Mahfuza Akter - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Mahfuza Akter
The leaves of Piper betle L. (Piperaceae) are widely chewed in Bangladesh as betel quid with or w... more The leaves of Piper betle L. (Piperaceae) are widely chewed in Bangladesh as betel quid with or without tobacco. Chewing of leaves of the plant is advised by the folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh to alleviate pain (particularly toothache) and lowering of blood sugar, as well as aid the digestive process. The objective of this study was to scientifically evaluate the folk medicinal practitioner’s claims of the antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive properties of Piper betle leaves. Antihyperglycemic activity evaluation was conducted through oral glucose tolerance tests in glucose-loaded Swiss albino mice, while antinociceptive activity tests were performed in gastric pain models in Swiss albino mice, where gastric pain was induced by intraperitoneal administration of acetic acid. In antihyperglycemic activity tests, methanolic extract of leaves demonstrated dose-dependent and significant lowering of blood sugar in glucose-challenged mice. At extract doses of 50, 100, 200 and ...
CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry, Sep 27, 2017
This conference report describes the training activities that took place in the frame of the Inte... more This conference report describes the training activities that took place in the frame of the Integrated in Situ Chemical MApping probe (SCHeMA) summer school organized from the 14 th to the 16 th of June 2016 in Bilbao (Spain).
Most populations live in spatially structured environments and that structure has the potential t... more Most populations live in spatially structured environments and that structure has the potential to impact the evolutionary dynamics in a number of important ways. Theoretical models tracking evolution in structured environments using a range of different approaches, suggest that local interactions and spatial heterogeneity can increase the adaptive benefits of motility, impact both the rate and extent of adaptation, and increase the probability of parallel evolution. We test these general predictions in a microbial evolution experiment tracking phenotypic and genomic changes in replicate populations of Pseudomonas fluorescens evolved in both well-mixed and spatially-structured environments, where spatial structure was generated through the addition of semi-solid agar. In contrast to the well-mixed environment, populations evolved in the spatially-structured environment adapted more slowly, retained the ability to disperse more rapidly, and had a greater putatively neutral population...
Scholars International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Female migrant workers are susceptible for economic exploitation, physical violence and sexual ab... more Female migrant workers are susceptible for economic exploitation, physical violence and sexual abuse. They are at risks of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, illegal termination of pregnancy and related problems. They also spread the diseases knowingly and unknowingly. There are about five millions registered and undocumented migration workers are in Malaysia. The Malaysian government is committed to stop the illegal trafficking of women and under aged girls. The health education programme and screening procedures are important to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
SRELS Journal of Information Management
Chemistry - A European Journal
Northern International Medical College Journal
Background : Overactive Bladder Syndrome(OAB) is not an uncommon problem. Although exact incidenc... more Background : Overactive Bladder Syndrome(OAB) is not an uncommon problem. Although exact incidence of this disease in our country is not known but a significant number of people suffering from this disease seek treatment at the Urology department of different hospitals. At present two common antimuscarinic drug Solifenacin Succinate and Tolterodine are available in our country for the treatment of OAB.
Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology communications, Oct 1, 2016
Multicopper oxidases oxidize various phenolic and nonphenolic compounds by using molecular oxygen... more Multicopper oxidases oxidize various phenolic and nonphenolic compounds by using molecular oxygen as an electron acceptor to produce water. A multicopper oxidase protein, CueO, from Escherichia coli is involved in copper homeostasis in the bacterial cell. Although X-ray crystallographic studies have been conducted, the reduction mechanism of oxygen and the proton-transfer pathway remain unclear owing to the difficulty in identifying H atoms from X-ray diffraction data alone. To elucidate the reaction mechanism using neutron crystallography, a preparation system for obtaining large, high-quality single crystals of deuterated CueO was developed. Tiny crystals were obtained from the deuterated CueO initially prepared from the original construct. The X-ray crystal structure of the deuterated CueO showed that the protein contained an incompletely truncated signal sequence at the N-terminus, which resulted in the heterogeneity of the protein sample for crystallization. Here, a new CueO ex...
Journal of epidemiology and community health, Jan 5, 2015
Efforts to end preventable newborn deaths will fail if the poor are not reached with effective in... more Efforts to end preventable newborn deaths will fail if the poor are not reached with effective interventions. To understand what works to reach vulnerable groups, we describe and explain the uptake of a highly effective community-based newborn health intervention across social strata in Asia and Africa. We conducted a secondary analysis of seven randomised trials of participatory women's groups to reduce newborn mortality in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Malawi. We analysed data on 70 574 pregnancies. Socioeconomic and sociodemographic differences in group attendance were tested using logistic regression. Qualitative data were collected at each trial site (225 focus groups, 20 interviews) to understand our results. Socioeconomic differences in women's group attendance were small, except for occasional lower attendance by elites. Sociodemographic differences were large, with lower attendance by young primigravid women in African as well as in South Asian sites. The interventio...
