Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry (E-Journal - Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University & Society for Indonesian Biodiversity)
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Application of Carbon Nanodots from Cocoa Husk Waste to Improve the Mechanical Properties of Cellulose-Carrageenan-Based Biodegradable Films
Biodegradable films made from natural materials such as cellulose and carrageenan are easily degradable but exhibit poor mechanical properties. Incorporating carbon nanodots (CDs) from cocoa husk waste has the potential to improve their mechanical properties. This study aimed to characterize CDs synthesized from cocoa husk waste and evaluate their mechanical properties of cellulose-carrageenan-based biodegradable films. The research stages include the isolation of cocoa husk cellulose, CDs synthesis, CDs characterization, biodegradable film preparation, and characterization of the mechanical properties of biodegradable films. The experimental design used was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with the treatment factor of CDs addition at six levels (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, 9%) with three replicates. The results showed that the average size of cocoa husk CDs was 997 nm, and the absorbance peak was detected at 298 nm, validating that the CDs had been successfully synthesized with blue light emission. Incorporating CDs significantly affected the mechanical properties of the biodegradable film. Biodegradable cellulose-carrageenan-based films with the addition of CDs from cocoa husks had a thickness of 0.35–0.64 mm, tensile strength of 2.94–4.20 MPa, elongation of 36.51–63.28%, and elasticity of 6.00–9.45 MPa. The tensile strength and elongation values meet the JIS Z 1707 standard. Higher concentrations of CDs significantly improved tensile strength and elasticity, while reducing the thickness and elongation
Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Consortium from Tempeh Jember Based on 16S rRNA Gene Sequences as Potential Probiotic Candidates
The development of pharmaceutical raw materials as local Indonesian probiotic concentrates requires attention to strain identity accuracy, safety, and health potential. This is due to the high potential of probiotics in preventing and addressing various health disorders from infancy to old age. Previous research successfully obtained lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates as probiotic candidates from tempeh produced in Jember, and preclinical testing showed that administering a consortium of five LAB isolates at a dose of 10^8 CFU/ml to BALB/c mice was an effective treatment for further application. This study aimed to perform molecular identification of the consortium of five LAB isolates from tempeh in Jember, East Java, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. The consortium includes TA1, TB1, TK1, TK2, and TK4 isolates. This study used both qualitative descriptive and quantitative methods. Identification based on the 16S rRNA gene to determine LAB species strains involved bacterial genomic DNA isolation, amplification of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, PCR product analysis, and phylogenetic identification and analysis. DNA amplification results showed that the consortium of five LAB isolates produced DNA fragments with bands of approximately 1300 bp. BLAST-N and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that TB1 had 99.05% similarity with Kosakonia cowanii JCM 10956, TA1 had 99.46% similarity with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum JCM 1149, TK1 had 99.38% similarity with Lactiplantibacillus pentosus 124-2, TK2 had 96.86% similarity with Pseudomonas fluvialis ASS-1, and TK4 had 99.38% similarity with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NBRC 15891. TA1, TB1, and TK4 were identified as non-pathogenic LAB strains, while TK1 and TK2 were not classified as LAB.
