Water Extract Have Superior Cytotoxic Effect Than Ethanolic Extract of Clinacanthus Nutans Leaves in Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Background

The rapid development of medical technology in managing breast cancer patients still cannot solve the problem of recurrence and resistance. One of the causes of recurrence and molecular resistance is the presence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Clinacanthus nutans (C.nutans) is a plant found in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. This plant is believed to have anticancer activity in community.

Objective

Our study aimed to assess phytochemical of C.nutans leaves, isolate breast cancer stem cells and determine the cytotoxic effects of the ethanolic extract and water extract of C.nutans leaves on breast cancer stem cells at 24, 48, and 72 h of observation.

Methods

We underwent the cytotoxic test by using MTT assay and isolated breast cancer stem cells by using MACS and validated them by mammosphere test.

Results

We found alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides and tannins in simplicia and all extracts. BCSCs was valid with the diameter of the mammosphere BCSCs was > 60 μm. The IC50 values of 100%, 60%, 40%, 20% EE, and WE of C.nutans leaves were 227.30; 46.05; 31.12; 98.54, and 16.16 μg/ml respectively in the first 24 hours. In administering WE of C.nutans leaves, BCSCs viability was decreased at 24,48 and 72 hours of observation, namely 69.29±26%; 75.82 ± 21.02% and 38.94±9.34 % (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The WE of C.nutans leaves had more substantial cytotoxic potential against BCSCs than the EE. The capability of WE C.nutans leaves to suppress BCSC's viability was time-dependent. The anticancer activity were believed originate from alkaloid and flavonoid group.

Sex Differences in Neuropeptide Y Serum, But Not in Fat Intake and Body Mass Index

Background:  One’s appetite has a role in controlling food intake and maintaining energy balance, but its effect on body metabolism related to obesity is still questionable. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of neuropeptide Y in healthy people and to see differences in gender and anthropometric parameters. The hypothesis of this study was that there would be differences in neuropeptide Y levels in groups with gender and anthropometric parameter differences.      Methods:   This study was a cross-sectional study involving 62 study subjects, male and female, who did not have chronic diseases or metabolic disorders. This research was conducted from April to September 2020. The parameters examined in this study were neuropeptide Y levels and anthropometric parameters. The statistical analysis performed was the Mann–Whitney test to see the differences between groups.  Results:   The mean age of the research subjects was 40.48 ± 10.85 years, with the same ethnic distribution. The distribution of men and women was more women than men. Based on anthropometric examination, it was found that obesity nutritional status was more common in the female group than in the male group; however, serum neuropeptide Y levels were found to be significantly different between male and female groups (male group was higher) which were mean±standard deviation: 348.37±330.09 ng/L, p=0.036.  Conclusions: The study found significant differences in serum neuropeptide Y levels in male and female groups, with neuropeptide Y levels being higher in men than in women. 

PENGEMBANGAN UNIT PENGELOLAAN LIMBAH SISTEM MANAJEMEN LIMBAH (SIMALIM) DENGAN SMART URBAN FARMING DALAM MENGELOLA LIMBAH ORGANIK DI KAMPUS USU

Universitas Sumatera Utara memiliki civitas akademika yang berkontribusi menghasilkan limbah organik yang cukup signifikan. Mendukung Green Campus mencapai peringkat di UI Greenmetric,  perlu dikembangkan Unit Pengelolaan Limbah Sistem Manajemen (Simalim) Dengan Smart Urban Farming yang baik dan terpadu. UPL Simalim dibentuk bertujuan sebagai wahana pendidikan.  penelitian bagi masyarakat, mahasiswa dan dosen. Disamping itu, menghasilkan produk yang bermanfaat dengan mensinergikan pemanfaatan larva Hermetia illucens/Black Soldier Fly (BSF), ekoenzim, aquaponik dan smart urban farming dengan mengelola limbah organik dari kantin dan perumahan warga di sekitar USU. Pengabdian ini dilaksanakan sejak bulan Agustus 2020 sampai dengan Desember 2020 pada Tahap pertama, berlokasi di Tempat Pembuangan Sampah (TPS) USU di Jl. Tri Dharma dan roof top garden dari UPT Lab Terpadu USU, melibatkan secara partisipatif dan melatih para mahasiswa sebagai duta ecocampus dan juga tim UI Green metric USU. Pengelolaan sampah organik dilakukan dengan rearing BSF pada sampah yang akan diuraikan. Manakala sistem akuaponik, dibudidayakan ikan gabus, nila dan lele serta sayuran organik. Produk ini dapat dijadikan komoditas kampus yang merupakan income generating. Diharapkan UPL Simalim dapat menjadi model bagi pengelolaan sampah organik tepat guna di Perguruan Tinggi yang ada di Indonesia.Kata kunci: Limbah organik; larva BSF, ekoenzim, aquaponik, smart urban farming format. 

The Incidence of Adult Obesity is Associated with Parental and Adolescent Histories of Obesity in North Sumatra, Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose

Obesity that occurs in adulthood is influenced by various factors, not only energy balance, especially concerning the amount of energy consumed, but also heredity. The hereditary factors of obese parents on childhood obesity have been studied, but what about adulthood? This study examines the relationship between a history of obesity in adolescence, and maternal and paternal incidences of adult obesity.

