Antisecretory,Gastroprotective, Antioxidant and Anti-Helicobcter Pylori Activity of Zerumbone from Zingiber Zerumbet (L.) Smith

Background

Zingiber zerumbet Smith is a perennial herb, broadly distributed in many tropical areas. In Malaysia, it’s locally known among the Malay people as “lempoyang” and its rhizomes, particularly, is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease beyond other gastric disorders.

Aim of the study

The aim of the current study is to evaluate the gastroprotective effect of zerumbone, the main bioactive compound of Zingiber zerumbet rhizome, against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats.

Materials and Methods

Rats were pre-treated with zerumbone and subsequently exposed to acute gastric ulcer induced by absolute ethanol administration. Following treatment, gastric juice acidity, ulcer index, mucus content, histological analysis (HE and PAS), immunohistochemical localization for HSP-70, prostaglandin E2 synthesis (PGE₂), non-protein sulfhydryl gastric content (NP-SH), reduced glutathione level (GSH), and malondialdehyde level (MDA) were evaluated in ethanol-induced ulcer in vivo. Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and anti-H. pylori activity were investigated in vitro.

Results

The results showed that the intragastric administration of zerumbone protected the gastric mucosa from the aggressive effect of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, coincided with reduced submucosal edema and leukocyte infiltration. This observed gastroprotective effect of zerumbone was accompanied with a significant (p <0.05) effect of the compound to restore the lowered NP-SH and GSH levels, and to reduce the elevated MDA level into the gastric homogenate. Moreover, the compound induced HSP-70 up-regulation into the gastric tissue. Furthermore, zerumbone significantly (p <0.05) enhanced mucus production, showed intense PAS stain and maintained PG content near to the normal level. The compound exhibited antisecretory activity and an interesting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against H. pylori strain.

Conclusion

The results of the present study revealed that zerumbone promotes ulcer protection, which might be attributed to the maintenance of mucus integrity, antioxidant activity, and HSP-70 induction. Zerumbone also exhibited antibacterial action against H. pylori.     

Evaluation of traditional medicinal plant,Cissus setosa Roxb. (Vitaceae) for antiulcer property

Cissus setosa is an indigenous medicinal herb commonly used for the treatment of gastro ulcers. In the current investigation the aerial methanolic extract of C. setosa was investigated for their antiulcer activity using pylorus ligation and ethanol in experimental rats. The extract was administered at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w. orally for 3 days. However, higher dose of the extract subsequently reduced gastric ulcer induced aberrations by pylorus ligation (70.05%) and ethanol (78.16%) as judged by their altered biochemical parameters such as free acidity, total acidity, total carbohydrate, total protein and pepsin activity. Furthermore, macroscopic examination of rat’s stomach also showed that the pretreatment with methanolic extract notably lowered the pylorus ligation and ethanol induced ulcers. As perceived in the present study, evidently, our findings basically supports the potency of the methanol extracts of C. setosa to treat gastrointestinal related disorders, thus lends pharmacological credence to the suggested folklore use.     

Intracellular survival and innate immune evasion of Burkholderia cepacia: Improved understanding of quorum sensing-controlled virulence factors,biofilm, and inhibitors

Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) are opportunistic pathogens implicated with nosocomial infections, and high rates of morbidity and mortality, especially in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). B. cepacia are naturally resistant to different classes of antibiotics, and can subvert the host innate immune responses by producing quorum sensing (QS) controlled virulence factors and biofilms. It still remains a conundrum as to how exactly the bacterium survives the intracellular environment within the host cells of CF patients and immunocompromised individuals although the bacterium can invade human lung epithelial cells, neutrophils, and murine macrophages. The mechanisms associated with intracellular survival in the airway epithelial cells and the role of QS and virulence factors in B. cepacia infections in cystic fibrosis remain largely unclear. The current review focuses on understanding the role of QS-controlled virulence factors and biofilms, and provides additional impetus to understanding the potentials of QS-inhibitory strategies against B. cepacia.     

Changes in Metabolic Hormones in Malaysian Young Adults following Helicobacter pylori Eradication

Background

More than half of the world’s adults carry Helicobacter pylori. The eradication of H. pylori may affect the regulation of human metabolic hormones. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of H. pylori eradication on meal-associated changes in appetite-controlled insulinotropic and digestive hormones, and to assess post-eradication changes in body mass index as part of a currently on-going multicentre ESSAY (Eradication Study in Stable Adults/Youths) study.

Methods

We enrolled 29 H. pylori-positive young adult (18–30 year-old) volunteer subjects to evaluate the effect of H. pylori eradication on meal-associated changes on eight gastrointestinal hormones, using a multiplex bead assay. Changes in body mass index and anthropometric measurements were recorded, pre- and post-eradication therapy.

