Volume 2 Issue 3
Authors: Anyanwu, P.; Nwaichi, E. O.
Abstract: Phytoscreening and the effect of heat treatment on the antioxidant activity were studied in three medicinal plant parts used mostly by nursing mothers in Southern Nigeria;Tetrapleura tetraptera, Piper guineense and Xylopia ethiopica. Total Phenols, Flavonoids and Vitamin C content of these spices were determined at different heating periods (0, 30,60, and 90mins) at 100oC and the results showed significant Phenol acumulation in tubers (1554. 54mgkg−1, 1555. 01 mgkg−1, and 1550. 04 mgkg−1 DW) for T. tetraptera, P. guineense and X. ethiopicarespectively at zero heat treatment. The antioxidant activity was determined by ferric ion reducing/ antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Results indicate a significant increases (p ≤ 0.05) in FRAP vaalues of T. Tetraptera aqueous extracts at all monitored times.Similar trend was observed in heat – response for flavonoid content of measured spices. Increase in heat treatment time gave statistically significant decreases in observed levels of Vitamin C for all spices studied These suggest that heat treatment could have beneficial effect by improving antioxidant activity in consumers of these spices but prolonged treatment could have an inhibitory effect.The results recorded clearly indicate Vitamin C and total Phenolic content loss due to thermal treatment. Also, high antioxidant properties expressed by T. Tetraptera expresses a potential to inhibit possible oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
Keywords: Antioxidant Activity; Heat Treatment; Aridan Plant; Ashanti Pepper; Guinea Pepper; Soup
Authors: Hamzah Fansuri Hassan; Rosmadi Mohd Yusof; Nabilatul Hani Mohd Radzman; Muhammad Ashraf Mohd Salleh; Wan Iryani Wan Ismail; Mohd Nazri Abu
Abstract: This study aims to investigate the effect of Tinosporacrispa and Gelam (Melaleucacajupati) honey mixture on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and normal human hepatocytes(WRL-68) cell lines. Cell cytotoxicity was measured using MTS assay. The IC50obtained was 42.67% in HepG2 and none in the WRL-68. Western blotting showed an increment in phosphorylation of tyrosine (PY20), indicating induction of Caspase 3 apoptotic proteins, whereas, the gene product of insulin growth-like receptor (IGF-1R) was reduced, indicating cancer cell inhibition. It is concluded that the elevation of Caspase 3 and the inhibition of IGF-1R indicates the ability of this mixture to simultaneously promote apoptosis and sensitized insulin in HepG2 cells.
Keywords: Tinosporacrispa; Gelam Honey; Apoptosis; Cytotoxicity; Insulin Sensitivity; Hepg2; WRL-68
Authors: Radek Drozd; Martin Drahanský; Josef Hájek
Abstract: This paper deals with a proposal of the algorithm for features extraction from the blood vessels on the back of eyeball. Automated extraction is based on the bifurcations (points where a single vessel splits into two vessels) in retina. Each particular bifurcation is subsequently specified by its own position given by the coordinate system derived from the mutual position of the optic disc and fovea. The complete algorithm has been developed in C++ language and uses OpenCV library for image processing. This proposed method was evaluated on available images of the STARE and DRIVE databases.
Keywords: Retina; Blood Vessel; Filtering; Optic Disc; Macula; Bifurcation Point