1.Anti-acanthamoebic activity of methanolic extract of Piper sarmentosum leaves
Farah Farisha Mustafa ; Nor Farahiyah Ghazali ; Habsah Mohamad ; Maizatul Akma Ibrahim ; Nor Hafizah Zakaria
Malaysian Journal of Microbiology 2021;17(5):525-538
Aims:
Piper sarmentosum or locally known as Kaduk, is a tropical herb plant that was investigated for its phenolic content by previous researchers. The present study aimed at the analysis of crude methanolic extract of P. sarmentosum leaves for phenolic compounds identification and its anti-amoebic properties against pathogenic Acanthamoeba castellanii.
Methodology and results:
Folin-Ciocalteu assay was used to determine P. sarmentosum leaves methanolic extract (PSLME)’s total phenolic content (TPC). The extract was further characterized by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses to determine the chemical constituents in methanolic PSLME extract. The cytotoxicity of the extract was evaluated through the determination of inhibition concentration for half of cell population (IC50) of pathogenic A. castellanii followed by cell morphological analysis using inverted light and scanning electron microscopies. Acridine-orange/Propidium iodide (AOPI) staining was also conducted to determine the integrity of cell membrane for quantitative analysis. The results demonstrated that the TPC from PSLME was 142.72 mg [GAE]/g with a total of 33 phenolic compounds identified. The IC50 value obtained for A. castellanii was low (74.64 μg/mL) which indicates promising anti-acanthamoebic activity. Microscopy analyses showed that the plant extract caused cells encystment, in which exhibited by distinctive morphological changes on the cells shape and organelle, as well as shortening of acanthopodia. The dual staining and its quantitative analysis prove compromised membrane integrity in the treated amoeba.
Conclusion, significance and impact of study
This finding provides the evidence that PSLME contains active phenolic compounds contributing to the anti-acanthamoebic activity on pathogenic Acanthamoeba species.
Piperaceae
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Acanthamoeba castellanii--pathogenicity
2.CONTAINING AN ISLAND: CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) OUTBREAK IN PERHENTIAN ISLANDS, TERENGGANU STATE OF MALAYSIA, IN 2021
Amer Taufek Abd Wahab ; Siti Fatimah Samsury ; Hafizuddin Awang ; Effah Leiylena Yaacob ; Arfizah Ahmad Daud ; Muhammad Solehuddin Ishak ; Nur Almas Alias ; Nor Hafizah Ghazali ; Ahmad Hanif Abdullah ; Mohd Anuar Abd Rahman ; Kasemani Embong
Journal of University of Malaya Medical Centre 2023;26(1):64-69
Background:
The spread of COVID-19 was inevitable and has not spared small and isolated communities, including the community of Perhentian Island in Besut District, Terengganu. Managing clusters in small islands can be difficult, given the limited resources. This study explores the characteristics of COVID-19 cases and the experience of outbreak containment at Perhentian Island.
Methodology:
A retrospective study involving record review of COVID-19 cases and at-risk individuals registered under Perhentian Cluster were retrieved from the Besut District Health Office COVID-19 online registry from the 16thAugust2021 until 6thOctober 2021. All notified cases and close contacts who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were extracted and analysed using descriptive statistics.
Results:
A total of 1,093 community members of Perhentian Island were screened of which 170 (15.5%) tested positive for COVID-19, while 923 (84.5%) tested negative. Among individuals who tested positive, the majority were adults (52.4%), male (51.8%), Malays (98.8%), and villagers (96.5%). Clinical characteristics were categorized into: asymptomatic (55.9%), had no known medical comorbidities (90.6%), low-risk groups (87.1%), vaccinated (57.6%), and admitted to PKRC (97.1%) for treatment. Multiple agencies were involved in the outbreak containment of the Perhentian Cluster, working collectively and in good coordination.
Conclusion
The outbreak was attributed to community gatherings and close interactions among villagers. Prompt actions, targeted planning, and inter-agency collaboration were the key factors in successful containment of further spread of COVID-19 in Perhentian Island.
COVID-19