African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM / African Networks on Ethnomedicines, 2013
Amaranthus tricolor whole plants are used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for treat... more Amaranthus tricolor whole plants are used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for treatment of pain, anaemia, dysentery, skin diseases, diabetes, and as a blood purifier. Thus far, no scientific studies have evaluated the antihyperglycaemic and antinociceptive effects of the plant. The present study was carried out to evaluate the possible glucose tolerance efficacy of methanolic extracts of A. tricolour whole plants using glucose-induced hyperglycaemic mice, and antinociceptive effects with acetic acid-induced gastric pain models in mice. In antihyperglycaemic activity tests, the extract at different doses was administered one hour prior to glucose administration and blood glucose level was measured after two hours of glucose administration (p.o.) using glucose oxidase method. The statistical data indicated the significant oral hypoglycaemic activity on glucose-loaded mice at all doses of the extracts tested. Maximum antihyperglycaemic activity was shown at 400 mg extract...
African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, Aug 14, 2013
&... more 'Khoyer' is prepared by boiling the wood of Acacia catechu in water and then evaporating the resultant brew. The resultant hard material is powdered and chewed with betel leaves and lime with or without tobacco by a large number of the people of Bangladesh as an addictive psycho-stimulating and euphoria-inducing formulation. There are folk medicinal claims that khoyer helps in the relief of pain and is also useful to diabetic patients to maintain normal sugar levels. Thus far no scientific studies have evaluated the antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive effects of khoyer. The present study was carried out to evaluate the possible glucose tolerance efficacy of methanolic extracts of khoyer using glucose-induced hyperglycemic mice, and antinociceptive effects with acetic acid-induced gastric pain models in mice. In antihyperglycemic activity tests, the extract at different doses was administered one hour prior to glucose administration and blood glucose level was measured after two hours of glucose administration (p.o.) using glucose oxidase method. The statistical data indicated the significant oral hypoglycemic activity on glucose-loaded mice at all doses of the extracts tested. Maximum anti-hyperglycemic activity was shown at 400 mg extract per kg body weight, which was less than that of a standard drug, glibenclamide (10 mg/kg body weight). In antinociceptive activity tests, the extract also demonstrated a dose-dependent significant reduction in the number of writhing induced in mice through intraperitoneal administration of acetic acid. Maximum antinociceptive activity was observed at a dose of 400 mg extract per kg body weight, which was greater than that of a standard antinociceptive drug, aspirin, when administered at a dose of 400 mg per kg body weight. The results validate the folk medicinal use of the plant for reduction of blood sugar in diabetic patients, as well as the folk medicinal use for alleviation of pain.
The leaves of Piper betle L. (Piperaceae) are widely chewed in Bangladesh as betel quid with or w... more The leaves of Piper betle L. (Piperaceae) are widely chewed in Bangladesh as betel quid with or without tobacco. Chewing of leaves of the plant is advised by the folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh to alleviate pain (particularly toothache) and lowering of blood sugar, as well as aid the digestive process. The objective of this study was to scientifically evaluate the folk medicinal practitioner’s claims of the antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive properties of Piper betle leaves. Antihyperglycemic activity evaluation was conducted through oral glucose tolerance tests in glucose-loaded Swiss albino mice, while antinociceptive activity tests were performed in gastric pain models in Swiss albino mice, where gastric pain was induced by intraperitoneal administration of acetic acid. In antihyperglycemic activity tests, methanolic extract of leaves demonstrated dose-dependent and significant lowering of blood sugar in glucose-challenged mice. At extract doses of 50, 100, 200 and ...
CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry, Sep 27, 2017
This conference report describes the training activities that took place in the frame of the Inte... more This conference report describes the training activities that took place in the frame of the Integrated in Situ Chemical MApping probe (SCHeMA) summer school organized from the 14 th to the 16 th of June 2016 in Bilbao (Spain).
Most populations live in spatially structured environments and that structure has the potential t... more Most populations live in spatially structured environments and that structure has the potential to impact the evolutionary dynamics in a number of important ways. Theoretical models tracking evolution in structured environments using a range of different approaches, suggest that local interactions and spatial heterogeneity can increase the adaptive benefits of motility, impact both the rate and extent of adaptation, and increase the probability of parallel evolution. We test these general predictions in a microbial evolution experiment tracking phenotypic and genomic changes in replicate populations of Pseudomonas fluorescens evolved in both well-mixed and spatially-structured environments, where spatial structure was generated through the addition of semi-solid agar. In contrast to the well-mixed environment, populations evolved in the spatially-structured environment adapted more slowly, retained the ability to disperse more rapidly, and had a greater putatively neutral population...
