1.Effects of Palm Tocotrienols on Oxidative Stress and Bone Strength in Ovariectomised Rats
Nazrun AS ; Khairunnur A ; Norliza M ; Norazlina M ; Ima Nirwana S
Medicine and Health 2008;3(2):247-255
Oxidative stress has been associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis which pre-disposes to risk of fracture. Palm tocotrienol is a potent antioxidant and has the poten-tial to be used for treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis. The aim of the study is to determine if palm tocotrienol supplementation could alleviate oxidative stress in ovariectomised rat model and improve its bone strength. The rats were divided into four groups: (i) sham-operated group (SHAM) (ii) ovariectomised-control group (OVX) (iii) ovariectomised and given 60mg/kg α-tocopherol by oral gavage (OVX + ATF) (iv) ovariectomised and given 60mg/kg palm tocotrienols by oral gavage (OVX + PTT). After eight weeks of treatment, blood samples were taken to measure oxidative status (MDA, SOD and GPX) while the femurs were biomechanically tested for strength and resistance to fracture. Ovariectomy was shown to induce oxidative stress as shown by the raised MDA levels and reduced GPX activity. Palm tocotrienols seemed to offer protection against the ovariectomy-induced oxidative stress as shown by the suppression of MDA levels and raised GPX and SOD activities in the OVX+PTT group. In comparison, α-tocopherol was only able to raise the SOD but not as high as palm tocotrienols. The biomechanical tests have shown that ovariectomy has not af-fected the bone strength significantly after eight weeks. Palm tocotrienols supplemen-tation for eight weeks was effective in preventing oxidative stress in a post-meno-pausal rat.
2.Visual Functions And Retinal Morphology In Patients With Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy Seen In An Age Related Macular Degeneration Referral Centre Of Malaysia
Sharanjeet-Kaur ; Rituparna Ghoshal ; Norliza M Fadzil ; Somnath Ghosh ; Roslin Azni Bt Abdul Aziz ; Nor Fariza Ngah ; Haliza Abdul Mutalib
Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine 2018;18(Special Volume (1)):124-134
The aim of the present study was to evaluate visual functions and retinal morphology of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy (PCV) patients seen in an AMD referral centre of Malaysia and to further explore association between visual functions and optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters in PCV eyes. In this single centre, cross sectional study, best corrected distance visual acuity (DVA), near vision acuity (NVA), reading speed (RS), and contrast sensitivity (CS) were measured in naïve PCV eyes. Selective parameters such as integrity of external limiting membrane (ELM), inner segment and outer segment junction (IS-OS), retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch’s membrane (RPE-BM) complex, average retinal thickness (ART) and volume (ARV), central retinal thickness (CT), centre maximum (CTmax) and centre minimum (CTmin) thickness were assessed using spectral-domain OCT. Forty-three new PCV eyes of 42 patients were evaluated. Mean (±SD) DVA, NVA, CS, RS were 0.83 ± 0.35 logMAR, 0.77 ± 0.3 logMAR, 0.69 ±.26 log CS and 59.56 ±14 words per minutes respectively. ART and CT showed good correlation with DVA (r=0.571& 0.546) and CS (r= 0.576 & 0.586). ARV and CTmax showed good correlation with CS (r=0.516 &, 0.513). The mean DVA, NVA and CS between three ELM and IS-OS status were significantly different (p=.002 & .000; p=.012 & .029; p=.005 & .001). In conclusion, present study reports visual functions and OCT characteristics of PCV patients in an AMD referral centre of Malaysia. Many of the quantitative and qualitative OCT parameters showed good association with the visual functions in eyes with PCV.
polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy
;
visual functions
;
ocular coherence tomography
3.Assessment of Physical Activity Level among Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at Cheras Health Clinic, Kuala Lumpur
Nor Shazwani MN ; Suzana S ; Hanis Mastura Y ; Lim CJ ; Teh SC ; Mohd Fauzee MZ ; Lim HC ; Dahlia S ; Norliza M
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition 2010;16(1):101-112
A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the physical activity levels among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) at Cheras Health Clinic in
Kuala Lumpur. A total of 132 subjects (62 men and 70 women) aged 30 years and above participated in this study. Data was collected using an interview based
questionnaire to obtain socio-demographic and health profile information. Physical activity was assessed using a shortened version of the International
Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Anthropometric measurements and body fat were also taken. Glycaemic status, that is, HbA1c, fasting blood sugar
(FBS) and 2 hours post-prandial (2-HPP) were obtained from medical records. Results showed that the mean age of the patients was 51.9 + 5.8 years. The
majority of patients had poor glycaemic control based on HbA1c (70.7%), FBS (71.9%) and 2HPP (85.4%). Patients who were unmarried and aged(60 years and
above had a lower physical activity level (p<0.05). In the older age group, low physical activity was associated with poor glycaemic control (p<0.05). Patients
in the moderate and high physical activity level were motivated to perform physical activity so as to be healthy (68.1%). Low physical activity level among
patients was due to lack of time (54.5%) and lack of energy (21.2%). In conclusion, physical activity levels of the patients were unsatisfactory and associated with
poor glycaemic control, especially in the elderly. There is a need to encourage diabetic patients to undertake regular physical activity in order to achieve optimal
glycaemic control.
