Medical laboratory technology

Introduction:Honey has been used traditionally in medicine as well as food supplements. Honeybees are said to be able to cure many diseases. However, its influences on opioid tolerance and dependence have not yet been clarified.Materials and Methods:Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were rendered tolerant to the analgesic effect of morphine by injection of morphine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) twice daily for 14 days. To develop morphine dependence rats given escalating doses of chronic morphine. To determine the effect of stingless bee honey on the development of morphine tolerance and dependence. The hotplate and naloxone precipitation tests were used to assess the degree of tolerance and dependence, respectively.The results: Our results showed that chronic morphine-injected rats displayed tolerance to the analgesic effect of morphine as well as morphine dependence. Methadone+morphine (MetM), methadone+morphine+ honey (MetMH) and morphine+Honey (MH) significantlylower the development of morphine tolerance with p-value p<0.05. In addition, concomitant treatment of morphine with MH and MetMH attenuated almost all of the naloxone-induced withdrawal signs which include abdominal contraction, diarrhea, pertussis, teeth chattering, and jumping. Conclusion: The data indicate that honey has a potential to reduce tolerant and dependence property.

Opiate dependence and withdrawal is a worldwide public health problem and give a significant burden to society. In exploring the problems of opiate dependence and withdrawal, oxidative stress in thought to be involved in the mechanism of the development of dependence and tolerance to morphine. Therefore, there is possibility that antioxidant has the role to reduce the oxidative stress leading to opiate dependence and withdrawal. In this mini review we describe the evidence of relationship between oxidative stress and opiate dependence. We also describe the evidence of honey which has been claimed to have high antioxidant properties and its promising potential to reduce oxidative stress in opiates dependence and tolerance individuals.

Opioid dependence is one of the severe social problems encountered by civilization nowadays. Prior to the illicit use of opioid, an abundance of research had been done in order to understand the molecular and cellular action of the opioid. In spite of that, the actual cellular mechanism remains controversial. Hence, this review is targeting on the mechanism of opioid dependence in a biochemical pathway and treatments available either via drug medication or the use of natural remedies to treat opioid dependence. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.18(2) 2019 p.171-177

Background: Sodium ion is an essential ion that is implicated in many physiological functions. Recently, sodium ion was reported to facilitate the activation of Mu-Opioid Receptor (MOR) by binding at the allosteric site of the MOR. Zamzam water is water originated from Mecca. Couple of studies proved that Zamzam water has the therapeutic effect owing to its mineral. In this study, we want to determine the ion concentration of Zamzam water and then to investigate the effects of Zamzam water and co-treatment with methadone on the regulation of MOR-1gene after chronic morphine administration. Materials and Methods: Zamzam water, tap water and normal mineral water were analyzed using Ion chromatography. Meanwhile, in animal study, 50 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups. All group of rat were made dependence on morphine using intraperitoneal injection except for normal group. Morphine dependent rats then were treated with methadone, Zamzam water and co-treatment methadone with Zamzam water for thirty days, respectively. The Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) of rat's brain was dissected and subjected to real-time quantitative RT-PCR to determine the regulation of MOR-1 gene expression. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS v.11 software, and one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's Post-test. Results: The data obtained showed that Zamzam water is significantly high in ion concentration compared to tap water and normal mineral water. Besides, the result from gene expression analysis showed co-treatment Zamzam water and methadone significantly prevented the downregulation of MOR as compared to methadone and Zamzam water treatment alone (P<0.05). A possible explanation for this might be due to the presence of sodium ion in Zamzam water which activate MOR then promote the endocytosis of the MOR. Conclusion: We concluded that co-treatment of methadone and Zamzam water significantly prevented downregulation of MOR-1 gene by promoting the endocytosis of MOR.

Background: To determine the effects of Apis dorsata honey on the development of morphine tolerance and oxidative stress in rats. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 male Sprague Dawley rats were injected (subcutaneous) with 10 mg/kg of morphine following oral administration of A. dorsata honey (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5g/kg). On day 15, the rats were euthanized, and the thalamus, spinal cord, and hippocampus were homogenized to assess iNOS and MDA using ELISA kits.Results: The honey of A. dorsata significantly prevented morphine tolerance to analgesia in the hotplate test on Day 14 (p&lt;0.05). The biochemical assessment showed that A. dorsata honey significantly reduced MDA formation in the brain regions compared to the morphine control group at dose 2.5g/kg. Elevation of iNOS caused by chronic morphine intake was reduced in A. dorsata honey co-treatment. Conclusion: This study suggests the therapeutic role of A. dorsata honey in preventing morphine tolerance via inhibition of oxidative ...

