Search

Background Skin aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Photoaging can be prevented by applying phytochemicals that have sun-protective properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of saffron serum to restore collagen density and autophagy processes and reduce inflammatory gene expression in UVB-exposed Wistar rats. Methods An experimental laboratory study was conducted involving 20 male Wistar rats that were divided into 4 groups: control, UVB, UVB + base serum, UVB + saffron serum exposed to UVB radiation for 5 weeks with a total dose of 3100 mJ/cm2. The skin was extracted then underwent Masson Trichrome staining and real-time PCR to obtain collagen density and gene expression. Results The gene expression of MMP1, IL6, TNFá, LC3, and p62 was significantly increased in the UVB group compared to the control group. Topical administration of saffron serum significantly increased collagen density (p=0.001). Induction by UVB significantly increased LC3 (p=0.020) and p62 (p=0.030) gene expression, indicating an inhibition of autophagy. The saffron serum might modulate autophagy by increasing LC3, but not significant (p=0.495) and significantly decreasing p62 gene expression (p=0.001). As for MMP1, IL6, and TNFá, no significant decrease in gene expression was found in the UVB + saffron serum group compared to the UVB group. Conclusion Saffron serum increases collagen density and modulates autophagy in the skin of UVB-exposed Wistar rats. Inflammatory markers were increased after UVB induction, but no differences were found after saffron serum topical administration.

Neurocysticercosis is one of the most encountered infectious diseases caused by parasites. This condition is caused by an infection of the larvae (cysticercus) of the tapeworm Taenia Solium in the central nervous system. One of the many clinical manifestations of this condition is recurrent seizures that can eventually lead to damage to brain tissue and its functions. This literature review aims to discuss the effect of seizures on the cognitive function of patients diagnosed with neurocysticercosis. The method used in this study is a systematic review with search engines (PubMed and the Cochrane Library) using the keywords “neurocysticercosis” and “seizure” and “cognitive”. Inclusion criteria for this literature review include articles and journals published in the last 10 years with full-text access. We found 6 articles comparing the cognitive abilities of neurocysticercosis-diagnosed patients with healthy control. This literature review concluded that neurocysticercosis patients tend to have lower cognitive function in certain aspects compared to healthy controls.

Background: High-fat diet (HFD) increases the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, and chronic kidney disease, resulting in lipotoxicity. Turmeric and mangosteen are two ingredients mostly used in Indonesian food, and are known for their antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of turmeric and mangosteen on autophagy gene expression in HFD-induced kidneys in rats model. Methods: The study was an experimental study, including 25 male Wistar rats aged 8 weeks, divided into 5 groups with a completely randomized design; group with a standard diet as negative control group, the group with a high-fat diet as a positive control group, and the HFD groups with turmeric or mangosteen or fenofibrate. The study was conducted in Maranatha Biomedical Research Laboratory from January to November 2022. Autophagy gene expression (LC3, p62) was measured along with the histopathological scoring to observe necrosis, inflammation, and fat degeneration state. Data was analyzed using One Way ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis and post hoc Least Significant Difference or Mann Whitney. Results: There were significant differences in inflammation in groups treated with mangosteen (p=0.007); in fat degeneration in groups treated with mangosteen and fenofibrate (p=0.007). Furthermore, the LC3 gene expression was increased in all HFD groups as well as the p62 gene expression in group treated with turmeric (p=0.020) and fenofibrate (p=0.005). Conclusions: Mangosteen decreases inflammation and fat degeneration scoring, while turmeric increases autophagy in the kidney of HFD induced Wistar rats.

Kelainan refraksi atau ametropia adalah penyebab umum gangguan penglihatan yang dibagi menjadi miopi, hipermetropi, astigmatisma, dan presbiopia. Kelainan refraksi tidak dapat dicegah, namun dapat didiagnosis dari pemeriksaan mata dan dapat dikoreksi dengan menggunakan lensa kacamata, lensa kontak dan juga dengan tindakan operasi. Sampai saat ini standar baku emas untuk menghitung status refraksi seseorang masih menggunakan retinoskopi dan refraksi subjektif. Studi pustaka ini bertujuan untuk membahas mengenai perbandingan keakuratan antara hasil retinoskopi dan autorefraktometer untuk menentukan status refraksi seseorang. Metode yang digunakan adalah literature review dengan mencari artikel dengan kata kunci retinoscopy, autorefractometer, dan refractive errors dengan kriteria inklusi meliputi artikel dalam 10 tahun terakhir, akses teks lengkap, baik dalam bahasa Inggris maupun bahasa Indonesia. Kami menemukan 5 penelitian yang membandingkan keakuratan retinoskopi dan autorefraktometer dalam menentukan status refraksi. Autorefraktometer dapat menentukan status refraksi dengan cepat, namun hasilnya dapat overestimated, sedangkan retinoskopi dengan siklopegik memberikan hasil yang lebih akurat namun memerlukan keterampilan dan pengalaman pemeriksa. Studi pustaka ini menyimpulkan bahwa pemeriksaan dengan menggunakan retinoskopi memberikan hasil yang lebih baik dibandingkan dengan autorefraktometer dalam menentukan status refraksi seseorang.

