rats was evaluated by the Morris water maze test. The levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, the ultrastructure of the prefrontal cortex of the rats’ was observed using transmi...