No abstract

BACKGROUND: Statin is an anti-cholesterol drug that is widely prescribed throughout the world. Statins are mainly used to treat and prevent cardiovascular disease. Several studies have found the pleiotropic effect of statin. However, related effect of statin in kidney failure is still unclear. Ischemic-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major cause of acute kidney failure. This study aims to determine the effect of simvastatin on kidney function and glomerular conditions by periodic acid-schiff staining in I/R injury.METHODS: Eighteen male Swiss mice were grouped into sham operation group (GSO), I/R injury group (GIRI), and simvastatin group (GSIM). The GSO group was performed by sham operation and pretreatment of 1% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) for 3 days. The GIRI group was performed by I/R procedure and pretreatment of 1% CMC for 3 days and the GSIM group was performed by I/R procedure and pretreatment of 10 mg/kg BW simvastatin for 3 days. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine serum were assessed to determine kidney function. Histopathological analysis of glomerulosclerosis was assessed by the extent of glomerular damage (sclerosis), capillary loops, and synechia. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey’s test (p<0.05).RESULTS: The creatinine and BUN levels in the GIRI group were the highest (0.97±0.48) compared with the other groups. The glomerulosclerosis index in the GSO group was 0.75±0.56, the GIRI group was 3.55±0.61, and the GSIM group was 2.08±1.37. There was a significant difference in the glomerulosclerosis index between the GSO and GIRI groups, but there was no significant difference between the GIRI and GSIM groups. These differences include the formation of sclerosis in the glomerulus, capillary loop, and synechiae.CONCLUSION: Simvastatin improves kidney function and glomerulosclerosis in I/R injury.KEYWORDS: ischemic-reperfusion injury, simvastatin, glomerulosclerosis

In this study we reported cultivation of bacteria associated with mangrove soil from the Ngurah Rai Mangrove Forest, Bali. Mangrove soil samples were serially diluted using sterile artificial seawater, spread onto Starch Casein M agar and incubated at 28oC for 28 days. Cultivation of mangrove soil samples yielded 165 bacterial colonies with 68 isolates were selected and purified based on different morphology. Of these 68 isolates, 22 isolates displayed antibacterial activities ranging from weak to strong inhibition against at least one of four bacterial indicators namely Staphyloccocus aureus, Streptococus mutans, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae using perpendicular streak method. Overall, 19 out of 22 bacteria isolates displayed weak antibacterial potential and two isolates exhibited moderate antibacterial activity. The isolate SA4 was the only bacterium with strong antibacterial potential with measured clear distance ≥ 10 mm against the four bacterial isolates. Sequence analysis based on 16S rRNA gene fragment assigned the isolate SA4 as Bacillus subtilis strain BIL/BS-168. Overall, this study confirmed the untapped potential of antibacterial activities from bacteria associated with mangrove soil.

Clinical manifestations of dengue virus infection vary from unspecified fever, dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). The fundamental difference in the diagnosis between DF and DHF is plasma leakage, hypotension, thrombocytopenia and hemorrhagic diathesis in DHF. The objectives of the study were to determine the lowest platelet, haematocrit increase, and TNF-α levels in DF and DHF patients as an indication of severity of dengue virus infection. The cross-sectional study was conducted by taking 54 blood samples of patients aged 26-45 years who were infected by dengue virus and grouped into two groups: DF patient group (27 blood samples) and DHF group (27 blood samples). The lowest platelets and hematocrit rise were determined by Hematology Analyzer and the TNF-α levels were determined by ELISA. The data obtained were statistically analyzed by independent Mann-Whitney test. The results showed that the lowest mean platelet counts of DF patients were significantly (p <0.01) higher than those of DHF patients. The mean hematocrit increase in DF patients was significantly (p <0.01) lower than that of the DHF patients and the mean TNF-α levels of DF patients were significantly (p <0.01) lower than the DHF patients. Based on the results of this study it can be concluded that the lowest platelets, hematocrit increase and TNF-α levels are an indication of the severity of dengue virus infection.