The experiment was studied on the male, young and strong rats of the body weight of 80-100gr. Rats were divided into 3 groups, 9 rats in each group. Alcoholic extract and alkaloid fraction of the leaves of Crinum asiaticum L. were subjected to pharmacological studies. The results showed that: 1. LD50 of the alcoholic extract is 22.75 g/kg p.o. in mice on dry basis. 2. Subchronic anti-inflammatory effect of the alcoholic extract is stronger than that of the alkaloid fraction. 3. Both alcoholic extract and alkaloid fraction inhibit the prostatic hypertrophy induced experimentally by testosterone.
Plants ; Plants, Medicinal ; Biochemistry ; drugs

Total alkaloids from Cau dang (Uncaria macrophylla Wall ex. Roxb - Rubiaceae) have been shown to prolong the duration of thiopental induced sleep in mice at dose of 10, 15 and 20g of hooked stem per kg body weight. Intravenous transfusion of total alkaloids from stem of Cau Dang reduced the normal blood pressure in cats at doses of 0.2ml equeo extract (I:I) according to the mechanism of peripheral venous dilatation
Uncaria ; Blood Pressure ; Cats ; Sleep ; Mice

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the diseases with highest incidence and mortality world-wide. Vietnam ranked 13 of 22 countries with highest number of tuberculosis patients in the world. Methods and channels is one factor among some important factors which affect effectiveness of health communication activities in general and communication activities for prevention of tuberculosis in particular. Objectives: To describe probable for access tools of health communication among general inhabitants and to determine which methods and tools should be used. Subjects and method: This was a cross-sectional described study. A population based survey was carried out within a demographic surveillance site in Bavi, Ha Tay province. Subjects of the study were adults (> 15 years old) randomly identified at households level. Results and Conclusion: A total of 12143 persons were interviewed. People received TB information from many sources. Commonly, reported sources of information included television (64.6%) and friends/relatives (42.7%). There were different sources of information between men and women. The use of more than one method/channel should be considered in TB health education activities. Commonly, television and loudspeaker were suggested (70.4% and 55.1%).
Tuberculosis/ prevention & ; control ; Residence Characteristics ; Health Communication ;

Introduction: Antiviral resistance has been reported in seasonal influenza A viruses and avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses in Viet Nam, raising concerns about the efficacy of treatment. Methods: We analysed specimens from two sources during the period 2009–2012: influenza-positive samples from influenza-like illness patients at sentinel clinics in northern Viet Nam and isolates from patients with confirmed A(H5N1) infections. Pyrosequencing was used to detect mutations: H275Y [for A(H1N1) and A(H5N1)], E119V [for A(H3N2)] and I117V [for A(H5N1)]. A neuraminidase inhibition assay was used to determine the Inhibitory Concentration 50 (IC50) values for all influenza A and B isolates. Results: There were 341 influenza A positive samples identified; influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was identified most frequently (n = 215). In 2009, oseltamivir resistance was observed in 100% (19 of 19) of seasonal A(H1N1) isolates and 1.4% (3/215) of A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates. This H275Y mutation was not found in influenza subtypes A(H5N1) or A(H3N2) isolates. Discussion: In Viet Nam, seasonal and A(H5N1) influenza vaccines are not currently available; thus, effective treatment is required. The presence of oseltamivir-resistant viruses is therefore a concern. Active surveillance for oseltamivir resistance among influenza viruses circulating in Viet Nam should be continued.

Background: Heparansulfate Interacting Protein (HIP) is up-regulated in various human cancer cell lines at both transcript and protein levels. HIP expression is related to the differentiation status and cancer development. Objectives: To determine HIP in benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer tissues. Materials and method: Western blot method was used to determine HIP expression in 3 different types of prostate tissue, including 11 prostate cancer samples, 2 benign prostatic hyperplasia samples and 11 prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia samples. Results. HIP was particularly up-regulated in prostate cancer and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, indicating that up-regulation of HIP expression may be an early event in tumorgenesis. Conclusion: The expression of HIP was different between cancer, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia tissue and benign prostatic hyperplasia. HIP may serve as a prognostic marker for prostate carcinoma.
HIP expression ; Prostate cancer ; Prostatic hyperplasia.

Background: To improve the physical fitness of athletes is one of the essential requirements of the Vietnam Sports associations. Research to discover the functional foods to improve the physical fitness of athletes in general, in particular athletic athletes is an interest to scientists. Objective: Evaluation of effect of Phunamine on some of the male, female athlete\u2019s biomedicine and physical fitness standards. Subject and methods: A controlled, double-blind, randomized, clinical experiment was conducted on 30 athletes of the Hanoi Athletic Group. They were then divided into 2 groups: research group: 20 athletes (10 men, 10 women) were administered with 4 phunamine pills per day; control group: 10 athletes (5 men, 5 women) were each administered with 4 placebo pills per day. The 2 groups had tests performed and followed up 30 days pre and post administration. Results: Max-min blood pressure change between the two groups was not significant (t(\u03b1)>0.5). Testosterone concentration change and physical fitness test (run 100m, 400m) of Phunamine dosed group were higher than the placebo group (t(\u03b1)<0.5). Conclusion: Phunamine has the effects of increasing testosterone concentration and improving physical fitness of athletes however the drug has no effect on blood pressure index of athletic athletes.
Phunamine ; functional foods ; athletes

