Camel urine has traditionally been used to treat multiple human diseases and possesses the most beneficial effects amongst the urine of other animals. However, scientific review evaluating the anticancer, antiplatelet, gastroprotective and hepatoprotective effects of camel urine is still scarce. Thus, this scoping review aimed to provide scientific evidence on the therapeutic potentials of camel urine. Three databases were searched to identify relevant articles (Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus) up to September 2020. Original articles published in English that investigated the effects of camel urine in various diseases were included. The literature search identified six potential articles that met all the inclusion criteria. Three articles showed that camel urine possesses cytotoxic activities against different types of cancer cells. Two studies revealed camel urine's protective effects against liver toxicity and gastric ulcers, whilst another study showed the role of camel urine as an antiplatelet agent. All studies demonstrated significant positive effects with different effective dosages. Thus, camel urine shows promising therapeutic potential in treating human diseases, especially cancer. However, the standardised dosage and potential side effects should be determined before camel urine could be offered as an alternative treatment.
This study was conducted to detect the presence of chicken and porcine DNA in meatballs using mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) of cytochrome b (cyt b) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) species-specific primers, respectively. While, the mtDNA primers targeted transfer RNA-ATP8 (tRNA-ATP8) gene was used for 1 and 5% (w/w) chicken meatball spiked with commercial porcine blood plasm. Chicken meatballs spiked with 1% and 5% (v/w) fresh and commercial porcine blood plasma, respectively were prepared and heat-treated using five (n = 5) cooking methods: boiling, pan-frying, roasting, microwaving and autoclaving. Two pairs of mtDNA and nDNA primers used, produced 129 and 161 bp amplicons, respectively. Whereas, tRNA-ATP8 primers produced 212 bp of amplicon. Electrophoresis analysis showed positive results for porcine DNA at 1% and 5% (w/w or v/v) for all of the different cooking techniques, either for fresh or commercial blood plasma using SINE primers but not for tRNA-ATP8 primers. The present study has highlighted the useful of species-specific primers of SINE primers in PCR analysis for detecting porcine DNA blood plasma in heat-treated chicken meatballs.
Tualang, Gelam and Kelulut honeys are tropical rainforest honeys reported to have various medicinal properties. Studies related to the medicinal properties and physicochemical characteristics of these honeys are growing extensively and receiving increased attention. This review incorporated and analysed the findings on the biological and physicochemical properties of these honeys. Tualang, Gelam and Kelulut honeys were found to possess a wide variety of biological effects attributed to their physicochemical characteristics. Findings revealed that these honeys have anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-oxidative, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties and effects on the cardiovascular system, nervous system and reproductive system. The physicochemical properties of these honeys were compared and discussed and results showed that they have high-quality contents and excellent antioxidant sources.
Curcumin is one of the main polyphenolic compounds in the turmeric rhizome. It possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-arthritis, anti-asthmatic, anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. This review aims to provide an overview of the potential health benefits of curcumin to treat female reproductive disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ovarian failure and endometriosis. Comprehensive information on curcumin was retrieved from electronic databases, which were MEDLINE via EBSCOhost, Scopus and Google Scholar. The available evidence showed that curcumin reduced the high level of androgen in PCOS. Studies in rodents suggest that curcumin resulted in the disappearance of cysts and the appearance of healthy follicles and corpora lutea. Furthermore, animal studies showed curcumin improved the overall function of the ovary in ovarian diseases and reversed the disturbance in oxidative stress parameters. Meanwhile, in vitro and in vivo studies reported the positive effects of curcumin in alleviating endometriosis through anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic mechanisms. Thus, curcumin possesses various effects on PCOS, ovarian diseases and endometriosis. Some studies found considerable therapeutic effects, whereas others found no effect. However, none of the investigations found curcumin to be harmful. Curcumin clinical trials in endometriosis and ovarian illness are still scarce; thus, future studies need to be conducted to confirm the safety and efficacy of curcumin before it could be offered as a complementary therapy agent.
Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic and its prevalence continues to increase at an alarming rate. It is considered a major risk factor for the development of several comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, stroke, other cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. Conventional treatments for obesity, such as dietary interventions, exercise and pharmacotherapy, have proven to have limited effectiveness and are often associated with undesirable side effects. Therefore, there is a growing interest in exploring alternative therapeutic approaches. Nigella sativa (NS), a medicinal plant with multiple pharmacological properties, has gained attention due to its potential role in the treatment of obesity and its associated complications. The aim of this review is therefore to assess the effects of NS on obesity and its complications and to provide insights into the underlying mechanisms. From this review, NS appears to play a complementary or supportive role in the treatment of obesity and its complications. However, future studies are needed to verify the efficacy of NS in the treatment of obesity and its complications and to prove its safety so that it can be introduced in patients with obesity.
This review aims to gather and summarize up-to-date information on the potential health benefits of Nigella sativa (NS) on diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications from different animal models, clinical trials and in vitro studies. DM is one of the most prevalent metabolic disorders resulting from chronic hyperglycaemia due to problems in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. It affects people regardless of age, gender and race. The main consequence of DM development is the metabolic dysregulation of glucose homeostasis. Current treatments for DM include pharmacological therapy, insulin and diabetic therapy targeting β cells. Some of these therapeutic approaches are promising; however, their safety and effectiveness remain elusive. Since ancient times, medicinal plants have been used and proven effective against diseases. These plants are believed to be effective and benefit physiological and pathological processes, as they can be used to prevent, reduce or treat multiple diseases. Nigella sativa Linn. is an annual indigenous herbaceous plant belonging to Ranunculaceae, the buttercup family. NS exhibits multifactorial activities; it could ameliorate oxidative, inflammatory, apoptotic and insulinotropic effects and inhibit carbohydrate digestive enzymes. Thus, this review demonstrates the therapeutic potential of NS that could be used as a complement or adjuvant for the management of DM and its complications. However, future research should be able to replicate and fill in the gaps of the study conducted to introduce NS safely to patients with DM.
Islam is a religion that inspires its followers to seek knowledge continually and nurtures innovation, within the realms of Islamic rulings, towards an ameliorated quality of life. Up-to-date biotechnological techniques, specifically animal cloning, are involved in advancing society's health, social, and economic domains. The goal of animal cloning includes the production of genetically modified animal for human consumption. Therefore, this research endeavoured to study animal cloning's current scientific findings, examine the by-product of said process, and determine its permissibility in an Islamic context. This study employed descriptive literature reviews. Results concluded that animal cloning, especially in mammals, does not occur naturally as in plants. A broadly trusted and efficient animal cloning method is known as Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), which includes three principal steps: oocyte enucleation; implantation of donor cells (or nucleus); and the activation of the embryo. Nevertheless, the limitations of SCNT, particularly to the Large Offspring Syndrome (LOS), should be noted. One of the forms of the application of animal cloning is in agriculture. From an Islamic perspective, determining the permissibility of consuming cloned animals as food is essentially based on whether the cloned animal conforms to Islamic law's principles and criteria. Islam interdicts animal cloning when it is executed without benefiting humans, religion, or society. Nonetheless, if it is done to preserve the livelihood and the needs of a community, then the process is deemed necessary and should be administered following the conditions outlined in Islam. Hence, the Islamic ruling for animal cloning is not rigid and varies proportionately with the current fatwa.