Purpose: To investigate the antidepressant effect of methanol extract of smokeless tobacco and identify its bioactive compounds.
Methods: Adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups of five rats each: normal control group, standard (reference) control group as well as 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg extract group. The extract, standard drug (imipramine) and normal saline were administered via the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. The rats were subjected to forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) to assess the antidepressant effect of methanol extract of smokeless tobacco. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify the bioactive compounds of the extract.
Results: The oral LD50 of the extract was > 2000 mg/kg. Significant decrease in immobility time was observed after single administration of imipramine (p < 0.05). The extract significantly and dosedependently decreased the immobility time, but increased climbing and swimming times, when compared with normal control group (p < 0.05). The immobility time of stressed rats regardless of sex was significantly and dose-dependently lowered, relative to normal control group (p < 0.05). Four major compounds were identified in the extract: nicotine (45.88 %); 1,5-dimethyl-2-pyrrolidinone (23.00 %), nhexadecanoic acid (11.31 %) and vitamin A aldehyde (9.38 %).
Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the methanol extract of smokeless tobacco possesses antidepressant and mood-elevating effects in rats. However, its use should be discouraged since it contains a number of hazardous and carcinogenic components such as N-nitroso compounds and benzo(a)pyrene which are categorized as Class-I carcinogens.
Background Zingiber zerumbet Smith is a perennial herb, broadly distributed in many tropical areas. In Malaysia, it's locally known among the Malay people as "lempoyang" and its rhizomes, particularly, is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease beyond other gastric disorders. Aim of the study The aim of the current study is to evaluate the gastroprotective effect of zerumbone, the main bioactive compound of Zingiber zerumbet rhizome, against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. Materials and Methods Rats were pre-treated with zerumbone and subsequently exposed to acute gastric ulcer induced by absolute ethanol administration. Following treatment, gastric juice acidity, ulcer index, mucus content, histological analysis (HE and PAS), immunohistochemical localization for HSP-70, prostaglandin E2 synthesis (PGE2), non-protein sulfhydryl gastric content (NP-SH), reduced glutathione level (GSH), and malondialdehyde level (MDA) were evaluated in ethanol-induced ulcer in vivo. Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and anti-H. pylori activity were investigated in vitro. Results The results showed that the intragastric administration of zerumbone protected the gastric mucosa from the aggressive effect of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, coincided with reduced submucosal edema and leukocyte infiltration. This observed gastroprotective effect of zerumbone was accompanied with a significant (p <0.05) effect of the compound to restore the lowered NP-SH and GSH levels, and to reduce the elevated MDA level into the gastric homogenate. Moreover, the compound induced HSP-70 up-regulation into the gastric tissue. Furthermore, zerumbone significantly (p <0.05) enhanced mucus production, showed intense PAS stain and maintained PG content near to the normal level. The compound exhibited antisecretory activity and an interesting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against H. pylori strain. Conclusion The results of the present study revealed that zerumbone promotes ulcer protection, which might be attributed to the maintenance of mucus integrity, antioxidant activity, and HSP-70 induction. Zerumbone also exhibited antibacterial action against H. pylori.