Results

Pre-prandial active amylin, total peptide YY (PYY) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) levels were significantly elevated 12 months post-eradication compared with baseline (n = 18; Wilcoxon''s signed rank test, p<0.05). Four of the post-prandial gut metabolic hormones levels (GLP-1, total PYY, active amylin, PP) were significantly higher 12 months post-eradication compared to baseline (n = 18; p<0.05). Following H. pylori eradication, the BMI and anthropometric values did not significantly change.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that H. pylori eradication was associated with long-term disturbance in three hormones (active amylin, PP and total PYY) both pre- and post-prandially and one hormone (GLP-1) post-prandially. Longer post-eradication monitoring is needed to investigate the long-term impact of the observed hormonal changes on metabolic homeostasis.     

N-fertilizer saving by the inoculation of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and Herbaspirillum sp. in micropropagated sugarcane plants

Colonization of micropropagated sugarcane plants by Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and Herbaspirillum sp. was confirmed by a dot-immunoblot assay. In all, a 45-day short-term and 180-day long-term experiments conducted on micropropagated sugarcane plants of Co 86032, a sugar rich popular variety in South India, indicated the usefulness of these diazotrophs as plant growth promoting bacteria. Co-inoculation of these two bacteria enhanced the biomass considerably under N-limited condition in the short duration experiment. In the long-term experiment, the establishment of inoculated Herbaspirillum sp. remained stable with the age of the crop up to 180 days, while there was a reduction in population of G. diazotrophicus for the same period. The total bio-mass and leaf N were higher in plants inoculated with G. diazotrophicus and Herbaspirillum sp. without N fertilization and also in plants with 50% of the recommended N (140 kg ha(-1)) than the plants fertilized with recommended dose of inorganic N (280 kg ha(-1)). This experiment showed that inoculation with these bacteria in sugarcane variety Co 86032 could mitigate fertilizer N application considerably in sugarcane cultivation.     

Ventricular tachycardia as the presenting feature in two patients with cardiac lipoma and cardiac fibroma

We hereby present two patients with benign cardiac tumours presenting as ventricular tachycardia (VT). Most such tumours have a favorable prognosis, unless complicated by arrhythmias. Intracavitary tumours are easily diagnosed by echocardiography. Intramural tumours as in our patients may be missed at times by echocardiography. Multimodality imaging helped confirm the diagnosis and etiology, since biopsy was not safe. Surgical removal was not feasible due to extensive infiltration. The patients are so far doing well on medical therapy.     

The Effect of Environmental Conditions on Biofilm Formation of Burkholderia pseudomallei Clinical Isolates

Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Gram-negative saprophytic bacterium, is the causative agent of the potentially fatal melioidosis disease in humans. In this study, environmental parameters including temperature, nutrient content, pH and the presence of glucose were shown to play a role in in vitro biofilm formation by 28 B. pseudomallei clinical isolates, including four isolates with large colony variants (LCVs) and small colony variants (SCVs) morphotypes. Enhanced biofilm formation was observed when the isolates were tested in LB medium, at 30°C, at pH 7.2, and in the presence of as little as 2 mM glucose respectively. It was also shown that all SVCs displayed significantly greater capacity to form biofilms than the corresponding LCVs when cultured in LB at 37°C. In addition, octanoyl-homoserine lactone (C(8)-HSL), a quorum sensing molecule, was identified by mass spectrometry analysis in bacterial isolates referred to as LCV CTH, LCV VIT, SCV TOM, SCV CTH, 1 and 3, and the presence of other AHL's with higher masses; decanoyl-homoserine lactone (C(10)-HSL) and dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone (C(12)-HSL) were also found in all tested strain in this study. Last but not least, we had successfully acquired two Bacillus sp. soil isolates, termed KW and SA respectively, which possessed strong AHLs degradation activity. Biofilm formation of B. pseudomallei isolates was significantly decreased after treated with culture supernatants of KW and SA strains, demonstrating that AHLs may play a role in B. pseudomallei biofilm formation.     

Streptococcus mitis Induces Conversion of Helicobacter pylori to Coccoid Cells during Co-Culture In Vitro

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major gastric pathogen that has been associated with humans for more than 60,000 years. H. pylori causes different gastric diseases including dyspepsia, ulcers and gastric cancers. Disease development depends on several factors including the infecting H. pylori strain, environmental and host factors. Another factor that might influence H. pylori colonization and diseases is the gastric microbiota that was overlooked for long because of the belief that human stomach was a hostile environment that cannot support microbial life. Once established, H. pylori mainly resides in the gastric mucosa and interacts with the resident bacteria. How these interactions impact on H. pylori-caused diseases has been poorly studied in human. In this study, we analyzed the interactions between H. pylori and two bacteria, Streptocccus mitis and Lactobacillus fermentum that are present in the stomach of both healthy and gastric disease human patients. We have found that S. mitis produced and released one or more diffusible factors that induce growth inhibition and coccoid conversion of H. pylori cells. In contrast, both H. pylori and L. fermentum secreted factors that promote survival of S. mitis during the stationary phase of growth. Using a metabolomics approach, we identified compounds that might be responsible for the conversion of H. pylori from spiral to coccoid cells. This study provide evidences that gastric bacteria influences H. pylori physiology and therefore possibly the diseases this bacterium causes.