Alpinia conchigera (lengkuas kecil) merupakan sejenis tumbuhan herba yang sering digunakan sebagai rawatan alternatif
dalam bidang perubatan tradisional. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk menilai kesan sitotoksik, genotoksik serta mod kematian
sel yang disebabkan oleh ekstrak heksana A. conchigera ke atas sel hepar Chang. Asai MTT selama 24 jam telah dijalankan
untuk mengenal pasti peratus viabiliti sel hepar Chang setelah dirawat dengan ekstrak heksana A. conchigera. Keputusan
menunjukkan terdapat penurunan viabiliti sel secara signifi kan (p < 0.05) dengan nilai IC50 (8.6 μg/ml) berbanding kawalan
negatif. Berdasarkan nilai IC50 ini, pewarnaan AO/PI dilakukan untuk menentukan mod kematian sel hepar Chang iaitu sama
ada secara apoptosis atau nekrosis. Didapati bahawa terdapat perbezaan secara signifi kan (p < 0.05) bagi mod kematian
sel hepar Chang secara apoptosis berbanding kawalan negatif. Dalam kajian ini, penentuan tahap kerosakan DNA sel
hepar Chang turut dilakukan dengan menggunakan asai komet beralkali dengan nilai IC10 dan IC25 yang diperoleh daripada
asai MTT (4 μg/ml dan 6 μg/ml) masing-masing. Setelah sel hepar Chang dirawat dengan ekstrak heksana A. conchigera
selama 2 jam, didapati terdapat perbezaan secara signifi kan (p < 0.05) bagi peratus kerosakan DNA bagi kumpulan rawatan
berbanding kawalan negatif. Kesimpulannya, ekstrak heksana A. conchigera memberi kesan sitotoksik dan genotoksik
terhadap sel hepar Chang serta menyebabkan kematian sel secara apoptosis.
Disturbances in immune system contribute to chronic infection among diabetic patients. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (roselle) fruit extract has been scientifically proven to possess antioxidant, antidiabetic and antiinflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of H. sabdariffa fruit extract against oxidative stress parameter and T lymphocyte population in spleen of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with 45 mg/kg STZ to induce diabetic condition and further treated with 100 mg/kg H. sabdariffa fruit aquoeus extract daily for 28 days. Spleen was harvested to determine the oxidative stress indicators and quantification of T lymphocytes. The results showed a significant decreased in the number of spleen cells and spleen weight in the diabetic rats compared with control rats. However, there were no significant changes in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity the percentage of spleen CD3+ CD4+ and CD3+ CD8+ T lymphocytes amongst groups of study. In addition, histology observation showed no pathological alteration in spleen histology of diabetic rats. The findings suggested that aqueous extract of H. Sabdariffa fruit supplementation has no effect on the oxidative stress and the percentage of CD3+ CD4+ and CD3+ CD8+ T lymphocytes in spleen of diabetic rats.
Keywords: Diabetes, H. sabdariffa, spleen, oxidative stress, T lymphocytes