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Fulltext Phytochemical properties and traditional uses of selected medicinal plants in Malaysia: a review

A’attiyyah A.A., Wan Afiqah Syahirah W.G., Kannan, T.P., Suharni M., Ahmad A., Nor Azah M.A.

Journal of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 2017;2(2):14-25.
MyJurnal

Medicinal plants have healing properties and are able to synthesize various chemical compounds. These chemicals (also known as phytochemical compounds) play vital roles in determining the pharmacological properties existing in certain plants. The phytochemical compounds present in plants are associated with primary and secondary constituents. Most of the time, the secondary constituents exhibit the bioactivities in plants such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Some common medicinal plants that have been used in curing various diseases by traditional practitioners in Malaysia are Ficus deltoidea Jack, Andrographis paniculata, Curcuma longa, Clinacanthus nutans and Eurycoma longifolia Jack. This review discusses the morphology, phytochemical compounds and phytochemical properties of selected medicinal plants in Malaysia. The plants of focus have been found to possess anti-cancer and anti-diabetic effects. This review, it is hoped will enable Malaysian researchers to explore further on the potential of these plants in investigating new and novel drugs in the future.
Fulltext The antibacterial properties of euphorbia tirucalli stem extracts against dental caries-related bacteria

Yi, Q.S., Wan Zarina, Z.A., Nurulhidayah, C.N., Mohamad Ezany, Y., Azlina, A., Suharni, M.

Medicine & Health, 2017;12(1):34-41.
MyJurnal

Euphorbia tirucalli dilaporkan mempunyai aktiviti antibakteria terhadap pelbagai
mikroorganisma. Kajian in vitro ini bertujuan untuk menilai ciri-ciri antibakteria
ekstrak (metanol, etanol dan ekstrak akueus) batang Euphorbia tirucalli terhadap
bakteria yang berkaitan dengan karies gigi, iaitu Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans)
dan Streptococcus sobrinus (S. sobrinus). Sifat-sifat antibakteria telah ditentukan
menggunakan ujian resapan agar berlubang pada kepekatan ekstrak yang berbeza
(10, 20 dan 30 mg/ml). Komersial amoxicillin (10 µg) telah digunakan sebagai
kawalan positif manakala pelarut yang sesuai telah digunakan sebagai kawalan
negatif. Ekstrak metanol dan ethanol daripada batang Euphorbia tirucalli didapati
berkesan terhadap S. mutans dan S. sobrinus. Walau bagaimanapun, ekstrak akueus
batang Euphorbia tirucalli tidak menunjukkan aktiviti terhadap kedua-dua strain
bakteria. Perbezaan dalam ciri-ciri antibakteria dalam perbezaan ekstrak Euphorbia
tirucalli mungkin disebabkan oleh perbezaan dalam juzuk fitokimia.
Fulltext Sensitivity Evaluation of SYBR Green I, SYBR Safe and Calcein Dyes for Detection of Human Papillomavirus 16 by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

Nuur Ezzatyhusna, M. K., Nurul Izzati, H., Siti Suraiya M. N., Suharni, M.

Medicine & Health, 2017;12(2):220-229.
MyJurnal

Amplikasi isoterma berpengantara gelung (LAMP) merupakan teknik amplifikasi gen
yang menghasilkan produk akhir iaitu mendapan keruh magnesium pirofosfat yang
boleh dianalisis dengan hanya menggunakan mata kasar. Penggunaan pewarna
interkalat yang sesuai adalah penting kerana ia boleh meningkatkan sensitiviti dan
mengurangkan keputusan positif palsu dan negatif palsu untuk pengesanan. Kajian
ini bertujuan untuk membandingkan prestasi tiga pewarna interkalat yang berbeza;
SYBR Green I, SYBR Safe dan pewarna berasaskan calcein di dalam asai LAMP
HPV-16 melalui visualisasi oleh mata kasar, elektroforesis gel dan mesin masanyata
turbidimeter. Reaksi LAMP dilakukan menggunakan amplifikasi kit Loopamp
DNA berisipadu sebanyak 25 μl. Campuran reaksi dieram pada suhu 60�C selama
60 minit dan ditamatkan menggunakan suhu 80�C selama 5 minit dalam mesin
masa-nyata turbidimeter. Untuk pengesanan menggunakan mata kasar, SYBR
Green I dan SYBR Safe telah dicairkan dalam 1:10 DMSO dan telah ditambah ke
dalam tiub yang mengandungi campuran reaksi selepas proses amplifikasi berlaku
manakala calcein ditambah sebelum proses amplifikasi. Sensitiviti asai telah disiasat
menggunakan pencairan DNA HPV-16 yang berkepekatan bermula dari 101
salinan/
μl to 108
salinan/μl. Ketiga-tiga pewarna mempamerkan keputusan yang sama
dari segi sensitiviti dengan had pengesanan adalah 103
salinan/μl. Penambahan
calcein di dalam asai menunjukkan masa pengesanan bertambah selama 10 minit
dengan menggunakan mesin nyata-masa turbidimeter. Prestasi ketiga-tiga pewarna
interkalat untuk pengesanan mata kasar adalah setanding dan boleh digunakan
untuk aplikasi pemeriksaan titik akhir dalam asai HPV-16, manakala dengan mesin nyata-masa turb
rTES-30USM: cloning via assembly PCR, expression, and evaluation of usefulness in the detection of toxocariasis