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Infection Prevention and Control Among Health Staff at Seiyun General Hospital Authority
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are continuously exposed to pathogenic microorganisms, which can lead to serious infections. Infection prevention and control (IPC) relies heavily on HCWs’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). This study aimed to assess KAP towards IPC among health staff at Seiyun General Hospital Authority, Yemen, during 2023–2024. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 106 participants. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software. Among participants, 60.6% held a diploma, 62.5% were male, 37.5% were nurses, and 33.7% had 1–5 years of experience. Regarding knowledge, 91.3% reported understanding IPC, and 76.9% acknowledged the role of sterilization. In terms of attitude, 60% strongly agreed that handwashing reduces infections. As for practices, 90.4% washed their hands before patient care, and 76% educated patients about IPC. Significant associations were found between KAP levels and education, age, gender, job category, and experience. Occupational category and work experience influenced KAP levels, while education, age, and gender showed limited impact
The Effectiveness of Honey Purity Testing from Several Regions in Central Sulawesi Province
Honey is a valuable natural product with nutritional, medicinal, and economic importance, but its high commercial value makes it prone to adulteration, which threatens consumer trust and product quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of simple purity tests in identifying adulteration in honey samples collected from several regions in Central Sulawesi Province. A total of 12 honey samples from different bee species and floral sources were analyzed using seven tests, namely solubility, cloudiness and foam, heating, hexagonal pattern, seepage, raw fish, and onion tests. The results showed that most tests successfully distinguished pure honey from adulterated samples. Specifically, the solubility, cloudiness and foam tests, as well as heating, and raw fish tests indicated that 66.67% of the samples were pure, while the hexagonal pattern, seepage, and onion tests confirmed purity in all samples (100%). These findings demonstrate that simple, low-cost methods can provide reliable initial screening of honey purity and are suitable for routine use in local communities where advanced laboratory facilities are limited. The application of these tests is expected to support honey quality assurance, protect consumer trust, and promote the sustainable development of the beekeeping industry in Central Sulawesi
DFT Study and ADMET Investigation of Bioactive 2-Phenoxyquinolines
Pharmacologically active quinoline compounds show interesting functionalities. However, there is still a dearth of information on the potential wide applications of the quinoline scaffolds especially when the substituents on the rings or functionalities are modified. In this study 2-phenoxyquinoline-3-carbaldehyde derivatives were synthesized and investigated using DFT to determine the molecular parameters, electronic and chemical reactivity descriptors including their possible application as drug candidates. Geometry optimisations were carried out using Becke three-parameter hybrid functional combined with Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functionals and augmented basis set with added sets of diffuse s- and p-functions: BL3YP /6-311++G(d,p). Drug-likeness scores and bioactivity prediction were carried out using the webserver programs ADMET Sar 2. Our results showed slightly lower energy values in water than in ethanol depicting high reactiveness of the 2-phenoxyquinolines in water especially compounds with fluoro- and methoxy substituted having the lowest Egap of 3.79 eV and 3.381 eV respectively. The methoxy substitution confers higher susceptibility to electron transfer and chemical reactive in aqeous medium. The ionization potential energies were lower in water and ethanol when compared to the other gas states calculated values. The MEP surfaces of all the compounds investigated reveals the ether oxygen atoms and carbonyl groups as necessities for effective antioxidant properties. It is noteworthy that five of the compounds investigated have high activity values above 3.0 octanol–water partition coefficient value indicating an excellent inhibitory activity and strong chemical reactivity. Good oral bioavailability was shown by the compounds depicting their excellent activity as kinase inhibitors, nuclear receptor compounds and enzyme inhibitors. It is noteworthy that cytochromes CYP2C19, CYP2C29, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 are not inhibited and therefore do not pose potential adverse drug reactions or toxicity. Interestingly, only one compound showed one violation. Consequently, such scaffolds are potential drug candidates
Antimalaria Potential and Toxicological Evaluation of Synclisia scabrida (Miers) Ex Oliv Methanol Root Extract in Plasmodium berghei-infected Mice Model