Unintentional poisoning has been reported to commonly occur among children. Most of the poisoning cases were attributed to the household chemical products. Hence, a retrospective analysis of medical records of chemical poisoning cases among children ≤ 12 years had been carried out to profile the background, identifying the sources, determining the probability, determining the extent of the severity and the risk of chemical poisoning. Medical records of patients admitted from 2007 to 2011 were reviewed. Data was entered and analyzed using Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The records showed a total of 192 poisoning cases and 41 chemical poisoning cases involving children occurred during five years period. Cases involving males (61%) outnumbered the females (39%). The most vulnerable age group included children in 0-2 years old (68.3%) with the majority being Malays (97.6%). Most of the incidence happened in the evening (1800-2359) hours (46.3%) and in most cases (61%), children were brought to the hospital within their conscious state. Vomiting was the most common symptoms observed (34.1%). All of the patients fully recovered after the treatment. Among the category of sources, cleaning agents (39%) and fuel (31.7%) were the commonest poisoning seen with household bleach and kerosene as the main agents. Chemical poisoning had accounted for 40% from the total of children poisoning cases (103) reported in five years period. High incidences of chemical poisoning cases had been reported in 2009 (0.11). Based on PSS score, the severity of majority of the cases showed minor sign and symptoms (87.8%). This study had determined the risk for chemical poisoning cases among children ≤ 12 years admitted to HUSM within five years period. The overall risk of chemical poisoning was low for each category of sources.

Honey has been used as a supplement nutrient in human for centuries. It exerts antibacterial, anticancer, antiinflammatory properties as well as analgesic activity. But not many studies have been done to analyze effect of honey on morphine tolerance. Hence, this review is targeting on analgesic effect of honey bioactive compounds and their potential in morphine tolerance study.

Introduction: Zamzam water is blessed water originated from Mecca and is believed by Muslims to have the ability to cure illness. This ability to cure illness is due to the fact that zamzam water has higher concentration of minerals especially sodium, calcium and magnesium which play a vital role. Sodium is reported to be involved in the regulation of the Mu-Opioid Receptor, which indirectly leads to the production of cAMP. Hence, this current study was carried out to investigate the synergistic effects of zamzam water and methadone combination on cAMP levels in human primary glioblastoma cell line (U-87 MG) after chronic morphine administration. Materials and Methods: The time course and concentration of morphine on U-87 MG cell line was determined. The U-87 MG cell line was incubated with morphine (25 µL/mL) for 24h, to make the cell dependent on morphine and later treated with different combinations of 3.2 mL of zamzam water and methadone (5, 10, 25 µL/mL). The levels of cAMP was...

Zamzam is holy water believed by Muslim to have remedial power for all kinds of diseases. It contains many electrolytes and the concentration of the electrolytes may be affected by the types of container used for its storage. This study was carried out to determine the difference in ions concentration of Zamzam water stored in plastic and glass containers, and to determine cytotoxicity effects of Zamzam water against U-87 cell line (human primary glioblastoma cell line). Ion Chromatography (IC) was used to analyze the concentration. The analyzed anions in the Zamzam water include bromide, chloride, phosphate, nitrite, nitrate, sulfate and fluoride whereas the cations were ammonium, lithium, potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium. Subsequently, MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxicity of Zamzam water on U-87 cell line. This study reveals that Zamzam water anions and cations concentration was not statistically significant neither in plastic nor glass container.  In addition,...

Morphine is used as analgesics medication to reduce pain by inhibting transmission of pain impulses especially in spinal cord and modulation of central pain processing. Unfortunately, the increase abuse of opioids such as morphine or heroin often leads to various side effects such as addiction, tolerance and physical dependence. One of the proposed mechanisms that lead to morphine dependency and withdrawal is oxidative stress. Recent research has shown that olive fruit oil contains phenolic compounds which have higher antioxidant properties. In current study, we are trying to explore the ability of Olea Europaea (Olive) fruit oil to increase the antioxidant activity level subsequently alleviate morphine dependence and withdrawal. Better understanding on the effect of olive fruit oil on oxidative stress produced by olive to morphine dependency and withdrawal need to be further explored especially on the cellular and molecular level.

BPA is one of the most common endocrine disruptors that is widely being manufactured daily nationwide. Although scientific evidence supports claims of negative effects of BPA on humans, there is also evidence suggesting that a low level of BPA is safe. However, numerous in vivo trials contraindicate with this claim and there is a high possibility of BPA exposure could lead to obesity. It has been speculated that this does not stop with the exposed subjects only, but may also cause transgenerational effects. Direct disruption of endocrine regulation, neuroimmune and signaling pathways, as well as gut microbiata, has been identified to be interrupted by BPA exposure, leading to overweight or obesity. In these instances, cardiovascular complications are one of the primary notable clinical signs. In regard to this claim, this review paper discusses the role of BPA on obesity in the perspective of endocrine disruptions and possible cardiovascular complications that may arise due to BPA. ...