4.Effect of 11β-HSD1 dehydrogenase activity on bone histomorphometry of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporotic male Sprague-Dawley rats.
M R Elvy SUHANA ; H S FARIHAH ; O FAIZAH ; A S NAZRUN ; M NORAZLINA ; M NORLIZA ; S IMA-NIRWANA
Singapore medical journal 2011;52(11):786-793
INTRODUCTIONGlucocorticoids cause osteoporosis by decreasing bone formation and increasing bone resorption activity. Glucocorticoid action in bones depends on the activity of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) enzyme, which plays an important role in regulating corticosteroids. 11β-HSD1 is expressed by human and rat osteoblasts. We aimed to investigate the relationship between 11β-HSD1 dehydrogenase activity and bone histomorphometric changes in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporotic bone in rats.
METHODSA total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats (aged three months, weighing 200-250 g) were divided into three groups of ten each. Group 1 rats were the baseline control, which were sacrificed untreated at the beginning of the study. Group 2 rats underwent sham operation and were administered with vehicle olive oil intramuscularly at 0.05 ml/kg. Group 3 rats were adrenalectomised and administered with an intramuscular injection of dexamethasone 120 μg/kg body weight/day. The treatment was started two weeks after the operation, for a duration of two months. Plasma osteocalcin, plasma pyrodinoline, plasma corticosterone and 11β-HSD1 were measured, and bone histomorphometry analysis was performed.
RESULTSDexamethasone treatment caused an increase in plasma corticosterone level, together with a significant reduction in 11β-HSD1 dehydrogenase activity of the bone, along with a higher plasma level of the bone resorption marker, pyridinoline. Dexamethasone treatment also caused a reduction in trabecular volume, number and thickness, and an increase in trabecular separation.
CONCLUSIONLong-term glucocorticoid treatment reduces the 11β-HSD1 dehydrogenase activity in the bone, which can otherwise lead to bone loss due to the increased level of active glucocorticoids.
11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 ; metabolism ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; metabolism ; Amino Acids ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Glucocorticoids ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
5.Prescription Patterns for Bipolar Disorder in Asian Countries:Findings from Research on Asian Prescription Pattern-Bipolar Disorder
Shih-Ku LIN ; Shu-Yu YANG ; Seon-Cheol PARK ; Ok-Jin JANG ; Xiaomin ZHU ; Yu-Tao XIANG ; Wen-Chen OUYANG ; Afzal JAVED ; M. Nasar SAYEED KHAN ; Sandeep GROVER ; Ajit AVASTHI ; Roy Abraham KALLIVAYALIL ; Kok Yoon CHEE ; Norliza CHEMI ; Takahiro A. KATO ; Kohei HAYAKAWA ; Pornjira PARIWATCHARAKUL ; Margarita MARAMIS ; Lakmi SENEVIRATNE ; Sim KANG ; Wai Kwong TANG ; Tin OO ; Norman SARTORIUS ; Chay-Hoon TAN ; Mian-Yoon CHONG ; Yong Chon PARK ; Naotaka SHINFUKU
Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience 2022;20(1):61-69
Objective:
Pharmacotherapy including mood stabilizers and antipsychotics are frequently used in bipolar disorder (BD); however, the lack of consensus regarding the definition of polypharmacy hinders conducting comparative studies across different settings and countries. Research on Asian Prescription Pattern (REAP) is the largest and the longest lasting international collaborative research in psychiatry in Asia. The objective of REAP BD was to investigate the prescription patterns of psychotropic medications across Asian countries. The rates of polypharmacy and psychotropic drug load were also analyzed.
Methods:
The data collection was web-based. Prescription patterns were categorized as (1) mood stabilizer monotherapy: one mood stabilizer; (2) antipsychotic monotherapy: one antipsychotic; (3) simple polypharmacy: one mood stabilizer and one antipsychotic; and (4) complex polypharmacy: ≥ 2 mood stabilizers or/and antipsychotics. The psychotropic drug load in each patient was calculated using the defined daily dose method.
Results:
Among 2003 patients with BD (52.1% female, 42.4 years) from 12 countries, 1,619 (80.8%) patients received mood stabilizers, 1,644 (82.14%) received antipsychotics, and 424 (21.2%) received antidepressants, with 14.7% mood stabilizer monotherapy, 13.4% antipsychotic monotherapy, 48.9% simple polypharmacy, 20.3% complex polypharmacy, and 2.6% other therapy. The average psychotropic drug load was 2.05 ± 1.40. Results varied widely between countries.
Conclusion
Over 70% of psychotropic regimens involved polypharmacy, which accords with the high prevalence of polypharmacy in BD under a permissive criterion (2 or more core psychotropic drugs) worldwide. Notably, ≥ 80% of our sample received antipsychotics, which may indicate an increasing trend in antipsychotic use for BD treatment.