Search

Strobilanthes crispa (L.) Blume (S. crispa) is a folklore medicinal plant of the genus Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae), traditionally used in Malaysia and Indonesia to treat various diseases such as breast and uterine cancers, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gastrointestinal and kidney diseases, typhoid, jaundice, piles, high cholesterol, and ulcers. Several studies have shown that S. crispa contains a variety of phytochemicals, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, sulfur-containing, steroids, chlorophylls, benzofuran, fatty acids, and other simple metabolites. Furthermore, based on its traditional uses, S. crispa has demonstrated a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities. These activities include antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound healing, anticancer, anti-trypanosomal, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-urolithiatic, anti-angiogenic, and vasorelaxant activity. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current understanding of traditional use, toxicity, phytochemicals, and pharmacological studies of S. crispa, thereby validating its ethnopharmacological applications and exploring possible research opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to assess pharmacists' knowledge about the safe use of topical corticosteroids (TCS) in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) and to determine whether their knowledge and beliefs can be modified after reading the designed module on TCS use in AD. Methods A multicentre cross-sectional survey study was conducted among pharmacists working in the healthcare facilities of Malaysia between February 2018 and April 2019. A total of 310 pharmacists were participated and requested to complete the questionnaire before (pre-test) and 1 week after reading the designed TCS module (post-test). Results Pharmacist's post-module score [median = 8 (interquartile range {IQR} 5–11)] was significantly higher than their pre-module score [median = 5 (IQR1–10; P < 0.001)]. After reading the TCS module, there was a significant increase in correct responses observed to the dispensing activities, application recommendations and side effects associated with the inappropriate use of TCS (P < 0.001). Pharmacists were found highly confident in the use of TCS after reading the designed module with a mean score of 8.0 (95% confidence interval 7.87–8.13) out of 10 measured on the Likert scale. Conclusion TCS module has been proven effective in enhancing pharmacists' knowledge about the safe use of TCS in the treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food manufacturers are interested in developing emulsion-based products into nutritional foods by using beneficial oils, such as fish oil and virgin coconut oil (VCO). In this study, the physicochemical properties of a VCO oil-in-water emulsion was investigated and compared to other commercial oil-in-water emulsion products (C1, C2, C3, and C4). C3 exhibited the smallest droplet size of 3.25 μm. The pH for the emulsion samples ranged from 2.52 to 4.38 and thus were categorised as acidic. In a texture analysis, C2 was described as the most firm, very adhesive and cohesive, as well as having high compressibility properties. From a rheological viewpoint, all the emulsion samples exhibited non-Newtonian behaviour, which manifested as a shear-thinning property. The G'G'' crossover illustrated by the VCO emulsion in the amplitude sweep graph but not the other commercial samples illustrated that the VCO emulsion had a better mouthfeel. In this context, the VCO emulsion yielded the highest zeta potential (64.86 mV), which was attributed to its strong repulsive forces, leading to a good dispersion system. C2 comprised the highest percentage of fat among all emulsion samples, followed by the VCO emulsion, with 18.44% and 6.59%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis are affected by physiological and psychological stressors, which contribute to poor quality of life and negative clinical outcomes. Depression, anxiety, and stress are highly prevalent in this population. Effective interventional strategies are required to manage these psychological symptoms. Acupressure has been believed to be one of the complementary therapies that could promote psychological wellbeing. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acupressure on depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress in patients with hemodialysis. Design: Open-label randomized controlled trial. Setting: Three hemodialysis centers. Participants: A total of 108 patients with hemodialysis were randomly recruited into the acupressure group (n = 54) and the control group (n = 54). Method: The intervention was carried out from January to March 2014. The acupressure group received routine hemodialysis treatment plus 15 min acupressure applied three times a week for four weeks. The control group received only usual care with routine hemodialysis treatment. The outcome measurements were the Depression, Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and general psychological distress using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare DASS scales and GHQ-28 scores before and after acupressure intervention. Results: The acupressure group had significantly lower DASS scores and GHQ scores compared to the control group, signifying improvements in depression, anxiety, stress and general psychological distress. The sub-score of the GHQ-28 for social dysfunction, however, were similar in both groups. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicates that acupressure therapy delivered three times a week for four weeks was able to significantly reduce depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress in patients with hemodialysis. This positive finding suggests that acupressure may have a role in promoting psychological wellbeing of patients. Promoting psychological wellness will improve patients' quality of life, and reduce negative outcomes associated with psychological illnesses and distress experienced by patients with hemodialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasound-assisted chemical pretreatment was applied to durian peel. • Characterization using SEM, FTIR and XRD. • Ultrasound intensified the solubilization of lignin and hemicellulose. • Ultrasound plus alkaline pretreatment produced highest fermentable sugar. Durian peel, an abundant waste in Malaysia could be a potential substrate for fermentable sugar recovery for value-added biochemical production. Common pretreatment such as acid or alkaline pretreatment resulted in the need for extensive solid washing which generated wastewater. Herein, this study aims to introduce sonication on top of chemical pretreatment to destruct lignin and reduce the chemical usage during the durian peel pretreatment process. In this study, the morphology and the chemical composition of the pretreated durian peels were studied. The sugar yield produced from the chemical pretreatment and the combined ultrasound and chemical pretreatment were compared. The morphology and chemical structure of durian peels were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SEM images showed that the structural change became more significant when sonication was introduced. Second, XRD profile indicated a relatively higher crystallinity index and FTIR spectra displayed a lower intensity of lignin and hemicellulose for ultrasound plus alkaline (UB) pretreatment as compared to acid, alkaline and ultrasound plus acid (UA) pretreatment. UB and UA pretreatment portrayed higher yield (376.60 ± 12.14 and 237.38 ± 3.96 mg reducing sugar/g dry biomass, respectively) than their controls without the application of ultrasound. Therefore, it could be concluded that ultrasound was able to intensify the fermentable sugar recovery from durian peel by inducing physical and chemical effect of cavitation to alter the morphology of durian peel. Fermentation of UB treated durian peel resulted in 2.68 mol hydrogen/mol consumed sugar and 131.56 mL/L medium /h of hydrogen productivity. This study is important because it will shed light on a way to handle durian waste disposal problems and generate fermentable sugars for the production of high value-added products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer patients often grapple with substantial out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses and productivity loss, with the ramifications being particularly crucial for lower-income households. This study aims to estimate OOP costs incurred by cancer patients, assess their productivity loss, and analyse the financial coping mechanisms employed by individuals within the lower-income bracket. The study employed face-to-face interviews among cancer patients aged 40 years and above, currently undergoing treatment, and belonging to the lower-income group. Participants were recruited from six public cancer referral hospitals. OOP expenses, encompassing medical and non-medical costs, along with productivity loss, were measured. A generalized linear model was applied to identify potential OOP determinants. Additionally, the coping mechanisms employed by individuals to finance their cancer OOP expenses were also determined. Among the 430 participants recruited, predominantly female (63.5%), and aged 60 or older (53.9%). The annual mean total cancer costs per patient were US$ 2,398.28 (±2,168.74), including 15% for medical costs US$ 350.95 (±560.24), 34% for non-medical costs US$820.24 (±818.24), and 51% for productivity loss costs US$1,227.09 (±1,809.09). Transportation, nutritional supplements, outpatient treatment, and medical supplies were notable cost contributors to total OOP expenditures. Ethnicity (β = 1.44; 95%CI = 1.15-1.79), household income (β = 1.40; 95%CI = 1.10-1.78), annual outpatient visits (β = 1.00; 95%CI = 1.00-1.01), age (β = 0.74; 95%CI = 0.56-0.98), and employment status (β = 0.54; 95%CI = 0.72-1.34) were identified as significant predictors of OOP costs among cancer patients. Notably, 91% of participants relied on household salaries and savings, while 15% resorted to interest-free borrowing, 11% sold possessions, and 0.5% borrowed with interest to finance their expenses. This study offers crucial insights into the economic impact of cancer on individuals and their families, providing policymakers with valuable information to tackle challenges faced in their journey. Despite substantial public healthcare subsidies, the study revealed that cancer costs can remain a potential barrier to accessing essential treatment. Therefore, there is a need for reinforced system-level infrastructure to facilitate targeted financial navigation services., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Aminuddin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; Toxoplasma gondii, which is one of the most important zoonotic parasite worldwide. In dogs, the sexual reproductive cycle of T. gondii is lacking, and the animals are not widely consumed as food, but they are vital in the mechanical transmission of the parasite. However, there is no present data on the exposure of stray dogs to T. gondii in Malaysia. The objective of this serological survey was to determine the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies (IgG) and associated factors in stray dogs in East and West Malaysia. Antibodies to T. gondii were determined in serum samples from 222 stray dogs from 6 different states in East and West Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia) using an Indirect ELISA. The seroprevalence for T. gondii was 23.4% (Confidence interval: CI 17.8-29.2%). Stray dogs from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur had the highest seroprevalence (32.4%; CI 13.2-45.5%) and lowest in those from Penang and Kedah (12.5%; CI 1.3-23.5%). Gender and breed were not associated with T. gondii seropositivity. However, adult dogs were more likely to be seropositive for T. gondii (OR=2.89; CI 1.1-7.7) compared with younger dogs. These results revealed that T. gondii is prevalent in stray dogs in the studied areas in Malaysia, and indicative of the level of environmental contamination of this parasite especially in urban areas.