Abstract—Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract which is one of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In Indonesia, epidemiological data obtained from hospital reports, generally show that the incidence of UC is higher than Crohn's Disease (CD). Mesalamine as a drug of choice for UC, is related to some side effects. Therefore, herbal plants such as sambiloto (Andrographis paniculata) could be used as a complementary therapy in UC. The purpose of this article is to provide information about the potential mechanisms of andrographolide (AG) as a bioactive compound in sambiloto (Andrographis paniculata) extract as an anti-inflammatory agent. The method used by authors in this article is a narrative review method, by collecting studies about the anti-inflammatory effect of AG on UC through a database search. The results showed that one of the ingredients of sambiloto, diterpenoid labdane compound in the active form of AG, is able to inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines so that it has the potential to act as an anti-inflammatory similar to mesalamine in UC therapy. Additionally, sambiloto contains flavonoids and polyphenols which serve as antioxidants. In conclusion, AG has an anti-inflammatory property that might be utilized as a part of UC complementary therapy. Keywords: andrographolide, andrographis paniculata, inflammation, ulcerative colitis, sambiloto Abstrak—Kolitis ulseratif (KU) adalah penyakit inflamasi kronis idiopatik saluran pencernaan termasuk dalam salah satu inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Di Indonesia, data epidemiologi diperoleh dari pelaporan rumah sakit, secara umum menunjukkan insidensi KU lebih tinggi daripada Crohn’s Disease (CD). Mesalamine sebagai pilihan terapi untuk KU, dapat menimbulkan beberapa efek samping. Oleh karena itu, tanaman herbal seperti sambiloto Andrographis paniculata dapat digunakan sebagai terapi komplementer pada KU. Tujuan artikel ini adalah memberikan informasi mengenai potensi dan mekanisme senyawa bioaktif andrographolide (AG) pada ekstrak sambiloto (Andrographis paniculata) sebagai agen antiinflamasi. Metode yang digunakan oleh penulis dalam artikel ini adalah metode narrative review, dengan mengumpulkan beberapa studi tentang efek antiinflamatori dari AG pada KU melalui pencarian database. Hasil dari analisis data menunjukkan bahwa salah satu kandungan sambiloto, senyawa labdane diterpenoid dalam bentuk aktif AG, mampu menghambat ekspresi sitokin proinflamasi sehingga berpotensi sebagai antiinflamasi serupa dengan mesalamin pada terapi KU. Selain itu, sambiloto memiliki kandungan flavonoid dan polifenol yang berfungsi sebagai antioksidan. Sebagai simpulan, AG memiliki properti antiinflammatori yang dapat digunakan sebagai bagian dari terapi komplementer pada KU. Kata kunci: andrographolide, andrographis paniculata, inflamasi, kolitis ulseratif, sambiloto

Mechanical damage to nerve fibers during scoliosis correction can result in severe neurological disorders. It has been demonstrated that intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring during spinal surgery reduces the risk of motor deficits or paraplegia. Despite significant advances in the technique and application of IONM (intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring), data reporting the impact of implementing intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring on scoliosis surgery intervention remains very limited. Therefore, this review aims to investigate the correlation between the application of IONM and the risk of neurologic deficits in scoliosis patients undergoing surgery. The database sourced from PubMed (Jan 2010 to Jan 2022) was used to identify all studies evaluating the effectiveness and impact of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring during scoliosis surgery and reducing the risk of postoperative complications. This systematic review included five studies. Multimodal IONM, with its high sensitivity and specificity, provides an objective benchmark that surgeons can implement to review surgical strategies to reduce the risk of permanent neurologic deficits. Multimodal IONM can be considered the gold standard of IONM in scoliosis surgery to prevent neurological damage and provide a more satisfactory result of surgical intervention.