This study was carried out to produce food products mainly concentrated juice and jam from the fruit pulp of Detarium microcarpum (DM), and compare them with a commercial sample as control. The proximate chemical analysis of the dried fruit pulp of DM showed high proportions of carbohydrate (40- 42.0%) and protein (29.1-30.9%); samples from Abu Gibaiha (AB) are the highest in both protein and carbohydrates in comparison with other samples from Ghibaish (GH) and Omdurman (OM). ICP-MS was used to determine the minerals (on mg/100 g dry weight basis). Concentrations of major elements K, Na, Mg and Ca were found to be higher in AB followed by GH and OM, respectively, with low levels in minor elements. The sensory evaluation of the produced jam and concentrated juice from the fruit pulp of DM was significantly preferred (P 0.05) by the panelists for their color, odor, taste, texture and overall acceptability to the control samples. The results of this study offer the conditions that may lead to a better processing of this fruit
Abstract Data on the association between social isolation, loneliness, and risk of incident coronary heart disease (CVD) are conflicting. The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between social isolation and loneliness, and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle age and elderly using meta-analysis. The purpose of the bibliometric analysis is to systematically evaluate the existing literature on the relationship between social isolation, loneliness, and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle-aged and elderly individuals. A comprehensive search through four electronic databases (MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science) was conducted for published articles that determined the association between social isolation and/or loneliness and the risk of developing coronary heart disease from June 2015 to May 2023. Two independent reviewers reviewed the titles and abstracts of the records. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline to conduct the systematic review and meta-analysis. Data for the bibliometric analysis was obtained from the Scopus database and analyzed using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix applications. Six studies involving 104,511 patients were included in the final qualitative review and meta-analysis after screening the records. The prevalence of loneliness ranged from 5 to 65.3%, and social isolation ranged from 2 to 56.5%. A total of 5073 cardiovascular events were recorded after follow-up, ranging between 4 and 13 years. Poor social relationships were associated with a 16% increase in the risk of incident CVD (Hazard Ratio of new CVD when comparing high versus low loneliness or social isolation was 1.16 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.10–1.22). The bibliometric analysis shows a rapidly growing field (9.77% annual growth) with common collaboration (6.37 co-authors/document, 26.53% international). The US leads research output, followed by the UK and Australia. Top institutions include University College London, Inserm, and the University of Glasgow. Research focuses on "elderly," "cardiovascular disease," and "psychosocial stress," with recent trends in "mental health," "social determinants," and "COVID-19". Social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of and worsen outcomes in incident cardiovascular diseases. However, the observed effect estimate is small, and this may be attributable to residual confounding from incomplete measurement of potentially confounding or mediating factors. The results of the bibliometric analysis highlight the multidimensional nature of CVD research, covering factors such as social, psychological, and environmental determinants, as well as their interplay with various demographic and health-related variables.
Osteoporosis is especially prevalent in the older population and in women. Fractures lead to many health complications, placing an enormous burden on the health system. Improved knowledge will encourage healthy practices that prevent osteoporosis and help community members avoid unhealthy lifestyles and habits. The goal of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to osteoporosis among male and female students of the Jazan community.The Jazan region has 13 governorates and a population of more than 1.5 million. For this study, 440 participants were selected from seven different governorates, and the osteoporosis knowledge assessment tool (OKAT) was used together with five background variables and some questions on attitude and practice. A Chi-squared test was implemented to identify any significant relationships between the background variables and the knowledge and practice scores. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.Of the 440 participants, 53% were men and 47% women. Thirty-three percent of them held government jobs, 73% had completed university, and 50% had a monthly income of less than 5,000 riyals. Regarding the risk factors for osteoporosis, 62 (14%) smoked, 37 (8.4%) used steroids, 184 (41.8%) had a family history of osteoporosis, and 393 (89.3%) had not attended an education campaign on osteoporosis. The highest number of correct answers in the OKAT was to the question "osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures" (423, 96.1%), and the lowest number of correct answers was to the question "osteoporosis is more common in men" (60, 13.6%). Regarding protective behaviors against osteoporosis, namely physical activity, daily intake of dairy products, attending an education campaign, and background characteristics, attending an education campaign was statistically significant, with a P value of 0.003, but marital status, education level, body mass index (BMI), and occupation were not statistically significant. For the risk factors, sex was statistically significant, along with the daily soft drink intake and smoking but not with the use of steroids. Other background characteristics, such as education level and BMI, were not statistically significant as osteoporosis risk factors.The participants' level of knowledge was high, and the risk factors for osteoporosis were still present together with a low level of achievement for protective measures. It is highly recommended that education campaigns be implemented to increase knowledge and encourage improved attitudes and practices.
Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. is an African wild tree found in many countries across the continent. Its leaves, bark, root, and fruits are used in food, cosmetics, and traditional medicine. However, no systematic bibliometric review on S. birrea have been performed so far. This study covered publications made in 1986–2022 and investigated such bibliometric indicators as knowledge dynamics, links and structure, relevant journals, productive organizations, renowned authors, authoring patterns, national and international collaboration levels, etc. The bibliometric data on a total of 369 publications were downloaded from Scopus database and analyzed using the MS-Excel and VOSViewer software. The Scopus publications on S. birrea showed a versatile range in the interdisciplinary areas of research, with agricultural and biological sciences predominating. The Republic of South Africa was responsible for the largest number of citations. All in all, 63 countries published research on S. birrea in the specified time period, and the share of African countries was 65.43% of the total global research. Co-authorship and international collaboration were registered for six clusters. A total of 1114 researchers and 160 institutions actively contributed to S. birrea studies, with 37 having a minimum of five publications. Mapping of knowledge structure using the keyword co-occurrence revealed the related research areas. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology took the lead in terms of average citation. The co-citation analysis revealed some remarkable dynamics in S. birrea research. This bibliometric study provides a complete insight into S. birrea research development and publication patterns over the last 36 years.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread globally, causing unprecedented effects on global health and economies. Community-based serological data are essential for understanding the true prevalence of infections, specifically the subclinical infections, as COVID-19 asymptomatic infections are common. Such data would also be important for decision making around choosing appropriate epidemiological control measures, as well as for the true estimation of mortality rates in the population. Further, determining the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the population would provide important information on herd immunity. In this study, we conducted a population-based age-stratified serological study to understand the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. Out of 594 participants who were recruited from 29 August to 30 December 2020, just before the vaccination rollout program in Saudi Arabia, about 157 were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2, indicating an estimated seropositivity rate of 26%. Although no significant difference in seropositivity was seen between male and female participants, we found that lower seroprevalence was associated with the younger (below 18 years old) and older populations (older than 56 years) compared with other age groups (19-55 years). These data indicate a high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies following the peak of COVID-19 spread in Jazan province; however, most of the population (three-quarters) remains susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The anti-cancer effect of Boesenbergin A (BA) isolated from Boesenbergia rotunda, via the induction of apoptosis resulting from mitochondrial dysfunction was assessed in human non-small cell lung cancer (A549) cells. The apoptotic mechanisms of BA induction on cancer cells were studied in the present study for the first time. Nuclear stain, measuring the accumulation of sub-G1 cell population and DNA ladder were done to determine the apoptosis. Further investigations into the depletion of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c determined that BA treatment induced apoptosis via the regulation of the expression of pro-survival and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members. The involvement of both intrinsic and extrinsic caspases (caspase 3/7, 9 and 8) were significantly increased. Moreover the role of free radicals was significantly found to be elevated with concomitant decrease in HSP70. In conclusion the results from the current study indicated BA could be a promising agent for the treatment of lung cancer.
Antiapoptotic and antioxidant activities of aqueous-methanolic extract (CAME) of Orthosiphonstamineus Benth(OS), and its hexane (HF), chloroform (CF), n-butanol (NBF), ethyl acetate (EAF) and water (WF) fractions were investigated. Antioxidant properties were evaluated using the assays of Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminiumtrichloride, β-carotene bleaching and DPPH. The role of OS against hydrogen peroxide induced apoptosis on MDA-M231 epithelial cells was examined using MTT assay, phase contrast microscope, colorimetric assay of caspase-3, western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. Results showed that EAF showed the highest total phenolic content followed by CAME, NBF, WF, CF and HF, respectively. Flavonoid content was in the order of the CF > EAF > HF > CAME > NBF > WF. The IC(50) values on DPPH assay for different extract/fractions were 126.2 ± 23, 31.25 ± 1.2, 15.25 ± 2.3, 13.56 ± 1.9, 23.0 ± 3.2, and 16.66 ± 1.5 μg/ml for HF, CF, EAF, NBF, WF and CAME, respectively. OSreduced the oxidation of β-carotene by hydroperoxides. Cell death was dose-dependently inhibited by pretreatment with OS. Caspase-3 and distinct morphological features suggest the anti-apoptotic activities of OS. This plant not only increased the expression of Bcl-2, but also decreased Bax expression, and ultimately reduced H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis. The current results showed that phenolics may provide health and nutritional benefits.
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