Objectives Positive energy homeostasis due to overnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle triggers obesity. Obesity has a close relationship with elevated levels of betatrophin and may increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Therefore, lifestyle modification through a nonpharmacological approach based on physical exercise is the right strategy in lowering betatrophin levels. This study aimed to analyze the effect of moderate-intensity interval and continuous exercises on decreased betatrophin levels and the association between betatrophin levels and obesity markers in women. Methods A total of 30 women aged 20–24 years old were randomly divided into three groups. Measurement of betatrophin levels using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Data analysis techniques used were one-way ANOVA and parametric linear correlation. Results The results showed that the average levels of betatrophin pre-exercise were 200.40 ± 11.03 pg/mL at CON, 203.07 ± 42.48 pg/mL at MIE, 196.62 ±...

Introduction and Aim: Morphine is widely used as a drug for treating chronic pain in post-operative and cancer patients. Unfortunately, over time, prolonged use of morphine can cause nephrotoxicity due to elevated level of oxidative stress. Trigonella foenum-graecum (TFG) commonly known as ‘fenugreek’ is well-known for its antioxidative properties. This study evaluated the renal protective effects of TFG on the morphine induced rats.   Materials and Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 5 Groups (n=8). The positive control and treatment Groups were administered morphine intraperitoneally for 7 consecutive days.  The treatment Groups were administered aqueous extract of TFG orally for 21 days. The weight of the kidneys was measured, and histological changes were studied. The oxidative stress in the kidney tissue was studied by measuring the malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glutathione (GSH) in the tissue homogenate....

Obesity is a metabolic disease that is caused by a lack of physical activity and is associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammation. A total of 40 obese adolescent females with an average age of 21.93 ± 1.35 years and average body mass index (BMI) of 30.81 ± 3.54 kg/m2 were enrolled in this study, randomized, and divided into four groups, i.e., control (CTL; n = 10), moderate intensity aerobic training (MAT; n = 10), moderate intensity resistance training (MRT; n = 10), and moderate intensity combined aerobic–resistance training (MCT; n = 10). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits method was used to analyze the adiponectin and leptin levels between pre-intervention and post-intervention. Statistical analysis was conducted using a paired sample t-test, while correlation analysis between variables used the Pearson product–moment correlation test. Research data showed that MAT, MRT, and MCT significantly increased adiponectin levels and decreased leptin levels co...

Emerging evidence suggests that cognitive impairments may result from various factors, such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, impaired neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption, amyloid β protein (Aβ) deposition, and gut dysbiosis. Meanwhile, dietary polyphenol intake in a recommended dosage has been suggested to reverse cognitive dysfunction via various pathways. However, excessive intake of polyphenols could trigger unwanted adverse effects. Thus, this review aims to outline possible causes of cognitive impairments and how polyphenols alleviate memory loss via various pathways based on in vivo experimental studies. Thus, to identify potentially relevant articles, the keywords (1) nutritional polyphenol intervention NOT medicine AND neuron growth OR (2) dietary polyphenol AND neurogenesis AND memory impairment OR (3) polyphenol AND neuron regeneration AND memory deterioration (Boolean operators) were used in the Nature, PubM...

Obesity is known as a transgenerational vicious cycle and has become a global burden due to its unavoidable complications. Modern approaches to obesity management often involve the use of pharmaceutical drugs and surgeries that have been associated with negative side effects. In contrast, natural antioxidants, such as flavonoids, have emerged as a promising alternative due to their potential health benefits and minimal side effects. Thus, this narrative review explores the potential protective role of flavonoids as a natural antioxidant in managing obesity. To identify recent in vivo studies on the efficiency of flavonoids in managing obesity, a comprehensive search was conducted on Wiley Online Library, Scopus, Nature, and ScienceDirect. The search was limited to the past 10 years; from the search, we identified 31 articles to be further reviewed. Based on the reviewed articles, we concluded that flavonoids offer novel therapeutic strategies for preventing obesity and its associate...

Physical exercise is one of the modulators in increasing the release of growth hormone (GH) levels in blood circulation, but the effective exercise model for obese subjects is still being debated. Therefore, this study aims to prove the effect of aerobic exercise on increasing the release of GH levels in the blood circulation in obese women. A total of 20 obese adult women, aged 21.00 ± 1.08 years were selected to be subjects in the study and were given one aerobic exercise intervention by running on a treadmill at moderate-intensity (60-70% HRmax) for 40 minutes. The ELISA method was used to measure the release of GH levels in all samples (pre- and post-exercise). Statistical analysis in this study used an independent sample t-test with a significant level of 5%. The results showed that the release of GH levels in the blood circulation was found to be higher in post-exercise compared to pre-exercise after one session of aerobic exercise (484.92±128.29 vs 892.63±273.54 pg/mL; p=0.00...

The Flixborough disaster was an explosion at a chemical plant close to the village of Flixborough, North Lincolnshire, England on Saturday, 1 June 1974. It killed 28 people and seriously injured 36 out of a total of 72 people on site at the time.