High levels of fat in the blood are a risk factor for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis liver disease. Indonesian medicinal plants that can decrease blood fat levels are turmeric and mangosteen peel. One of the mechanisms of blood fat-lowering drugs is to increase the expression of the PPARα gene. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of turmeric and mangosteen peel on the expression of the PPARα gene in the rat liver induced by a high-fat diet. This research was conducted at Maranatha Biomedical Research Laboratory in February–October 2021, using male Wistar rats that were divided into 5 groups (n=5): negative control groups (no treatment), positive control groups (high-fat diet), turmeric, mangosteen, and fenofibrate groups, that was given high-fat diet continued by ethanol extract of turmeric, ethanol extract of mangosteen peel, and fenofibrate. At the end of the study, the animals were terminated, and the liver was extracted for RNA extraction and semi-quantitative PCR. The results showed that there was an increase in PPARα gene expression in the turmeric group and fenofibrate group, which were significantly different from the positive control group that received a high-fat diet (p

High-fat diet habits lead to an increase in LDL-C levels that eventually influence the atherosclerotic plaque formation and progression, causing coronary heart disease. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process that releases various pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6. Indonesians often use medicinal plants to decrease cholesterol levels. This study aimed to compare the LDL-C and IL-6 levels after treatments of ethanol extracts from Java ginger (EEJG), turmeric (EET), garlic (EEG), and pomegranate flowers (EEPF) in a hypercholesterolemia animal model. This study was conducted at the Maranatha Biomedical Research Laboratory from June–December 2020. Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups (n=5 per group) and received high-fat feeding and 0.01% propylthiouracil. The following treatments were given for 28 days: oral carboxymethylcellulose 1% for negative control; 35 mg/200g of oral EEJG, EET, EEG, EEPF for respective treatment groups (n=5 groups); and 0.36 mg/200 g of oral Rosuvastatin for positive control. It was demonstrated that the mean LDL-C levels were 65.75 mg/dL, 55.25 mg/dL, 56.75 mg/dL, and 59.60 mg/dL for EEJG, EET, EEG, EEPF groups, respectively, which were significantly different from that of the negative control (81.73 mg/dL). The IL-6 levels of the EEJG (27.55 pg./mL) and EEG (27.54 pg./mL) group were significantly different from the EEPF group (24.5 pg./mL) but not significantly different from the negative control (25.58 pg./mL), EET (25.60 pg./mL), and rosuvastatin (26.09 pg./mL) groups. The administration of ethanol extracts of Java ginger, turmeric, garlic, and pomegranate flower decreases the C-LDL levels; however, only the ethanol extract of pomegranate flowers administered for 28 days decreases the IL-6 levels of Wistar rat hypercholesterolemia model, albeit insignificantly.

The high incidence of breast cancer cases in the world requires the use of applicative methods. The 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced breast cancer animal model is a widely used chemical-induced animal models for research on breast cancer. However, the molecular mechanism related to DMBA induction remains unclear. Good understanding on DMBA-induced animal models is crucial for studies related to future breast cancer treatments as animal models will provide a deeper understanding of anticancer medication, specifically those aimed for treating breast cancer. The aim of this study was to develop an DMBA-induced animal model for breast cancer. This study used female Wistar rats injected subcutaneously with DMBA as a carcinogen-induced agent (20 mg/kg) to induce tumor. Rat tumors were then evaluated and breast appearance was observed weekly, starting from day 28th after DMBA injection. Breast cancer tissue was then sampled and stored at -80°C until it was used for western blot and histological study. This study indicated that DMBA induced cancer in female Wistar rat’s breasts, and cytoplastic cells and lung metastatic was identified macroscopically and histopathologically. The metabolic sign was observed in the lung and breast sections. Interestingly, the DMBA induction in this study does not only induce organ cancers but also induces estrogen receptors and stimulates signaling of estrogen receptors α (ERα), ERβ, and Akt.

Exercise could delay the degeneration process by increasing Klotho, which is an endogen antioxidant. Klotho protects against oxidative damages, regulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity, and enhances GluN2B expression. This study aimed to analyze the effect of 14-day and 8-week moderate-intensity exercise on Klotho and GluN2B mRNA expressions in rat hippocampus. This study was an animal experimental study using Wistar rats that was performed from June to September 2019 at the Central Laboratory, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. Rats were divided into 4 groups: control (14-day control and 8-week control) and exercise group (14-day exercise and 8-week exercise). The exercise groups ran at a moderate intensity (20m/min) for 30min/day, 5x/week. Hippocampus was then subjected to klotho and GluN2B gene expression analysis. The exercise groups showed a higher Klotho expression, both in 14 days (0.844±0.124 vs. 1.057±0.013) and 8 weeks (0.897±0.072 vs. 1.380±0.168) although statistically insignificant (p=0.24). No difference in GluN2B gene expression was observed between control and exercise groups on 14 days (1±0.09 vs. 1.22±0.09) and 8 weeks (1.24±0.03 vs. 1.38±0.05; p=0.11). In conclusion, 14-day and 8-week moderate-intensity exercise did not alter Klotho and GluN2B expressions in rat hippocampus.

