Determination of mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer in Tongkat Ali preparations obtained in Malaysia.

The DCA (Drug Control Authority), Malaysia, has implemented the phase 3 registration of traditional medicines on 1 January 1992, with special emphasis on the quality, efficacy, and safety (including the presence of heavy metals) in all pharmaceutical dosage forms of traditional medicine preparations. As such, a total of 100 products in various pharmaceutical dosage forms of a herbal preparation, containing Tongkat Ali, were analyzed for mercury content using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results showed that 36% of the above products possessed 0.

Eurycoma longifolia Jack enhances sexual motivation in middle-aged male mice.

Eurycoma longifolia Jack was investigated for sexual motivation activity in adult, middle-aged male mice and in retired breeders, using the modified open field and the modified runway choice methods. Each mouse received 500 mg/kg of one of 4 fractions of E. longifolia Jack, viz.

Effect of acute noise stress on acetylcholinesterase activity in discrete areas of rat brain.

Effect of various stressor agents on the adrenergic system in brain had been studied extensively. However, reports on the effect of stress on various parameters of central cholinergic system are scanty. And very little is known about the effect of noise stress on the cholinergic system in brain.

Effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on sexual qualities in middle aged male rats.

The effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack were studied on the sexual qualities of middle aged male rats after dosing them with 0.5 g/kg of various fractions of E. longifolia whilst the control group received 3 ml/kg of normal saline daily for 12 weeks.

Tamoxifen induced multinucleated cells (symplasts) and distortion of seminiferous tubules in rat testis.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of tamoxifen citrate on male reproductive system of rat.

Methods: Groups of male rats were gavaged with tamoxifen at doses of 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), 400 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) or 800 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) in 0.1 mL olive oil for 10 consecutive days.

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in northeast Malaysian patients: a four-year study.

The aim of this study was to compare nonsurgical versus stereotactic aspiration of intracerebral hematomas in relation to clinical aspects, computed tomographic imaging features of the brain, laboratory parameters and specific risk factors that may influence the outcome in southeast Asian Malay patients. Fifty-five of the patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) underwent stereotactic aspiration and 57 did not. Analysis was done on risk factors, locations and treatments of ICH, and the final outcomes measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale.

Effect of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on orientation activities in middle-aged male rats.

The effects of various fractions of Eurycoma longifolia Jack were studied on the orientation activities of the inbred, adult middle-aged Sprague-Dawley rats, 9 months old and retired breeders towards the receptive females (anogenital sniffing, licking, mounting), the environment (climbing, raring, exploration), themselves (nongenital grooming, genital grooming) and mobility (restricted, unrestricted) after treating these subjects twice daily for 10 days. Results showed that subjects treated with 800 mg/kg of E. longifolia Jack increased orientation activities towards the receptive females (anogenital sniffing, licking and mounting), increased genital grooming towards themselves and restricted movements to a particular area of the cage but decreased interest in the external environment (climbing, raring, exploration) as compared with the controls during the investigation period.

Effect of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on libido in middle-aged male rats.

The effect of increasing doses of various fractions of Eurycoma longifolia Jack extracts on libido was examined in middle-aged male rats. The results showed that a high dose (800 mg/kg) of all E. longifolia Jack extracts significantly increased mount frequency (MF) (P < 0.

Molecular heterogeneity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Malays in Malaysia.

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using multiple tandem forward primers and a common reverse primer (MPTP) was recently established as a comprehensive screening method for mutations in X-linked recessive diseases. In the work reported here, MPTP was used to scan for mutations of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene. Mutations in exons 3,4,5,6,7,9, 11, and 12 of the G6PD gene were screened by MPTP in 93 unrelated Malaysian patients with G6PD deficiency.

Outcome of children with traumatic brain injury in rural Malaysia.

Malaysia had the second highest crude accident rate in the world until 1998. Most children who were involved in these road traffic accidents required intensive neurosurgical care management. We report a prospective study on 36 paediatric neurotrauma patients in rural North East West Malaysia who underwent uniform intensive therapy and were subsequently followed up over a period of 2 years.

Effects of Eurycoma longifolia jack on laevator ani muscle in both uncastrated and testosterone-stimulated castrated intact male rats.

It has been reported that Eurycoma longifolia Jack commonly known as Tongkat Ali has gained notoreity as a symbol of man's ego and strength by the Malaysian men because it increases male virility and sexual prowess during sexual activities. As such, the effects of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of butanol, methanol, water and chloroform fractions of E. longifolia Jack were studied on the laevator ani muscle in both uncastrated and testosterone-stimulated castrated intact male rats after dosing them for 12 consecutive weeks.

Evaluation of the potency activity of aphrodisiac in Eurycoma longifolia Jack.

The butanol, methanol, water and chloroform extracts of the roots of Eurycoma longifolia Jack were studied using various tests of potency of treated male rats. The results showed that E. longifolia produced a dose-dependent, recurrent and significant increase in the episodes of penile reflexes as evidenced by increases in quick flips, long flips and erections of the treated male rats during the 30 min observation period.

A comparison of commonly used anti-emetics for the prevention of emetic sequelae after a major gynaecological surgery.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving one hundred ASA I-II patients undergoing major gynaecological surgery.