Background: The fitness of athletes is always the top priority of each coach. Therefore, studying to discover the products that are really effective and appropriate for each sport is an urgent matter. Previous research showed biochemical standard is one of the important standards to assess the fitness of athletes. \r\n', u'Objectives: To study the effects of Phunamine on various biochemical standards of male and female weight-lifters. \r\n', u'Method: The self-control clinical experiment was applied in 19 weight-lifters at the Sport University 1 (TuSon) from May to July 2006. The research material was the functional food Phunamine with major component being anchovy combined with Syngnathiformes powder. Results: Testosterone concentration after taking Phunamine was higher than before the research (t(alpha)<0.025 in males; <0.01 in females); activity of LDH enzyme after taking Phunamine was higher than before the research, but the significant difference was only found in female with t(alpha)<0.025; cortisol concentration was also higher than before the research. \r\n', u'Conclusions: Phunamine has the effect of increasing testosterone, cortisol concentration and LDH enzyme activity.\r\n', u'
Phunamine ; biochemical standards

Objective: To investigate antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of the extract and fractions from Vietnamese red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea. Methods: The seaweed Laurencia dendroidea was extracted by using microwave-assisted extraction method in 80％ methanol. The seaweed extract was then fractionated using different solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water). These obtained fractions were evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Antioxidant activities were tested using DPPH, nitric oxide radical scavenging and metal chelating assays. The enzyme inhibition mode was determined using Lineweaver-Burk plot. For acidic and thermal stabilities, the ethyl acetate fraction was treated at pH 2.0 and 100 ℃, respectively. The residual inhibitory activity of the fraction was calculated based on the initial inhibitory activity. For in vivo antidiabetic activity, mice were divided into four groups, including normal control, diabetic control, diabetic mice treated with ethyl acetate fraction and diabetic mice treated with gliclazide. Blood glucose level of treated mice during acute and prolonged treatments was measured. To evaluate the toxicity of the ethyl acetate fraction, the body weight changes and activities of liver function enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and gammaglutamyl transferase) were carried out. Results: The extract of Laurencia dendroidea showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Methanolic concentrations affected both α-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. A 80％ aqueous methanol was the suitable solvent for extraction of enzyme inhibitors and antioxidants. Among solvent fractions, ethyl acetate fraction had the highest inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase with a mixed type of inhibition and the strongest antioxidant activities, and was stable under acidic and thermal conditions. The ethyl acetate fraction treated diabetic mice significantly reduced blood glucose level compared with the diabetic control group (13.16 mmol/L vs. 22.75 mmol/L after 3 hours of treatment). Oral administration of ethyl acetate fraction did not exhibit toxicity at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight as determined by body weight changes and liver biochemical parameters. Conclusions: Laurencia dendroidea could be a potential source for production of antidiabetic and antioxidative agents.

Background: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is common in the plains and mountainous areas in Asia \u2013 Pacific. Japanese encephalitis vaccine shows effectiveness in protecting children from JE in some countries such as Japan and Korea. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination in Thai Binh province during 2003-2007. Subject and Method: Prospective, retrospective and sero-epidemiological methods were carried out on 329 samples collected from viral encephalitis patients and tested by JE MAC-ELISA, the positive average was 41.6% (137/329). Result: It had dramatically dropped from 85.2% in 2003 to 8.5 % in 2007 related to the rate of JE vaccination for children from 1 to 5 years old increasing from 49 % in 2003 to 77 % in 2007. Most of JE confirmed cases were un-vaccinated. Conclusion: JE etiology cause viral encephalitis in children in Thai Binh province was reduced thanks to JE vaccination in EPI program for 1 to 5 year old children. But more than 96% (131/136) of viral encephalitis in 15 years old upward was unknown etiology, the need for further study of the etiology cause viral encephalitis in adults.
Japanese encephalitis ; virus encephalitis ; MAC-ELISA ; Vaccine

Background: Recently, microplate almar blue assay has been used commonly in detecting gen related to tuberculosis drug resistance, which provides results after 5-7 days with lower cost compared to traditional methods. Objective: To evaluate the application of microplate almar blue assay for rapid detection of drug resistance of M. tuberculosis strains. Subject and Method: A microplate-based assay which uses Alamar blue reagent - an oxidation reduction dye (MABA), was used for the determination of the anti-tuberculosis drug (isoniazid-INH, rifampicine-RIF, streptomycine-STR and ethabuton=EMB) resistance of 96 M. tuberculosis strains isolated from Vietnamese patients in comparison to those obtained by conversional method. Result: MABA showed to have high sensitivity and specificity in testing the sensitivity to individual anti-tuberculosis drugs (from 82.4% for STR to 93.3% for - INH and from 82.5% for EMB to 98.4% for STR; respectively), as well as for the multi-drug resistant M.tuberculosis (86.4% of sensitivity), highly correlated with the result determined by proportion method. Conclusion: MABA reveals the advantage in shortening test time, in simple performance and lower cost compared with the conversional culture based methods.
Microplate almar blue assay ; M. tuberculosis ; drug resistance