A myokine is one of the proteins that are produced and released by myocytes in response to muscular contractions when doing physical exercise. One protein that is thought to function as myokine is FGF23.The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of acute physical exercise with moderate intensity on the expression of FGF23 gene in Wistar rat heart. This was an animal experimental study using 24 male Wistar rats that were divided into 4 groups:treatment groups that performed 30 minute acutephysical exercise with moderate intensity (20 m/min) for 3 days, 6 days, and 15 days and a control group without physical exercise. The study was conducted in the Animal Laboratory and Central Laboratory of Universitas Padjadjaran during the period of February to July 2019. Data observed were the FGF23 gene expressions in Wistar rats heart. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The results from the Kruskal-Wallis test showed that acute physical exercise with moderate intensity did not increase the FGF23 gene expression in Wistar rat heart (p>0.05), and the average of relative ratios of FGF23/GAPDH gene expression were as follows: control (0.970±0,03), 3 days (0.992±0.03), 6 days (1.014±0.05), and 15 days (1.056±0.02). GAPDH was used in this study as a housekeeping gene since its expression is very constant. This study proves that FGF23 is more likely to take a role in the cardiac remodeling process, especially those associated with cardiac hypertrophy after chronic exercise with no effect observed after acute physical exercise with moderate intensity in Wistar rat heart.

Abstrak Dismenore merupakan gangguan menstruasi dengan prevalensi terbesar diikuti gejala sindrom premenstruasi yang mencakup gejala fisik dan psikologis. Asupan mikronutrien kalsium dan magnesium dapat membantu mengatasi keluhan ini. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh konsumsi suplemen kalsium dan magnesium terhadap dismenore dan gejala sindrom premenstrual pada perempuan berusia 19–23 tahun. Penelitian ini merupakan eksperimental kuasi dengan rancangan pretes dan postes. Penelitian dilakukan di Universitas Kristen Maranatha Bandung pada bulan Juli–Desember 2016. Subjek penelitian adalah 60 orang perempuan berusia 19–23 tahun, dibagi menjadi dua kelompok secara acak untuk pemberian bahan uji kalsium (1.000 mg/hari) atau magnesium (250 mg/hari) yang diberikan mulai hari kedua menstruasi sampai siklus menstruasi yang berikutnya. Kadar kalsium atau magnesium serum diukur dengan metode spektrofotometri. Dismenore diukur dengan skala nyeri visual analog scale (VAS), sedangkan skor sindrom premenstrual diukur dengan shortened premenstrual assessment form sebelum dan sesudah pemberian bahan uji. Konsumsi kalsium menurunkan skor skala VAS rata-rata pada dismenore dari 6,97 menjadi 3,80 (p=0,000**) dan skor total gejala sindrom premenstrual rata-rata dari 15,07 menjadi 10,80 (p=0,000**). Konsumsi magnesium mengurangi skor skala VAS rata-rata pada dismenore dari 7 menjadi 4 (p=0,000**) dan skor total gejala sindrom premenstrual rata-rata dari 12,27 menjadi 9,87 (p=0,001**). Simpulan penelitian ini adalah konsumsi suplemen kalsium atau magnesium mengurangi keluhan dismenore dan gejala sindrom premenstrual pada perempuan usia 19–23 tahun. Abstract Dysmenorrhea is a menstrual disorder with the greatest prevalence followed by premenstrual syndrome that includes physical and psychological symptoms. Micronutrients intake of calcium and magnesium can help overcome these complaints. This research was conducted to find out the effect of calcium and magnesium supplements consumption on dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome symptoms in 19–23 years old women. This was quasi experimental research with pre- and post-test design. The research was conducted in Maranatha Christian University Bandung from July to December 2016. The subjects of research were 60 women aged 19–23 years old, divided into two groups randomly. One group given calcium (1,000 mg/day) or magnesium (250 mg/day), which was given at the second day of menstruation until the next menstrual cycle. Serum levels of calcium or magnesium were measured with spectrophotometry method. Dysmenorrhea was measured with visual analog scale (VAS), whereas score of premenstrual syndrome was measured with shortened premenstrual assessment form, before and after treatment. The consumption of calcium lowers the VAS score average on dysmenorrhea from 6.97 to 3.80 (p=0.000**) and the mean score of premenstrual syndrome from 15.07 to 10.80 (p=0.000**). Consumption of magnesium reduces the VAS score average on dysmenorrhea from 7 to 4 (p=0.000**) and the mean score of premenstrual syndrome from 12.27 to 9.87 (p=0.001**). In conclusion, consumption of calcium or magnesium supplements reduce dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome in women aged 19–23 years old.