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This study aimed to determine the antimalarial effect of the Strychnos ligustrina (SLW) wood extracts and to analyze its phytochemicals. The SLW powder samples were macerated with 100% ethanol (E100), 75% ethanol (E75), 50% ethanol (E50), 25% ethanol (E25), and aqueous (A100). The extracts were analyzed by LCMS/MS, and its in-vitro antimalarial activity was tested with Plasmodium falciparum. The results showed that the extract yields of E100, E75, E50, E25, and A100 were 4.3, 5.2, 5.3, 4.7, and 3.6%, respectively. The antimalarial activities of the A100, E25, E50, and E75 extracts were classified as active with IC 50 values of 38.6, 42.6, 42.9, and 43.7 μg/mL, respectively. But, the antimalarial activity of the E100 extract was classified as slightly active with IC 50 values of 87.4 μg/mL. The dominant compounds contained in the extracts of A100, E25, E50, E75, and E100 was the alkaloid compound,

Background and Aim: Toxoplasma gondii is a unicellular coccidian parasite distributed globally and is an important zoonotic pathogen. Approximately 30% of the human population worldwide is chronically infected with T. gondii. The pathogenicity of this species depends on the type originating from the clonal population. Techniques for more accurately determining the type of T. gondii have recently been developed using genetic markers. Specifically, T. gondii has been typed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). This study aimed to identify sets of PCR-RFLP markers that have high power to discriminate genotyping of T. gondii and are easy to use and are easy to use. The objective of this study was to characterize virulent strain isolates of T. gondii by PCR-RFLP using 10 markers with DdeI. Materials and Methods: T. gondii tachyzoites (RH virulent strain) were derived from culture cells at the Indonesian Research Center for Veterinary Sciences. Genotyping was performed on T. gondii DNA extracted from cell cultured tachyzoites using 10 genetic markers of PCR-RFLP, namely, B1#1, B1#2, B1#3, SAG1#1, SAG1#2, P30, BAG1, ROP1, GRA1, and GRA7, with digestion using the restriction enzyme DdeI. Results: The 10 genes were amplified by PCR. Among them, three genetic markers, B1#3, ROP1, and GRA1, were genotyped by the PCR-RFLP using restriction enzyme DdeI. Overall, the findings showed that the specific RFLP profile of digestion of gene regions by DdeI could be used as a specific marker for the virulent biotype causative of toxoplasmosis. In addition, virulent strains of T. gondii can be easily detected by these markers. Conclusion: Three pairs of primers (B1#3, ROP1, and GRA1) with DdeI have proven useful for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis (virulent strain biotype I). This proposed method is relatively simple, rapid, cheap, and can be performed in most laboratories, providing a practical approach for the routine analysis of T. gondii strains.

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The diurnal rhythms of monocyte count in the peripheral blood and the nonspecific activities of peritoneal macrophages were investigated in 6- to 12-wk-old White Leghorn chicks. It was evident that monocyte count and activities of peritoneal macrophages, i.e., phagocytosis and microbicidal activity, showed clear diurnal rhythms. The rhythmic pattern of monocyte count was biphasic, unlike those of humans or mice (which exhibit a monophasic fluctuation pattern). Diurnal rhythms of phagocytic activity and microbicidal activity also showed two peaks. However, the correspondence of fluctuation patterns between phagocytic activity and microbicidal activity that have been shown in chicken heterophils was not shown in chicken macrophages. This result suggests that the activities of both functions fluctuate independently in chicken macrophages. The patterns of macrophage-nonspecific activities were not in agreement with any rhythmic patterns concerning B cell and T cell activities reported previously. This result may indicate that the accessory functions of macrophage for helper T cell activation are not involved in the formation of the rhythmic patterns of B cell and T cell functions in chicks.

Metode ekstraksi dan jenis pelarut yang digunakan akan berdampak pada proses penarikan komponen aktif sehingga akan berpengaruh juga pada aktivitasnya. Jahe merah (Zingiber officinale var. Rubrum) merupakan salah satu bahan rempah yang juga berpotensi sebagai tanaman obat. Salah satu khasiat ekstrak jahe merah adalah sebagai anti toksoplasma. Pada penelitian ini telah dilakukan pembuatan ekstrak jahe merah dengan dua jenis metode yaitu maserasi dan sokhletasi masing-masing menggunakan tiga jenis pelarut (etanol 30%, etanol 70% dan etanol 96%) sehingga diperoleh enam jenis ekstrak. Kemudian masing-masing ekstrak ditentukan kadar senyawa pencirinya meliputi 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol dan 6-shogaol dengan Kromatografi Cair Kinerja Tinggi (KCKT). Selanjutnya ekstrak diuji aktivitas antitoksoplasma secara in vitro terhadap parasit Toksoplasma gondii pada fase takhizoit yang ditumbuhkan pada sel vero. Penentuan aktivitas antitoksoplasma juga dilakukan pada senyawa murni 6, 8, 10-gingerol dan 6-shogaol serta kontrol positif antibiotik spiramisin. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak etanol 96% dengan metode maserasi adalah yang paling baik aktivitasnya dan 6-gingerol adalah senyawa penciri yang paling berperan sebagai anti-toksoplasma.

The diurnal variations of peripheral granulocyte counts, phagocytic and bacteriocidal activities and superoxide production of peritoneal heterophils were studied in 6 to 12 week-old chicks. It was evident that granulocyte counts and activities of heterophils, i.e., phagocytosis, bateriocidal activity and superoxide production, showed clear diurnal rhythms. The diurnal rhythmic pattern of phagocytic activity was different from and rather opposite to the pattern of granulocyte counts. This means that these rhythmic patterns have no relation and that the low heterophil count was coexistent with high heterophil-phagocytic activity at any given time of day. The rhythmic pattern of heterophilbacteriocidal activity was not in agreement with the pattern of superoxide production. The reason for this is unknown. However, the diurnal rhythmic patterns of bacteriocidal activity and superoxide production are not necessarily the same, since many agents such as oxygen compound other than superoxide, and lysozomal enzymes are known to be involved in intracellular killing of phagocytes.

The diurnal variations of total lymphocyte counts, rates of B+ cells and sIg+ cells, number of IgM-PFC in the spleen and anti-GRBC and anti-BA antibody titers were studied in 6 to 12 week-old chicks. It was evident that total lymphocyte counts, rates of B+ cells and sIg+ cells in the peripheral blood, number of IgM-PFC and antibody titers had clear diurnal rhythms. The inverse fluctuation patterns were observed between diurnal variations of B+ sIg+ cells and B+ sIg-cells in the blood, but the exact reason for this is not clear at present. There was a correspondence between the fluctuation pattern of lymphocyte count and those of IgM-PFC and antibody titers. This suggests that the circadian rhythm of antibody production of chicks is caused by the diurnal variation in the number of lymphocytes and antibody producing activity of lymphocytes.