Antiproliferation, antioxidation and induction of apoptosis by Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) on SKBR3 human breast cancer cell line

This study was designed to determine the antiproliferative, apoptotic and antioxidative properties of crude methanolic extract (CME) from the pericarp of Garcinia mangostana (family Guttiferae) using human breast cancer (SKBR3) cell line as a model system. SKBR3 cells were cultured in the presence of CME at various concentrations (0-50 microg/ml) for 48 h and the percentage of cell viability was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-di phenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. CME showed a dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation with ED(50) of 9.25+/-0.64 microg/ml. We found that antiproliferative effect of CME was associated with apoptosis on breast cancer cell line by determinations of morphological changes and oligonucleosomal DNA fragments. In addition, CME at various concentrations and incubation times were also found to inhibit ROS production. These investigations suggested that the methanolic extract from the pericarp of Garcinia mangostana had strong antiproliferation, potent antioxidation and induction of apoptosis. Thus, it indicates that this substance can show different activities and has potential for cancer chemoprevention which were dose dependent as well as exposure time dependent.     

Pulmonary radiographic findings in 118 leptospirosis patients

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and chest radiographs of 118 patients who presented during January 1998 to October 2002 at Songklanagarin Hospital in Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, Thailand who had a high serum immunofluorescent assay titer for leptospirosis. Twenty-nine of 118 (24%) patients had abnormal chest films. Nearly all of these patients had respiratory symptoms and needed oxygen therapy (93% and 90%, respectively). Forty-eight of the 118 (40%) had respiratory symptoms, but only 27/48 (56%) had abnormal radiographs. Twenty-one of the 28 (75%) and 18/27 (67%) who had abnormal chest radiographs had coexisting impaired renal function or jaundice, respectively, whereas 21/69 (30%) of the patients who had impaired renal function and 18/55 (33%) of the patients with jaundice had abnormal radiographs. There were 6/27 (22%) patients who had abnormal chest radiographs without renal or liver impairment. The most common finding on the abnormal chest radiograph was bilateral diffuse air space disease, which resolved within 7 days. No permanent lung damage was seen. The patients who had an abnormal chest radiograph needed longer hospitalization, than those without an abnormal chest radiograph (average 12 days and 5 days, respectively).     

Chronic treatment with prebiotics,probiotics and synbiotics attenuated cardiac dysfunction by improving cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction in male obese insulin-resistant rats

European Journal of Nutrition - In metabolic syndrome, the composition of gut microbiota has been disrupted, and is associated with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Several types of prebiotics,...     

Thai pediatricians' current practice toward childhood asthma

Background: Childhood asthma is a substantial health burden in Thailand. Due to a lack of pediatric respiratory specialists (pediatric pulmonologists and allergists; RS), most Thai children are cared for by general pediatricians (pediatric primary care providers (PCP)). Objectives: We investigated whether current practices of Thai pediatricians complied with asthma guidelines and compared practices (diagnosis and treatments) provided by PCP and RS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using electronic surveys including four case scenarios of different asthma phenotypes distributed to Thai pediatricians. Asthma diagnosis and management were evaluated for compliance with standard guidelines. The practices of PCP and RS were compared. Results: From 800 surveys distributed, there were 405 respondents (51%). Most respondents (81%) were PCP, who preferred to use clinical diagnosis rather than laboratory investigations to diagnose asthma. For acute asthmatic attacks, 58% of the pediatricians prescribed a systemic corticosteroid. For uncontrolled asthma, 89% of the pediatricians prescribed at least one controller. For exercise-induced bronchospasm, 55% of the pediatricians chose an inhaled bronchodilator, while 38% chose a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA). For virus-induced wheeze, 40% of the respondents chose an LTRA, while 15% chose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). PCP prescribed more oral bronchodilators (31% vs. 18%, p = 0.02), antibiotics (20% vs. 6%, p < 0.001), and antihistamines (13% vs. 0%, p = 0.02) than RS for the management of an acute asthmatic attack. Conclusions: Most of the Thai pediatricians' practices toward diagnosis and treatment of acute asthmatic attack and uncontrolled asthma conform to the guidelines. PCP prescribed more oral bronchodilators, antibiotics, and antihistamines than RS.     

Results of gastroscope bacterial decontamination by enzymatic detergent compared to chlorhexidine

AIM: To compare the efficacy of enzymatic detergent with chlorhexidine for gastroscope bacterial decontamination. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled study was undertaken to evaluate the ability of these 2 agents to achieve high level disinfection in a gastroscope. A total of 260 samples were collected from 5 different gastroscopes. Manual cleaning was done for 10 min with these 2 agents separately (n = 130 each). Then all specimens underwent 2% glutaraldehyde soaking for 20 min. After 70% alcohol was rinsed, sterile normal saline was flushed into each gastroscope channel and 40 mL of sample was collected. The sample was sent for aerobic bacterial culture after membrane was filtered. A colony count greater than 200 cfu/mL was considered significant. RESULTS: The positive culture rate was 4.6% in the enzymatic detergent arm and 3.1% in the chlorhexidine arm. Pseudomonas species were the main organism detected from both groups (60%). Multiple organisms were found from 4 specimens (enzymatic detergent arm = 1, chlorhexidine arm = 3). CONCLUSION: The contamination rate of both types of cleaning solution is equivalent.     

New cytotoxic apotirucallanes from the leaves of Walsura trichostemon

Three new apotirucallanes (1–3) were isolated from the leaves of Walsura trichostemon. Their structures were identified by interpretation of their spectroscopic data as well as comparison with those reported in the literature. In addition, all isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against KB and HeLa cells.     

The role of prednisolone in reducing limb oedema in children bitten by green pit vipers: a randomized, controlled trial

When green pit vipers (GPV), which are common venomous snakes in Thailand, bite humans they cause coagulopathy as well as local tissue oedema. The use of steroids to reduce such oedema is controversial. The role of low, oral doses of prednisolone in the treatment of GPV bites in children has therefore now been assessed, in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical trial in Bangkok. Overall, 43 children aged 3-15 years, each with a recent GPV bite to one limb, were randomly assigned to receive oral prednisolone (1 mg/kg.day) or placebo for 3 days, without antivenom or prophylactic antibiotics. The degree of limb oedema was assessed, immediately before the first dose and then daily, by measuring the limb circumference around the fang marks. By 72 h post-bite, both treatment groups showed significant decreases in the level of their limb oedema. Since, at each time-point, the patients in the two groups showed similar levels of limb oedema (and of reduction in such oedema), there appeared to be no benefit from the use of the prednisolone.