Objective: To study anti-emetic efficacy of intravenous (IV) ondansetron (4 mg), droperidol (2.5 mg), metoclopramide (10 mg), and placebo.

Use of bovine xenograft in reconstruction of traumatic anterior cranial fossa bone defects involving the frontal sinus.

Four patients underwent reconstruction of anterior cranial fossa of skull defects between November 1997 and January 1998. All of them had traumatic anterior cranial fossa defect and were reconstructed with lyophilised bovine cortical bone graft. There was no cerebrospinal fluid leakage, meningitis, extradural abscess or other infections.

Effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali) on the initiation of sexual performance of inexperienced castrated male rats.

We studied the effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack, commonly known as Tongkat Ali in Malaysia, on the initiation of sexual performance and the weights of sexual accessories in inexperienced castrated male rats. The doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight, which were extracted from E. longifolia Jack, were orally administered to the rats twice daily for 10 days prior to the tests and continued throughout the test period.

Studies on the anxiolytic activity of Eurycoma longifolia Jack roots in mice.

The anxiolytic effect of Eurycoma longifolia Jack in mice was examined. Fractions of E. longifolia Jack extract produced a significant increase in the number of squares crossed (controls= 118.

Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in northeastern Malaysia.

Background: Previous studies have reported that drugs and infections are common causes of erythema multiforme (EM) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is mainly related to drugs. No study has been conducted in Kelantan, the northeastern state of Malaysia, to assess these cutaneous reactions.

Left ventricular hypertrophy and its relation to the cardiac kinin-forming system in hypertensive and diabetic rats.

We investigated the cardiac tissue kallikrein and kininogen levels, left ventricular wall thickness and mean arterial blood pressure of Wistar Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats with and without streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The mean arterial blood pressure was highly elevated (P<0.001) in Wistar Kyoto diabetic and spontaneously hypertensive diabetic rats as compared with their respective controls.

Effect of intestinal helminthiasis on school attendance by early primary schoolchildren.

Stool examination of 249 early primary schoolchildren at 2 schools in north-eastern peninsular Malaysia revealed that 73 were infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, 103 with Trichuris trichiura, and 18 with hookworms. Infected children were treated with a single dose of 400 mg of albendazole. The school attendance records during a 60 d period before treatment and 2 consecutive 60 d periods after treatment were examined.

Effect of intestinal helminthiasis on intestinal permeability of early primary schoolchildren.

Intestinal permeability of 246 early primary schoolchildren at 2 schools (106 of whom were infected with intestinal helminths) was assessed by using the lactulose/mannitol differential absorption test. The ratio of the urinary recoveries of lactulose and mannitol was determined after oral administration of a standard solution of the 2 sugars. Assessment of intestinal permeability was repeated on 100 infected children after treatment and on a cohort of 68 uninfected children.

The pattern of acute renal failure in Kelantan.

Acute renal failure (ARF) has undergone many changes with advances both in diagnosis and therapy. A retrospective study covering three and a half years from June 1986 to December 1989 of adults admitted to Hospital of the University of Science Malaysia examined the various aspects of presentation of the syndrome, management and areas where improvement can be made. A total of 164 patients were included in the study.

Effect of 7-day daily replacement of culture medium containing Eurycoma longifolia Jack constituents on the Malaysian Plasmodium falciparum isolates.

Six Malaysian chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum isolates were cultured in vitro following the candle-jar method. Antimalarial evaluations of daily replacement of culture medium containing chloroquine and a semi-purified extract of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (containing 13 beta, 18-dihydroeurycomanol (1), eurycomanol-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), eurycomanol (3) and eurycomanone (4)) were performed on 6-well plates at 37 degrees C for a week. Presence or absence of the parasites was determined microscopically on thin-film Giemsa-stained preparations.

Fermentation and recovery of glutamic acid from palm waste hydrolysate by Ion-exchange resin column.

Glutamic acid produced from palm waste hydrolysate by fermentation with Brevibacterium lactofermentum ATCC 13869 is produced with a remarkably high yield compared with that produced from pure glucose as a carbon source. The produce yield is 70 g/L with glucose, wherease, when palm waste hydrolysate is the fermentation medium in the same bioreactor under same conditions, it is 88 g/L. The higher yield may be attributed to the fact that this organism has the ability to convert sugars other than only glucose present in the hydrolysate.

The status of intermittent peritoneal dialysis in Hospital University Science Malaysia.

Acute (stab) peritoneal dialysis is commonly practised in Malaysia. This study is designed to improve the management of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in Hospital University Science Malaysia (HUSM). Consecutive peritoneal dialysis (PD) on adult inpatients from May 1992 to September 1992 were reviewed prospectively.

The effect of enalapril on tyramine induced changes in renal function in man.

Increasing animal evidence support an important facilitatory interaction between angiotensin II and norepinephrine within the kidney. This angiotensin II/norepinephrine interaction was investigated in man by examining the effect of enalapril pretreatment (5 mg for 5 days) on the renal response to a low non-pressor dose of intravenous tyramine 4 micrograms/kg/min for 120 min in 8 healthy subjects undergoing water diuresis. Tyramine is an indirect sympathomimetic agent which causes neuronal release of norepinephrine.