Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Exploring Collembola Diversity in the Green Open Spaces of Baruga Forest, Kendari City, Indonesia.","authors":"Jumarddin La Fua, Ratna Umi Nurlila, Sabaria Rauf Tanaba, Hilda Ayu Melvi Amalia, Rosmini","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.100.107","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.100.107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; The rapid development of Kendari City as the capital of Southeast Sulawesi Province has led to changes in land use patterns, particularly an increase in built-up areas, which threaten environmental stability. Rapid population growth contributes to rising carbon dioxide emissions, impacting air quality. Green spaces like Baruga Forest are ideal for environmental balance and bioservation. This study aims to identify the diversity of Collembola species in Baruga Forest, Kendari and understand the environmental factors influencing their presence. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Collembola was collected in the Baruga Forest using a Berlese funnel, then identified and classified based on the family by counting the number of individuals in each taxonomic group. The diversity of Collembola was measured using the Shannon-Wiener index, while the evenness of individual distribution in each family was assessed using an evenness index. Additionally, environmental parameters such as air temperature, air humidity and soil pH were measured. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The research results indicate that there are 75 individuals of Collembola belonging to the class Entognatha. The dominant order observed is Entomobryomorpha, consisting of three families: Oncopoduridae with 60 individuals, Isotomidae with 7 individuals and Orchesellidae with 5 individuals. Additionally, there is the order Symphypleona, represented by a single family, Bourletiellidae, with one individual. The biodiversity index (H') yielded a moderate value of 0.622, where the most significant contribution comes from the genus Isotomidae. Meanwhile, the evenness index (E) indicates a uniform distribution among the various genera of Collembola. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Observed variations in temperature, humidity and soil pH changes underscore the need for ongoing management and conservation of Baruga Forest to maintain the diversity of Collembola species and the sustainability of the ecosystem in Baruga Forest.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"27 2","pages":"100-107"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140185126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological, Anatomical and Physicochemical Characteristics of Children Affecting Food-Drug Interaction-Review.","authors":"Kamal Ali Attia","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.1.7","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.1.7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The drug-food interaction has a great interest in nutrition research to minimize unfavorable reactions to nutritional treatment. Failure to supply appropriate nutrition to the child can harm both body development and growth. This review aimed to examine available data on the impact of diet on medication absorption in pediatric populations. Mechanisms underlying food-drug interactions were investigated to explore possible distinctions between adult and pediatric populations and to gain insight into how this may impact the pharmacokinetic profile in a child. Several changes in physiology, anatomy and physicochemical properties among children are likely to result in food-drug interactions that cannot be anticipated based on adult studies. The influence of food on medications results in decreased bioavailability and altered drug elimination. Drugs, on the other hand, can affect dietary intake, digestion, absorption and excretion. Literature shows that differences in gastrointestinal physiology and anatomy between pediatric and adult populations can have a major impact on drug absorption and bioavailability. A higher splanchnic blood flow may result in decreased drug bioavailability due to increased loss in first-pass metabolism. To overcome the overall lack of knowledge on analyzing food-drug interactions among pediatric populations, comprehensive procedures and recommendations must be developed.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"27 1","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139983492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implication of Low Plasma Arginine among Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU).","authors":"Nasir Abdelrafie Hamad, Lienda Bashier Eltayeb, Habab Merghani Yassin","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.46.51","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.46.51","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a well-recognized vascular complication of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Unless immediate measures are taken some patients end up with amputation. The hallmarks of DFU are hyperglycemia, neuropathy, ischemia and infection (Andrew). Recent studies confirmed the role of low serum arginine in the development of foot ulcer in diabetic patients. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between low serum magnesium and diabetic foot ulcer and to identify the incidence of low plasma arginine levels in diabetic patients with DFU in Sudan. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; A total of 120 subjects were recruited in this study and were divided into three groups, namely, diabetic with foot ulcer (group-I), diabetic without foot ulcer (group-II) and non-diabetic healthy subjects (group-III). These subjects were investigated for FBS, HbA1c and serum arginine. Data were analysed using SPSS (28th release). &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Analysis of the results obtained showed significantly marked reduced plasma arginine levels in group I than the other two groups where mean plasma arginine level was 12.08, 49.25 and 94.1 micromole/L, respectively. There was no statistical difference between the duration of diabetes and DFU in diabetic patients with DFU and diabetic patients without DFU, as well as levels of HbA1c (p-value 0.457, 0.89) respectively. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The low serum arginine levels were significantly associated with foot ulcers in diabetic patients and play an important role in the development of diabetic foot ulcers.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"27 1","pages":"46-51"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139983461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Secretome of Hypoxia-Preconditioned Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promotes Liver Regeneration and Anti-Fibrotic Effect in Liver Fibrosis Animal Model.","authors":"Farid Amansyah, B Budu, Muhammad Harun Achmad, Nu Man A S Daud, Agung Putra, Muhammad Nasrum Massi, Agussalim Bukhari, Marhaen Hardjo, Luthfi Parewangi, Ilhamjaya Patellongi","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.18.26","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.18.26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Liver fibrosis (LF) is a most common pathological process characterized by the activation of hepatocytes leading to the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Hypoxia precondition treated in MSCs (H-MSCs) could enhance their immunomodulatory and regeneration capability, through expressing robust anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors, known as H-MSCs secretome (SH-MSCs) that are critical for the improvement of liver fibrosis. However, the study regarding the efficacy and mechanism of action of SH-MSCs in ameliorating liver fibrosis is still inconclusive. In this study, the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanism for SH-MSCs in the treatment of liver fibrosis were investigated. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; A rat model with liver fibrosis induced by CCl&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; was created and maintained for 8 weeks. The rats received intravenous doses of SH-MSCs and secretome derived from normoxia MSCs (SN-MSCs), filtered using a tangential flow filtration (TFF) system with different molecular weight cut-off categories, both at a dosage of 0.5 mL. The ELISA assay was employed to examine the cytokines and growth factors present in both SH-MSCs and SN-MSCs. On the ninth day, the rats were euthanized and liver tissues were collected for subsequent histological examination and analysis of mRNA expression. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The ELISA test revealed that SH-MSCs exhibited higher levels of VEGF, PDGF, bFGF, IL-10, TGF-β and IL-6 compared to SN-MSCs. &lt;i&gt;In vivo&lt;/i&gt;, administration of SH-MSCs notably decreased mortality rates. It also demonstrated a reduction in liver fibrosis, collagen fiber areas, α-SMA positive staining and relative mRNA expression of TGF-β. Conversely, SN-MSCs also contributed to liver fibrosis improvement, although SH-MSCs demonstrated more favorable outcomes. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Current findings suggested that SH-MSCs could improve CCl&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;-induced liver fibrosis and decrease α-SMA and TGF-β expression.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"27 1","pages":"18-26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139983493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of Silica Nanoparticles in Combination with <i>Bacillus velezensis</i> and <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> for Anthracnose Disease Control in Shallot.","authors":"Jilan Tsani Abdullah, Suryanti, Tri Joko","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.80.89","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.80.89","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Anthracnose in shallot contributes to significant losses. To solve this issue, silica nanoparticles, in combination with &lt;i&gt;Bacillus velezensis&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Bacillus thuringiensis&lt;/i&gt; were used together. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;In vitro&lt;/i&gt; antagonistic test of &lt;i&gt;Bacillus velezensis&lt;/i&gt; B-27 with &lt;i&gt;Colletotrichum gloeosporioides&lt;/i&gt; was carried out using dual culture and co-culture methods. Treatment in greenhouse experiments was carried out using single application of silica, &lt;i&gt;B. thuringiensis&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt;, a combination of &lt;i&gt;B. thuringiensis&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt; and a combination of &lt;i&gt;B. thuringiensis&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt; and silica. Detection of &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt; in the roots of shallot plants was carried out by PCR using a pair of specific primers. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;Bacillus velezensis&lt;/i&gt; was able to inhibit the growth of &lt;i&gt;C. gloeosporioides&lt;/i&gt; mycelium &lt;i&gt;in vitro&lt;/i&gt;, both in the dual culture and co-culture methods, by 62.8 and 77.17%, respectively. Treatment of &lt;i&gt;B. thuringiensis&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt;, either individually or in combination with silica, could reduce the intensity of anthracnose disease by 20% each and stimulate the growth of shallot plants. The PCR detection using specific primers on the roots of shallot plants showed that &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt; was detected with a DNA band length of ±576 bp. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;Bacillus velezensis&lt;/i&gt; can inhibit the growth of &lt;i&gt;C. gloeosporioides&lt;/i&gt; mycelium &lt;i&gt;in vitro&lt;/i&gt;. Applying &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;B. thuringiensis&lt;/i&gt; and silica can reduce the intensity of anthracnose disease, promote plant growth and increase plant productivity. Furthermore, &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt; was detected in the roots of shallot plants, revealing that the bacteria are well-established.