Deltamethrin is a widely used insecticide belonging to the class of pyrethroid. Although the neurotoxicity of pyrethroids including deltamethrin is well established, it is still unclear whether exposure to deltamethrin during neonatal period has any deleterious effect on the survival of the Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. In the study, we investigated the total number of Purkinje cells in experimental rats exposed to deltamethrin using a stereological method, the fractionator. Deltamethrin in a dose of 1 mg/kg/day (corresponds to 20% of LD50 ) was administered through oral gavage to male pups from 2nd to 5th postnatal day (PND). At PND 21 the animals were sacrificed and their cerebelli were removed. The cerebelli were systematically sampled using the fractionator method and stained with cresyl fast violet. The number of the Purkinje cells was counted for each cerebellum. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the total number of Purkinje cells in the deltamethrin-treated group as compared to the control animals. This suggests that deltamethrin exposure at the current dosage during the neonatal period do not have any significant effect on the survival of the Purkinje cells in the cerebellum.

Objective: To investigate the wound-healing effect of Alocasia longiloba (A. longiloba) petiole extract on wounds in rats.Methods: Twenty-two male Sprague-dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive 10％ solcoseryl gel, phosphate buffer saline, 50％ ethanol, 95％ ethanol and hexane extracts of A. longiloba at 1.5％, 3％ and 6％ doses, respectively. A full thicknesses wound (6 mm) was created on the dorsal of the rat; and all rats were applied with the extract solutions, 10％ solcoseryl gel and phosphate buffer saline once a day topically until day 12. The wound was photographed on day 1, 6 and 12, and the percentage of wound contraction was calculated. On day 12, rats were sacrificed and histological examination of granulation tissue was carried out using haematoxylin & eosin and Masson's Trichrome stain to determine the wound healing effect.Results: In this study, 6％ of 50％ and 95％ ethanol extracts of A. longiloba showed 82.50％ and 82.32％ wound contraction, respectively, and were comparable with 10％ solcoseryl gel (82.30％). Meanwhile, phosphate buffer saline treated group showed the lowest wound contraction (69.86％). Histological assessment of wound treated with 6％ of 95％ ethanol extract of A. longiloba showed distinct epidermal and dermal layer, higher proliferation of fibroblast and more angiogenesis with collagen compared to other wound treated groups. Conclusions: A. longiloba petiole extracts have a wound healing potential and 6％ of 95％ ethanol extract of A. longiloba is more effective. Further studies are required to understand the wound healing mechanism of action of the extract.

Objective: To investigate the wound-healing effect of Alocasia longiloba (A. longiloba) petiole extract on wounds in rats. Methods: Twenty-two male Sprague-dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive 10% solcoseryl gel, phosphate buffer saline, 50% ethanol, 95% ethanol and hexane extracts of A. longiloba at 1.5%, 3% and 6% doses, respectively. A full thicknesses wound (6 mm) was created on the dorsal of the rat; and all rats were applied with the extract solutions, 10% solcoseryl gel and phosphate buffer saline once a day topically until day 12. The wound was photographed on day 1, 6 and 12, and the percentage of wound contraction was calculated. On day 12, rats were sacrificed and histological examination of granulation tissue was carried out using haematoxylin & eosin and Masson's Trichrome stain to determine the wound healing effect. Results: In this study, 6% of 50% and 95% ethanol extracts of A. longiloba showed 82.50% and 82.32% wound contraction, respectively, and were comparable with 10% solcoseryl gel (82.30%). Meanwhile, phosphate buffer saline treated group showed the lowest wound contraction (69.86%). Histological assessment of wound treated with 6% of 95% ethanol extract of A. longiloba showed distinct epidermal and dermal layer, higher proliferation of fibroblast and more angiogenesis with collagen compared to other wound treated groups. Conclusions: A. longiloba petiole extracts have a wound healing potential and 6% of 95% ethanol extract of A. longiloba is more effective. Further studies are required to understand the wound healing mechanism of action of the extract.

Introduction: Astrocytes are responsible for many essential functions of neurons in CNS. It has been recognised that chronic stress affects the morphology of astrocyte. Natural antioxidant such as honey has been used as one of the therapeutic strategies to lessen the damaging effect of chronic stress on our body. Therefore, the aim of the study is to explore the effect of natural antioxidant, Tualang honey (TH) on the morphology of astrocytes following chronic stress exposure. Methods: Thirty-two male rats were randomly divided into the 4 groups: (i) control, (ii) stress, (iii) honey, (iv) stress plus honey groups.TH was administered via oral gavage at dose of 1.0 g/kg body weight pre and post experiment. Chronic stress was exposed to animals in group (ii) and (iv) for consecutive 21 days. Anti GFAP immunohistochemistry method was employed to label astrocytes in the medial prefrontal cortex. The number of GFAP+ astrocytes and several parameters related to astrocyte processes were measured. Results: The present study showed that chronic stress reduced the GFAP immunoreactive astrocyte number and percentage of GFAP immunoreactive material. Chronic stress also caused a reduction in astrocyte process ramification as indicated by a reduction in astrocyte total number of processes, average length of processes and maximum number of intersections. However, antioxidant treatment using TH could not reverse these stress-induced changes to the astrocytes. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that chronic stress decreases the number of GFAP immunoreactive astrocyte and cause shrinking of astrocyte processes in stress-sensitive brain region, but these changes cannot be reversed by antioxidant treatment.

Introduction: The bi-directional relationship between periodontitis (PD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) has been confirmed. Medical practitioners (MPs) serve an important role in relaying this information to patients. This study aimed to investigate the awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) in the management of DM patients with PD in primary care clinics under the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Malaysia. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire on KAP in the management of DM patients with PD was posted to 725 medical officers (MOs) and family medicine specialists (FMSs) in MOH clinics in Kedah, Terengganu, Johor and Negeri Sembilan. Collected data were tabulated and analysed using descriptive and regression analyses (simple and multiple). Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results: A total of 549 MPs responded. The majority of MPs were MOs (92.6%) and female (75.8%). FMSs had a greater awareness of PD when compared to MOs (p = 0.002). All MPs had good knowledge, except for the incorrect notion that excessive sugar causes PD (94.3%). Overall, FMSs had better knowledge when compared to MOs (p=0.026). The majority of MPs agreed that ‘they should update their knowledge on the association between systemic disease and PD’ (89.6%) and claimed that ‘it was not their responsibility to examine DM patients for PD’ (83.1%). Most MPs did not enquire or examine for PD in their DM patients. More FMSs (67.5%) referred patients to dentists compared to MOs (31.6%). Conclusion: Most MPs have sufficient knowledge on PD, but a negative attitude in the management of PD in DM patients. The reasons for not referring included workload and patients refusing referral.