The utilization of natural compounds as therapeutic agents to treat pancreatic cancer has recently focused on natural drug research. Calotropis gigantea has long been believed to be a medicinal plant that helps in treating various diseases. The bioactive compounds 9-metoxipinoresinol and isoliquiritigenin isolated from C. gigantea leaves are proven to act as therapeutic agents by inhibiting the cancer cell growth of Panc-1 cells. This study aimed to screen the potential molecular inhibition mechanisms of 9-metoxipinoresinol and isoliquiritigenin against pancreatic cancer development in-silico. We analyzed the activity of the aforementioned two compounds as inhibitors of several proteins that play a role in the growth of pancreatic cancer cells, such as GCNT3, GOT1, c-Met, PPARγ, BUB1, and NF-κβ, through molecular docking investigation. Our data suggested that 9-metoxipinoresinol and isoliquiritigenin were able to have well interaction with the target proteins, in which the predicted affinity energy ranged between -6.8 and 8.7 kcal/mol. The docking scores of 9-metoxipinoresinol and isoliquiritigenin were higher than the standard drug used (gemcitabine). Based on the binding affinity energy, GCNT3 and BUB1 are potentially to be used as target molecules for cancer therapy using 9-metoxipinoresinol and isoliquiritigenin, respectively.

Hazardous metal pollution has raised a global concern to its increasing trend in response to industrial growth. As an emerging economy, Indonesia starts to receive a backlash of increasing anthropogenic activities resulting in higher emission of heavy metal pollutants. Heavy metals are non-biodegradable pollutants and toxic to humans and other living organisms. Herein, we have reviewed published investigations on the contamination of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Hg, Ni, Cd, Zn and As) in aquatic and terrestrial animals, attributed to anthropogenic activities in Indonesia. Some reports found the contamination levels have surpassed the tolerable limits of international standards. Most of the research was conducted in the industrial area, indicating that the heavy metal released into the environment can reach the human body through the food chain. A report in a non-industrial area suspected the contamination to be originated from the chain of anthropogenic activities (fertiliser industry—agriculture—livestock industry).

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the global population, especially the vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, indigenous people, and people with disabilities. Restriction and limited access to education, health, and public services due to measures taken to cope with the pandemic have made life even more difficult for people with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual ones. People with intellectual disabilities were not counted as a high-risk population, thus being excluded in most public health measurements that are done to encounter the pandemic. Several investigations have been conducted to explore the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, women, and the elderly, yet very few discussed how pandemics affected people with intellectual disabilities. This article is a review of existing literature using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) keywords like “COVID-19” and “intellectual disabilities” which was conducted in Pubmed, Web of Science, Mendeley, Google Scholar and ResearchGate to find related studies. Here we reviewed studies on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with intellectual disabilities, including access to education, healthcare, public services, and other related concerns. We also discussed the inclusivity of COVID-19 prevention and control measures taken so far and how it should be designed to accommodate people with intellectual disabilities. This review is expected to provide an insight for the stakeholders and policymakers to employ better and more inclusive approach in the management of pandemic to ensure the wellbeing and rights of people with disabilities in general and people with intellectual ones in particular.

A natural bioactive compound named calotropone has been reported as a drug candidate for several cancers, including pancreatic cancers. Herein, we used molecular docking approach to test the possible mechanisms of action of calotropone in inhibiting the growth of pancreatic cell cancer with gemcitabine as the positive control. By employing AutoDock Vina, we studied the molecular interaction between calotropone and pancreatic cancer-associated proteins, namely Glucosaminyl (N-Acetyl) Transferase 3, Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase 1, Tyrosine-protein kinase Met (c-Met), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, Budding Uninhibited by Benzimidazole 1, A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 10, Sex-determining region Y and Nuclear Factor kappa Beta (Nf-Kβ). Higher affinity energies of calotropone toward the aforementioned proteins (ranging from [FIGURE DASH]7.3 to [FIGURE DASH]9.3 kcal/mol) indicate that calotropone may work in the same manner as anticancer drug gemcitabine. Highest docking score was found at the interaction of calotropone and Nf-Kβ ([FIGURE DASH]9.3 kcal/mol).

Serious threat to human health caused by bacterial infection persists as a global concern. It becomes more serious when the burden of multidrug-resistance bacteria is in the increasing trend. To overcome, researches have been conducted to develop antibacterial agents from plant-derived bioactive compounds. This review article focuses on the antibacterial activities of plant extracts from seven Annonaceae members, namely Annona muricata, Annona reticulata, Annona squamosa, Cananga odorata, Annona hypoglauca, Polyalthia longifolia, and Xylopia aethiopica. First, ethnomedical uses of the aforementioned plants are discussed and followed by the screening results of related phytochemicals. Among many secondary metabolites contained in the extracts of Annonaceae spp., anonaine, nornuciferine, and liriodenine are common and bioactive. The extracts were reported to have bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties against a wide spectrum of bacteria, including multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Salmonella choleraesuis, Salmonella typhimurium, and Shigella dysenteriae. We conclude that investigation on the extracts from Annonaceae spp. could contribute to the development of antibacterial agents that could be used against multidrug-resistant bacteria.