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  1. Ooi, Yin Yin, Soyza, R. M., Low, Z. X., Tan, K. L.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Microglia, the resident myeloid cells of the Central Nervous System (CNS) are primarily responsible for the production of inflammatory mediators that accumulate and become toxic during a chronic inflammatory response. The accumulation of inflammatory mediators over time inadvertently contributes to the functional impairment of surrounding neurons. Hence, suppressing microglial cell activation can be a solution to control the progress of neurodegenerative disorders. Symptomatic treatments are available, but no curative treatment is currently available, and some are linked to several side effects associated with their use. Honey is a natural product derived from the nectar harvested and modified by honeybees. Its therapeutic effects are widely documented, have been tested and verified extensively in literature. Honey is recognized in modern medicine for its varied pharmacological activities. While the medicinal properties of honeys such as Manuka honey are well established, further investigation is required to elucidate the medicinal properties of locally sourced honeys, namely Tualang (TH) and Kelulut (KH) honeys. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of local TH and KH honey on microglial cell activities. Methods: BV2 cells, an immortalized microglial cell line was used in this in vitro study to assess the cell survival when treated with the TH and KH honey. Expression of CD40, CD11b and CD86 were measured using flowcytometry. Results: BV2 cells incubated with TH at concentrations of 0.1% and 0.5%, and KH at concentrations of 0.1% and 0.25% for 24 and 48 hours showed cell survivability above 75%. Both TH and KH decreased ROS production significantly on LPS-induced BV2 cells, but increased ROS production on unstimulated BV2 cells. Additionally, the expression levels of CD40, CD11b and CD86 were also reduced on honey- treated LPS-induced BV2 cells. Conclusion: These results have demonstrated that both TH and KH are capable of suppressing microglial activation. Therefore, we propose the idea of utilizing these honeys as a complementary treatment to suppress the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
  2. Low Z, Lani R, Tiong V, Poh C, AbuBakar S, Hassandarvish P
    Int J Mol Sci, 2023 May 31;24(11).
    PMID: 37298539 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119589
    Despite the fact that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment and management are now considerably regulated, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still one of the leading causes of death in 2022. The availability of COVID-19 vaccines, FDA-approved antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies in low-income countries still poses an issue to be addressed. Natural products, particularly traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and medicinal plant extracts (or their active component), have challenged the dominance of drug repurposing and synthetic compound libraries in COVID-19 therapeutics. Their abundant resources and excellent antiviral performance make natural products a relatively cheap and readily available alternative for COVID-19 therapeutics. Here, we deliberately review the anti-SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms of the natural products, their potency (pharmacological profiles), and application strategies for COVID-19 intervention. In light of their advantages, this review is intended to acknowledge the potential of natural products as COVID-19 therapeutic candidates.
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