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Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) represents a serious global epidemic of the 21st century as reported by World Health Organisation (WHO). T2DM causes its own direct adverse effects as well as predisposes patients to the development of other chronic metabolic diseases such cardiovascular complications which lead to premature mortality. Thus, continuous search for remedies with minimum side effects were paramount. Scores of studies have demonstrated the health benefits derived from eating seaweed which promotes seaweed as a nutritional foodstuff. Moreover, research is advancing into using marine macroalgae also known as seaweed for production of novel foods and nutraceuticals. Modulating digestion with natural compounds has been shown to be a fruitful approach to the treatment of diabetes. The objectives of this study were to assess Malaysian seaweed species for their potential to regulate postprandial hyperglycaemia which is a pivotal feature of T2DM. Three species of Malaysian edible seaweed (Eucheuma denticulatum, Sargassum polycystum and Caulerpa lentillifera) found in coastal area of Sabah were selected and subjected to evaluation of their anti-diabetic potential in vitro in terms of their inhibition towards digestive enzymes that involve in hydrolysis of dietary carbohydrates (α-amylase and α-glucosidase). The seaweed were further subjected to other analyses related to glucose lowering properties such as antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory, adipogenesis, lipase enzyme inhibition and glucose uptake activities. Initially, the seaweed were screened and characterized for the presence of natural functional bioactive compounds which can be related to its health benefits. Following that, dinitrosalicylic acid assay was adapted in microplate to assess the inhibition of α-amylase activity while colorimetry method for α-glucosidase inhibition assay. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated for their free radical-scavenging capacity using 1, 1-diphenyl-2- pricrylhydrazyl (DPP

BACKGROUND: To explore the hypothesis that sight restoring cataract surgery provided to impoverished rural communities will improve not only visual acuity and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) but also poverty and social status. METHODS: Participants were recruited at outreach camps in Tamil Nadu, South India, and underwent free routine manual small incision cataract surgery (SICS) with intra-ocular lens (IOL) implantation, and were followed up one year later. Poverty was measured as monthly household income, being engaged in income generating activities and number of working household members. Social status was measured as rates of re-marriage amongst widowed participants. VRQoL was measured using the IND-VFQ-33. Associations were explored using logistic regression (SPSS 19). RESULTS: Of the 294 participants, mean age ± standard deviation (SD) 60 ± 8 years, 54% men, only 11% remained vision impaired at follow up (67% at baseline; p<0.001). At one year, more participants were engaged in income generating activities (44.7% to 77.7%; p<0.001) and the proportion of households with a monthly income <1000 Rps. decreased from 50.5% to 20.5% (p<0.05). Overall VRQoL improved (p<0.001). Participants who had successful cataract surgery were less likely to remain in the lower categories of monthly household income (OR 0.05-0.22; p<0.02) and more likely to be engaged in income earning activities one year after surgery (OR 3.28; p = 0.006). Participants widowed at baseline who had successful cataract surgery were less likely to remain widowed at one year (OR 0.02; p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate the broad positive impact of sight restoring cataract surgery on the recipients' as well as their families' lives. Providing free high quality cataract surgery to marginalized rural communities will not only alleviate avoidable blindness but also - to some extent - poverty in the long run.