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"27 2","pages":"80-89"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140185081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determination of Growth Indicators for <i>Cyprinus carpio</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in Anzali Lagoon, Iran.","authors":"Mehrnoush Aminisarteshnizi","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.108.112","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2024.108.112","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Understanding the biology of fish is crucial for ensuring the sustainable management and conservation of their biodiversity. The objective of this study was to observe the condition factors and length-weight relationships of &lt;i&gt;Cyprinus carpio&lt;/i&gt;, which can provide valuable insights into the ecological and nutritional conditions of aquatic animals. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Condition factor (CF) and length-weight relationship (LWR) for 100 specimens of &lt;i&gt;C. carpio&lt;/i&gt; collected from the Anzali Lagoon 2016 (April to August) were studied. To determine the size of each fish, the total length using a caliper with a precision of 0.1 mm and the weight using a balance with an accuracy of 0.1 g was measured. Differences were analyzed using ANOVA with the Tukey's &lt;i&gt;post hoc&lt;/i&gt; test. In order to evaluate the differences in sexes each month, a non-parametric Chi-square test was employed. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The total length and body weight of &lt;i&gt;C. carpio&lt;/i&gt; ranged from 9.1-53.8 cm and 110.3-5565.2 g, respectively. It was observed that there is a strong positive correlation between length and weight (r = 0.96). The results revealed they had a negative allometry growing rate. In the condition factors, there were no significant differences between male and female specimens (p>0.05). The observed sex ratio suggests no significant difference between males and females (p>0.05). &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The Anzali Lagoon population of &lt;i&gt;C. carpio&lt;/i&gt; exhibited allometric growth, as evidenced by a strong correlation between length and weight represented by a high \"r\" value.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"27 2","pages":"108-112"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140185082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectivity of Gel Derived from Degumming Silkworm Cocoon Waste for Skin Pigmentation.","authors":"Masitta Tanjung, Raudhatul Jannah","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.607.614","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.607.614","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; The trash produced by boiling silkworm cocoons during the degumming process still retains useful amino acids, such as sericin and fibroin, that can repair skin damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet light. This study seeks to examine the impact of utilising degumming silkworm cocoons (DSC) gel, derived from boiling waste, on the healing process of rat skin that has been subjected to Ultraviolet (UV) light, as well as the determination of the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) value. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; The research used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of 5 treatment groups, namely the positive control, avobenzone, the group without avobenzone and DSC gel and the administration of DSC gel at 20, 40 and 60% for 14 days. The research used 25 male rats (&lt;i&gt;Rattus norvegicus&lt;/i&gt;). Skin tissue was prepared for microscopical examination using the paraffin method combined with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining. The data were analyzed statistically with the one-way ANOVA test and continued with the &lt;i&gt;post hoc&lt;/i&gt; Duncan's test. Non-parametric data were carried out by the Kruskal Wallis test and continued with the Mann Whitney test. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The degumming silkworm cocoons (DSC) gel had a fairly high SPF value with an extra protection category of 7.10 at a concentration of 60%. The DSC gel had the potential to accelerate the recovery of skin as observed by the test subjects showing no wrinkles and redness. An increase in epithelial thickness and a decrease in melanocyte cells were also obtained from the treatment. Increasing the concentration of DSC gel also improved the skin recovery exposed to ultraviolet light. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The effective and efficient concentration of cocoon degumming waste gel is 40-60%. The ability of silkworm cocoon degumming waste to rejuvenate UV-exposed skin suggests its future application as a topical preparation for promoting skin health.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"26 12","pages":"607-614"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139707413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phylogenetic Relationships of Sun Bear (<i>Helarctos malayanus</i>) Based on Mitochondrial DNA from Sumatra and Other Southeast Asian Regions.","authors":"Dewi Imelda Roesma, Djong Hon Tjong, Syaifullah, Dyta Rabbani Aidil, Muhammad Ryan Maulana, Viola Mutiara Salis","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.615.627","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.615.627","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; The &lt;i&gt;Helarctos malayanus&lt;/i&gt; is the sole bear species-living in Indonesia (Sumatra and Borneo). The available biological data for sun bears (&lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt;) in Sumatra is limited, especially for morphological and genetic data. A morphological approach is difficult to do. Therefore, a molecular approach is the most likely choice. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out on &lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt; in Central Sumatra (Dharmasraya, South Solok and Riau) using the Cytochrome B gene. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Blood samples from three individuals of &lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt; were obtained at the Sumatran Tiger Rehabilitation Center, Dharmasraya. Three &lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt; Central Sumatra sequences and 62 GenBank sequences were used in the analysis. The DNA sequences were analyzed using the DNA Star, AliView, Bioedit, DNA SP, haplotype network, IQ Tree and MEGA software. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Forty-one haplotypes were identified in 65 sequences, with 17 haplotypes belonging to &lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt;. Haplotype network analysis divides &lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt; into Haplogroup I (Sundaland) and Haplogroup II (Mainland). All individuals of &lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt; in Central Sumatra have the same haplotype as Peninsular Malaysia sequence. The sun bear (&lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt;) has a monophyletic relationship with other bear species. The &lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt; has a higher genetic distance between the two lineages (1.0-2.3%) than the genetic distance within the subpopulations of each lineage. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The study results supported sun bear (&lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt;) divided into two different lineages: Mainland (subcluster 1) and Sundaland (subcluster 2 and 3). The geographic isolation causes the absence of gene flow, which results in high genetic distance between sun bears (&lt;i&gt;H. malayanus&lt;/i&gt;) in Sundaland and Mainland lineages.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"26 12","pages":"615-627"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139707416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of Using <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Enzyme as a Caffeine Level Reducer in Cascara Robusta Coffee (<i>Coffea canephora</i> L.).","authors":"Novi Fajar Utami, Berna Elya, Hayun Hayun, Kusmardi Kusmardi, Syamsu Nur","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.600.606","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.600.606","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; An increase in the consumption of robusta coffee resulted in an increase in waste from coffee, one of the coffee wastes, namely coffee bean skins or cascara. Robusta coffee cascara contains 1-1.3 g of caffeine which causes side effects, such as insomnia and seizures etc. So this research aims to reduce the caffeine content in cascara by using &lt;i&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/i&gt;. Using optimum conditions and capabilities. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; The experiment was conducted from May to August, 2022 in the Pharmacy Laboratory, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Pakuan, Indonesia. Before optimizing, cascara was extracted using the ultrasonic assisted extraction (UAE) method, validated by the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method to determine caffeine content and a paired sample t-test was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; It showed that in validating the HPLC method, the wavelength of caffeine in cascara was 272 nm. The mobile phase was a mixture of methanol-water (adjust orthophosphate). The pH (2.4) (45:55), obtained the optimum decaffeination conditions at the concentration of bacteria &lt;i&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/i&gt; 6% and a long incubation time of 24 hrs resulted in a decrease in caffeine content of 51.3843±0.2503%. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The results of the paired sample t-test indicate that the concentration of bacteria &lt;i&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/i&gt; and incubation time significantly influence caffeine levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"26 12","pages":"600-606"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139707414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digestive Enzyme Activities, Oxidative Status and Intestinal Histomorphometry of Rats Supplemented with Steviana, A Natural Sweetener.","authors":"Abdulmajeed Fahad Alrefaei, Kamal Ali Attia","doi":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.593.599","DOIUrl":"10.3923/pjbs.2023.593.599","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Stevia (&lt;i&gt;Stevia rebaudiana&lt;/i&gt;), often known as sweet leaf, is a perennial plant and a member of the Asteraceae family. The commercial version of stevia leaf powder, known as Steviana, is one of the most popular natural sweeteners in use today. The current study aimed to analyze the activities of gut digestive enzymes, intestinal oxidative state and intestinal histological structure in stevia-fed rats. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; In this study, male rats were given Steviana and the oxidative condition of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the activities of certain digestive enzymes and the histomorphology of the GIT were examined. Animals used in experiments were split into 2 groups: Control and treated groups. For four consecutive weeks, the treatment group received a daily oral intake of 5 mg kg&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; b.wt., of Steviana solution. At the end of the trial, serum, pancreas and intestinal tissue samples were taken. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The Steviana sweetener has a strong antioxidative effect on both blood and intestinal tissue. Both sample types showed a decrease in malondialdehyde levels and a marked increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities compared to control samples. In samples of blood, pancreas and intestinal contents, the activities of digestive enzymes including α-amylase, lipase and protease were significantly elevated in Steviana-treated rats. In addition, histological analysis of the small intestine showed that in rats given Steviana sweetener, intestinal glandular crypt depth was more pronounced compared to the control animals. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; In summary, consumption of Steviana appears to enhance digestion and absorption processes through antioxidative effects, improving the health of the local GIT and subsequently accelerating the rate of synthesis and release of endogenous digestive enzymes. Another aspect that enhances the digestion and absorption process is the change in the histological structure of the intestinal glands, as shown by an increase in the crypt depth.</p>","PeriodicalId":19800,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences","volume":"26 12","pages":"593-599"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139707512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}