Norhaida A, Suharni M, Liza Sharmini AT, Tuda J, Rahmah N

Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 2008 Mar;102(2):151-60.
PMID: 18318937 DOI: 10.1179/136485908X252250

Currently, the laboratory diagnosis of toxocariasis, caused by Toxocara canis or T. cati, mainly relies on serological tests. Unfortunately, however, the specificities of most of the commercial tests that are available for the serodiagnosis of this disease are not very high and this may cause problems, especially in tropical countries where co-infections with other helminths are common. In an effort to develop a serological assay with improved specificity for the detection of Toxocara infection, an IgG(4)-ELISA based on a recombinant version (rTES-30USM) of the 30-kDa Toxocara excretory-secretory antigen (TES-30) has recently been developed. To produce the antigen, the TES-30 gene was cloned via assembly PCR, subcloned into a His-tagged prokaryotic expression vector, and purified by affinity chromatography using Ni(2+)-nitrilotriacetic-acid (Ni-NTA) resin. The performance of the ELISA based on the recombinant antigen was then compared with that of commercial kit, based on an IgG-ELISA, for the serodiagnosis of toxocariasis (Toxocara IgG-ELISA; Cypress Diagnostics, Langdorp, Belgium). Both assays were used to test 338 serum samples, including 26 samples from probable cases of toxocariasis. Assuming that all the probable cases were true cases, the assay based on rTES-30USM demonstrated a sensitivity of 92.3% (24/26) and a specificity of 89.6% (103/115) whereas the commercial kit exhibited a sensitivity of 100% (26/26) but a specificity of only 55.7% (64/115). The high sensitivity and specificity exhibited by the new IgG(4)-ELISA should make the assay a good choice for use in tropical countries and any other area where potentially cross-reactive helminthic infections are common.
Fulltext High frequency of Haemophilus influenzae associated with respiratory tract infections among Malaysian Hajj pilgrims

Nik Zuraina NMN, Sarimah A, Suharni M, Hasan H, Suraiya S

J Infect Public Health, 2018 08 07;11(6):878-883.
PMID: 30097415 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2018.07.010

BACKGROUND: Overcrowding during the annual Hajj pilgrimage has been known to increase the risk of infectious diseases transmission. Despite the high prevalence of respiratory illness among Malaysian Hajj pilgrims, knowledge about the etiologic pathogens is yet very limited. Thus, this study aimed to determine the spectrum of bacterial respiratory pathogens among the Hajj pilgrims returning to Malaysia in year 2016.
METHODS: Expectorated sputum specimens were collected from the Hajj pilgrims with symptomatic respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Subsequently, the bacterial pathogens were identified using the standard bacteriological culture method and Vitek II system.
RESULTS: This study indicated that 255 (87.33%) out of 292 cultured sputa were positive with at least one potential pathogenic bacteria. Out of 345 total bacterial isolates, 60% (n=207) were Haemophilus influenzae, which was associated with both single bacterium infection (132/173, 76.3%) and multiple bacterial infections (75/82, 91.5%). The other bacterial isolates included; Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=37, 10.7%), Moraxella catarrhalis (n=27, 7.8%), Haemophilus parainfluenzae (n=25, 7.2%), Streptococcus group G (n=18, 5.2%), Klebsiella spesies (n=16, 4.6%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=11, 3.2%) and few other organisms.
CONCLUSION: High frequency of H. influenzae was isolated from Malaysian Hajj pilgrims, especially those with respiratory symptoms. Further study should evaluate the actual pathogenicity of the organism and the interactions between the respiratory microbiota towards developing effective prevention strategies of RTIs among the local pilgrims.
Specificity and sensitivity of a rapid dipstick test (Brugia Rapid) in the detection of Brugia malayi infection

Rahmah N, Taniawati S, Shenoy RK, Lim BH, Kumaraswami V, Anuar AK, et al.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 2002 1 31;95(6):601-4.
PMID: 11816429

A total of 753 serum samples from 6 institutions in 3 countries (Malaysia, Indonesia and India) were used to evaluate an immunochromatographic rapid dipstick test, Brugia Rapid, for diagnosis of Brugia malayi infection. The samples comprised sera from 207 microfilaria-positive individuals and 546 individuals from filaria non-endemic areas. The latter consisted of 70 individuals with soil-transmitted helminth infections, 68 with other helminth infections, 238 with protozoan infections, 12 with bacterial and viral infections and 158 healthy individuals. The dipstick is prepared with a goat anti-mouse antibody control line and a B. malayi recombinant-antigen test line. First, the dipstick is dipped into a well containing diluted patient serum, thus allowing specific anti-filarial antibody in the serum to react with the recombinant antigen. Then the dipstick is placed into an adjacent well containing reconstituted anti-human IgG4-gold. After 10 min, development of 2 red-purplish lines denotes a positive result and one line indicates a negative reaction. The overall results of the evaluation showed 97% sensitivity, 99% specificity, 97% positive predictive value and 99% negative predictive value. Brugia Rapid is thus a promising diagnostic tool for detection of B. malayi infection, and would be especially useful for the brugian filariasis elimination programme.