Scholars International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Female migrant workers are susceptible for economic exploitation, physical violence and sexual ab... more Female migrant workers are susceptible for economic exploitation, physical violence and sexual abuse. They are at risks of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, illegal termination of pregnancy and related problems. They also spread the diseases knowingly and unknowingly. There are about five millions registered and undocumented migration workers are in Malaysia. The Malaysian government is committed to stop the illegal trafficking of women and under aged girls. The health education programme and screening procedures are important to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
SRELS Journal of Information Management
Chemistry - A European Journal
Northern International Medical College Journal
Background : Overactive Bladder Syndrome(OAB) is not an uncommon problem. Although exact incidenc... more Background : Overactive Bladder Syndrome(OAB) is not an uncommon problem. Although exact incidence of this disease in our country is not known but a significant number of people suffering from this disease seek treatment at the Urology department of different hospitals. At present two common antimuscarinic drug Solifenacin Succinate and Tolterodine are available in our country for the treatment of OAB.
Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology communications, Oct 1, 2016
Multicopper oxidases oxidize various phenolic and nonphenolic compounds by using molecular oxygen... more Multicopper oxidases oxidize various phenolic and nonphenolic compounds by using molecular oxygen as an electron acceptor to produce water. A multicopper oxidase protein, CueO, from Escherichia coli is involved in copper homeostasis in the bacterial cell. Although X-ray crystallographic studies have been conducted, the reduction mechanism of oxygen and the proton-transfer pathway remain unclear owing to the difficulty in identifying H atoms from X-ray diffraction data alone. To elucidate the reaction mechanism using neutron crystallography, a preparation system for obtaining large, high-quality single crystals of deuterated CueO was developed. Tiny crystals were obtained from the deuterated CueO initially prepared from the original construct. The X-ray crystal structure of the deuterated CueO showed that the protein contained an incompletely truncated signal sequence at the N-terminus, which resulted in the heterogeneity of the protein sample for crystallization. Here, a new CueO ex...
Journal of epidemiology and community health, Jan 5, 2015
Efforts to end preventable newborn deaths will fail if the poor are not reached with effective in... more Efforts to end preventable newborn deaths will fail if the poor are not reached with effective interventions. To understand what works to reach vulnerable groups, we describe and explain the uptake of a highly effective community-based newborn health intervention across social strata in Asia and Africa. We conducted a secondary analysis of seven randomised trials of participatory women's groups to reduce newborn mortality in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Malawi. We analysed data on 70 574 pregnancies. Socioeconomic and sociodemographic differences in group attendance were tested using logistic regression. Qualitative data were collected at each trial site (225 focus groups, 20 interviews) to understand our results. Socioeconomic differences in women's group attendance were small, except for occasional lower attendance by elites. Sociodemographic differences were large, with lower attendance by young primigravid women in African as well as in South Asian sites. The interventio...
African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM / African Networks on Ethnomedicines, 2013
Amaranthus tricolor whole plants are used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for treat... more Amaranthus tricolor whole plants are used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for treatment of pain, anaemia, dysentery, skin diseases, diabetes, and as a blood purifier. Thus far, no scientific studies have evaluated the antihyperglycaemic and antinociceptive effects of the plant. The present study was carried out to evaluate the possible glucose tolerance efficacy of methanolic extracts of A. tricolour whole plants using glucose-induced hyperglycaemic mice, and antinociceptive effects with acetic acid-induced gastric pain models in mice. In antihyperglycaemic activity tests, the extract at different doses was administered one hour prior to glucose administration and blood glucose level was measured after two hours of glucose administration (p.o.) using glucose oxidase method. The statistical data indicated the significant oral hypoglycaemic activity on glucose-loaded mice at all doses of the extracts tested. Maximum antihyperglycaemic activity was shown at 400 mg extract...
African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, Aug 14, 2013
&... more 'Khoyer' is prepared by boiling the wood of Acacia catechu in water and then evaporating the resultant brew. The resultant hard material is powdered and chewed with betel leaves and lime with or without tobacco by a large number of the people of Bangladesh as an addictive psycho-stimulating and euphoria-inducing formulation. There are folk medicinal claims that khoyer helps in the relief of pain and is also useful to diabetic patients to maintain normal sugar levels. Thus far no scientific studies have evaluated the antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive effects of khoyer. The present study was carried out to evaluate the possible glucose tolerance efficacy of methanolic extracts of khoyer using glucose-induced hyperglycemic mice, and antinociceptive effects with acetic acid-induced gastric pain models in mice. In antihyperglycemic activity tests, the extract at different doses was administered one hour prior to glucose administration and blood glucose level was measured after two hours of glucose administration (p.o.) using glucose oxidase method. The statistical data indicated the significant oral hypoglycemic activity on glucose-loaded mice at all doses of the extracts tested. Maximum anti-hyperglycemic activity was shown at 400 mg extract per kg body weight, which was less than that of a standard drug, glibenclamide (10 mg/kg body weight). In antinociceptive activity tests, the extract also demonstrated a dose-dependent significant reduction in the number of writhing induced in mice through intraperitoneal administration of acetic acid. Maximum antinociceptive activity was observed at a dose of 400 mg extract per kg body weight, which was greater than that of a standard antinociceptive drug, aspirin, when administered at a dose of 400 mg per kg body weight. The results validate the folk medicinal use of the plant for reduction of blood sugar in diabetic patients, as well as the folk medicinal use for alleviation of pain.