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Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a disease associated with dysfunction of pancreatic β-cells and oxidative stress. A treatment which can reduce the impact of oxidative stress may be beneficial in the treatment of diabetes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of gambier extract on the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and blood glucose level (BGL) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: This research was a randomized clinical study consisted of two groups, namely placebo group (n=10) and gambier group (n=6). The blood samples were collected from the vein after fasting overnight and before consuming 100 g white bread to measure the levels of MDA, SOD, and BGL. The same procedure was conducted after fasting and 2-h postprandial on day 1 and day 14. The data obtained were analyzed with Student’s t-test with a statistical significance level of p<0.05.Results: The results showed that there was no change in MDA levels in the placebo group during the observation, but there was a significant decrease in MDA levels in the gambier group on day 14. In contrast, SOD levels increased in all measurements although there was no change on day 1 in the placebo group. The present study also found a significant increase of BGLs after consuming 100 g bread in both groups, but less BGL elevation in the gambier group.Conclusion: It is concluded that gambier extract has special mechanisms in the treatment of T2DM as an antioxidant and BGLs reduction.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Human pepsinogens (HP) are considered promising serological biomarkers for the screening of atrophic gastritis (AG) and GC. HP are biochemically and immunochemically classified into two groups: pepsinogen I (PG I) and PG II. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a glycoprotein, which is present in normal mucosal cells but increased amounts are associated with adenocarcinoma, especially colorectal cancer. CEA in combination with other tumour markers can be used in pre-operative staging and thereby assist in the planning of the type of surgery required and future management options. The purpose of this study was to diagnose test PG I and combination with tumor marker CEA in 32 patients suspected with GC. There was a significant difference in levels of CEA between GC group with non-GC with a value p <0.001. PGI sensitivity was 70.58% and specificity 93.3%. The sensitivity of PGI and CEA combination of 94.1% and specificity 80%. The area of AUC obtained was 92.7% at 95% confidence interval (82.7-100%). This AUC value indicated that the value of diagnostic accuracy of the PGI and CEA combinations of 92.7%.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to cigarette smoke may stimulate the inflammatory response and activate polymorphonuclear leukocytes, thus resulting in secretion of cellular proteases. Vitamin D has the potential to modulate the inflammatory response to harmful particles in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). AIM: This study aimed to determine the levels of vitamin D, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 in COPD subjects, healthy smokers and nonsmokers of Indonesian citizens METHODS: Seventy-eight male subjects took part in this study. They comprised three groups, i.e. COPD (n = 26), healthy smokers (n = 25) and healthy non-smokers (n = 27). Serum 25(OHD) levels, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 concentrations measured by electrochemiluminescence binding assay (ECLIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The levels of vitamin D in COPD (21.96 ± 6.62ng/mL) and healthy smokers (27.87 ± 7.08 ng/mL) were significantly (p < 0.001) lower compared to that in healthy non-smokers (31.71 ± 9.24 ng/mL). On contrary, the levels of MMP-9 in COPD (11.98 ± 41.54 ng/mL) was significantly (p = 0.003) higher compared to that in healthy smokers (2.23 ± 3.39 ng/mL) and healthy non-smokers (0.89 ± 1.12 ng/mL). Whereas the levels of TIMP-1 in healthy smokers (24.64 ± 57.77 ng/mL) was significantly (p < 0.001) lower compared to that in COPD (58.40 ± 77.53 ng/mL) and healthy non-smokers (46,54 ± 71,48 ng/mL). CONCLUSION: The present study showed the lowest level of vitamin D, the highest level of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the COPD subjects.