Universiti Sains Malaysia

About: Universiti Sains Malaysia is a education organization based out in George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Ring (chemistry). The organization has 23231 authors who have published 39356 publications receiving 655434 citations. The organization is also known as: USM & University of Science, Malaysia.

Potential of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) as an alternative protein source in practical diets for African catfish, Clarias gariepinus

Abstract: Two separate 7-week feeding trials were conducted to evaluate the use of mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, as an alternative protein source for African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. In Experiment 1, six isonitrogenous (40% crude protein) and isoenergetic (14.64 kJ g−1) practical diets were formulated. The fish meal component of the diets was progressively substituted at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% with mealworm meal. The experimental diets were fed to triplicate groups of catfish fingerlings (mean initial weight of 5.1 ± 0.2 g) at 4% body weight day−1. Growth performance and feed utilization efficiency of catfish fed diets with up to 40% replacement of fish meal with worm meal were not significantly different (P > 0.05) compared to fish fed the control diet without any worm meal. Catfish fed diets with up to 80% replacement of fish meal with the worm meal still displayed good growth and feed utilization efficiency. In Experiment 2, the nutritive value of mealworms was compared with a commercial catfish pellet. Three dietary treatments consisting of fish fed catfish pellets only, catfish pellets and mealworms, and mealworms only were tested. Catfish fed solely on mealworms displayed a slight depression in growth performance but when fed in combination with the catfish pellets grew as well or better than fish fed the commercial catfish pellet only. In both experiments, mealworms, whether used as such or transformed into a dry meal, were found to be highly palatable to the African catfish. Catfish fed mealworm-based diets also tend to have significantly higher lipids in their carcass. Results indicate that mealworm was an acceptable alternative protein source for the African catfish.

Topical application of honey in the management of radiation mucositis: a preliminary study.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pure natural honey on radiation-induced mucositis. Forty patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer requiring radiation to the oropharyngeal mucosal area were divided in to two groups to receive either radiation alone or radiation plus topical application of pure natural honey. Patients were treated using a 6-MV linear accelerator at a dose rate of 2 Gy per day five times a week up to a dose of 60–70 Gy. In the study arm, patients were advised to take 20 ml of pure honey 15 min before, 15 min after and 6 h post-radiation therapy. Patients were evaluated every week for the development of radiation mucositis using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grading system. There was significant reduction in the symptomatic grade 3/4 mucositis among honey-treated patients compared to controls; i.e. 20% versus 75% (p 0.00058). The compliance of honey-treated group of patients was better than controls. Fifty-five percent of patients treated with topical honey showed no change or a positive gain in body weight compared to 25% in the control arm (p 0.053), the majority of whom lost weight. Topical application of natural honey is a simple and cost-effective treatment in radiation mucositis, which warrants further multi-centre randomised trials to validate our finding.

Acute Oral Toxicity of Methanolic Seed Extract of Cassia fistula in Mice

Abstract: Background and objective: Cassia fistula is widely used in traditional medicine to treat various types of ailments. The evaluation of toxic properties of C. fistula is crucial when considering public health protection because exposure to plant extracts can result in undesirable effects on consumers. Hence, in this study the acute oral toxicity of C. fistula seeds extract was investigated in mice. Results: Oral administration of crude extract at the highest dose of 5000 mg/kg resulted in no mortalities or evidence of adverse effects, implying that C. fistula in nontoxic. Throughout 14 days of the treatment no changes in behavioural pattern, clinical sign and body weight of mice in both control and treatment groups. Also there were no any significant elevations observed in the biochemical analysis of the blood serum. Further, histopathological examination revealed normal architecture and no significant adverse effects observed on the kidney, heart, liver, lung and spleen. Conclusions: Overall, the results suggest that, the oral administration of C. fistula methanolic seeds extract did not produce any significant toxic effect in mice. Hence, the extract can be utilized for pharmaceutical formulations.