Effect of increasing heart rate on finger photoplethysmography fitness index (PPGF) in subjects with implanted cardiac pacemakers.

Finger photoplethysmography (PPG) is a noninvasive method that measures blood volume changes in the finger. The PPG fitness index (PPGF) has been proposed as an index of vascular risk and vascular aging. The objectives of the study were to determine the effects of heart rate (HR) on the PPGF and to determine whether PPGF is influenced by blood pressure (BP) changes.

The use of Piper sarmentosum leaves aqueous extract (Kadukmy™) as antihypertensive agent in spontaneous hypertensive rats.

Background: The National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2011 estimated that 35.1% (5.7 million) of Malaysian adults aged 18 and older suffer from hypertension.

Does Oral Ingestion of Piper sarmentosum Cause Toxicity in Experimental Animals?

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportion in Malaysia and worldwide. Scientific studies have shown that herbal plant Piper sarmentosum exhibits an antidiabetic property. Despite the extensive usage and studies of this herb as alternative medicine, there is paucity of the literature on the safety information of this plant.

Piper sarmentosum as an antioxidant on oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Endothelial cell death due to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) may contribute to the initial endothelial injury, which promotes atherosclerotic lesion formation. Piper sarmentosum (PS), a natural product, has been shown to have an antioxidant property, which is hypothesized to inhibit production of ROS and prevent cell injury. Thus, the present study was designed to determine the effects of PS on the hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced oxidative cell damage in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).