Despite the artemisinin-based combination therapy for malaria treatment, it remains a public health concern globally. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel antimalarial drugs to arrest this perceived threat to global malaria control. This study aims to investigate the antimalarial potential of S. scabrida (SS) and evaluate its possible effect on haematological and biochemical parameters. Malaria was inoculated in mice using Plasmodium berghei. After 72 h, they were orally treated for four days as follows: Group 1: 10 mL/kg % Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO); Group 2: 140 mg/kg Artemether/lumefantrine; Groups 3, 4 and 5: 500, 250, 125 mg/kg SS methanolic extract, respectively. SS methanolic extract significantly reduced parasite density and percentage parasitemia (p < 0.05) at all doses used in the study, non-significantly increased haematological, biochemical parameters and distorted liver architecture; when compared to the negative control. SS methanolic extract exhibited good antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei. Lower SS dose did not cause significant changes to the lipid profiles. However, the high dose may not be safe since there were some adverse effects shown on the liver and kidney status. Further studies are warranted to determine the effect of the middle and the lowest doses on the liver and kidney
Preparation of Ni/Bentonite Acid-Activated using Dragon Fruit Peel Extract (Hylocereus polyrhizus) As a Reductor for One Pot Synthesis of Menthol
Ni/Bentonite is acid-activated has been synthesized using dragon fruit peel extract (Hylocereus polyrhizus) as a reductor through an impregnation method. This research aims to characterize Ni/Bentonite acid-activated using dragon fruit peel extract as a reductor based on FTIR and XRD instruments and to analyze the product obtained in one pot synthesis of menthol from citronellal using Ni/Bentonite acid-activated catalyst. Preparation of Ni/Bentonite acid-activated catalyst was carried out using a wet impregnation method with dragon fruit peel extract as a natural reductor. The successful synthesis of Ni/Bentonite acid-activated was confirmed by FTIR spectrum identification, showing absorptions at wavelengths of 1049.28 cm?¹ and 694.37 cm?¹, indicating Si-O groups in the bentonite, and XRD diffractogram indicating the presence of Ni at diffraction peaks of 2? = 40.5° and 2? = 47.74°. The catalyst was able to convert menthol by 0.77% through one pot synthesis without using H? sources such as potassium formate
The Recent Collection of Climacodon roseomaculatus (Hydnum roseomaculatum Henn. & E. Nyman) from The Type Locality (Indonesia)
Climacodon roseomaculatus is a fleshy species of Polyporales with a hydnoid hymenophore. The species’s distribution in Indonesia was reported six times from 1923 to 1961 from West Java and East Java collection to date, there have been no following updates on the collection and occurrence status of C. roseomaculatus in Indonesia. During a fungus foray in 2023, some red to pink basidiomata of Climacodon were spotted in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. The current study aimed to determine the taxonomical position of Climacodon BO24632 based on morphological evidence. Fresh materials were used for the investigation of macro- and micromorphological characters. The result showed that Climacodon BO24632 was identified as C. roseomaculatus based on distinctive features of stipe and gleocystidia. Climacodon roseomaculatus BO24632 is closely related to C. sanguineus with blood-red to pink basidiomata, cylindrical spines of hymenophores, and ellipsoid basidiospores. However, the former species lacks a well-developed stipe and has thin to thick-walled gloeocystidia. This study is the first report on the distribution of C. roseomaculatus from Central Java, Indonesia. In addition, the current work is the latest information and herbarium collection of C. roseomaculatus after more than fifty years of hiatus in Indonesia. We expect that the same species also occur in many different locations in Indonesia; thus need a warrant of collections
The Diversity of Understory (Shrubs and Herbs) in the Kalikuning Area
Kalikuning is one of the areas that has a diversity of flora. Kalikuning's fertile land helps a variety of plants flourish there. Since there are no people living here, a wide variety of unidentified and underexplored plants can be known. Therefore, more research on the plant diversity is required. The research aims to invent, document, and find out the diversity of the understory (shrubs and herbs) in Kalikuning. This research used survey and exploration methods. The researchers documented shrub and herb species. Based on the results, 28 families consist of 65 species of shrubs and herbs. Those species are flora that have specific characteristics
Commercial Incense: Compound Analysis and Its Molecular Docking Studies as Anxiolytic Agents
In the context of Indonesian culture, incense has been traditionally utilized in various rituals. Incense possesses a calming impact and has the potential to reduce anxiety. This physiological response stems from the interplay of chemical components within incense and receptors associated with relaxation, specifically GABAA. This research aims to explore the interaction between substances found in commercially incenses with the GABAA receptors. The compounds of incense were identified through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) analysis. And there were 54 compounds identified from the 5 incense samples. Next, the ligands employed for docking studies were compounds predicted to traverse the blood-brain barrier (BBB). There were 31 compounds potential of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Docking results indicated that the majority of tested compounds exhibited notably lower S-scores during receptor interaction, suggesting their potential as anxiety-relieving agents. Furthermore, molecular docking outcomes highlighted that 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl ester showed the lowest S-score (-6.573). These findings imply that odorant and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in incenses possess the ability to function as anxiety-reducing (anxiolytic) agents, potentially assisting in anxiety treatment