Patients and Methods

This study was a cross-sectional study that included adult men and women aged 20–60 years old. The subjects had no chronic or metabolic disease. This research was conducted from April to November, 2020, in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. The parameters studied were demographics, daily food intake, anthropometry and a history of obesity in adolescence, and for the participants’ fathers and mothers. The statistical test used was the chi-squared test/Fisher test.

Results

This study included 136 research subjects, 60 male and 76 female; based on the results of the study, 47.8% were found to be obese, but food intake showed a low intake (96.2%). There was a significant relationship between a history of obesity in adolescence and incidences of obesity (≥30 kg/m²) in the mother and father, with significance values of p=0.01, p=0.004, and p=0.001, respectively.

Conclusion

This study found that there was a significant relationship between a history of obesity in adolescence and incidences of adult obesity (≥ 30kg/m²) in parents, but not with the level of food intake per day. The risk of obesity will increase further with a history of obesity in parents and obesity in adolescence, and this can be used to understand and prevent obesity.

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Enhanced cytotoxic effects of Clinacanthus nutans and doxorubicin in combination toward breast cancer cell lines

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers with a relatively high mortality rate. Despite the advancement of its medical treatments, many patients are still seeking complementary alternative medicines, namely Clinacanthus nutans which is found mainly in South-East Asian countries. We aim to find the antioxidant properties and cytotoxic activity of the plant extract toward breast cancer cell lines Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF7) and T47D individually and in combination with doxorubicin. Extractions of C. nutans with ethanol, n-hexane, and ethyl acetate were done using rotatory vacuum evaporators with the reflux method. Screening of biochemical properties was conducted. Antioxidant activity was measured toward α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with IC₅₀ scores were shown to be highest in ethyl acetate extract. Cytotoxic effects of all three extracts were shown to be low in both MCF7 and T47D cells. However, combinations of 125 μg/ml n-hexane extract of C. nutans, and 0.1 μg/ml doxorubicin in T47D cancer cells showed further proliferation reduction compared to the single administration. The results suggested possible synergisms of the treatment combination.

Four-type of Masks and its Effectiveness Based on Reduced Level of Expiratory Carbon-monoxide

Introduction

Carbon-monoxide (CO) is a major component of motor-vehicles related air pollution. Motor-vehicles emissions are a major source of air pollution in urban areas and give significant adverse effects on human life.

Aim

This study aimed to assess the change of expiratory carbon-monoxide levels after using four-type of masks in people around Universitas Sumatera Utara.

Methods

This was an experimental study with a consecutive sampling technique involved 100 non-smoker subjects. They were divided into four groups based on masks given: fabric, surgical, carbon, and an N95 mask. Expiratory CO was measured by a smokerlyzer device. Data were analyzed using SPSS software with Wilcoxon and Kruskal Wallis Test.

Results

There was a significant change of carbon-monoxide mean level after using the mask for 8 hours in a surgical mask, N95 mask, and carbon mask (p-value: 0.002; 0.000; 0.000). After analyzed using Kruskal Wallis Test, there was a significant difference in the change of mean of pre and post wearing mask (ΔCO) among four-type of masks with p-value < 0.001. Post Hoc Analysis showed the significant difference was in the comparison between N95 mask vs Fabric Mask and Carbon Mask vs Fabric Mask (p-value: 0.002; 0.021).

Conclusion

All three type of masks such as surgical mask, N95 mask, and carbon mask was effective to reduce CO levels from air pollution with the most significant was N95 and carbon mask. Fabric mask has the poorest protection from CO levels.

Green tea compound epigallo-catechin-3-gallate (EGCG) increases neuronal survival in adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro

Epigallo-catechin-3-gallate (EGCG), found in the leaves of Camellia sinensis (green tea), has antioxidant- and scavenger-functions and acts neuroprotectively. It has been publicized as anti-aging remedy but data on potential cellular mechanisms are scarce. Recent studies claimed that EGCG specifically promotes neural precursor cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus of C57Bl/6 mice, without changes at the level of immature and mature new neurons. We here analyzed the effects of EGCG on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in male Balb/C mice and saw a different pattern. Two weeks of treatment with EGCG (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10mg/kg) showed a dose-response curve that peaked at 2.5mg/kg of EGCG with significantly increased cell survival without affecting cell proliferation but decreasing apoptotic cells. Also, EGCG increased the population of doublecortin-(DCX)-expressing cells that comprises the late intermediate progenitor cells (type-2b and -3) as well as immature neurons. After EGCG treatment, the young DCX-positive neurons showed more elaborated dendritic trees. EGCG also significantly increased net neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus and increased the hippocampal levels of phospho-Akt. Ex vivo, EGCG exerted a direct effect on survival and neuronal differentiation of adult hippocampal precursor cells, which was absent, when PI3K, a protein upstream of Akt, was blocked. Our results thus support a pro-survival and a pro-neurogenic role of EGCG. In the context of the conflicting published results, however, potential genetic modifiers must be assumed. These might help to explain the overall variability of study results with EGCG. Our data do indicate, however, that natural compounds such as EGCG can in principle modulate brain plasticity.