Jhi Biau Foo

Publications (6) View all

• Article: Dillenia suffruticosa exhibited antioxidant and cytotoxic activity through induction of apoptosis and G(2)/M cell cycle arrest.

  Nurdin Armania, Latifah Saiful Yazan, Siti Noorhidayah Musa, Intan Safinar Ismail, Jhi Biau Foo, Chan Kim Wei, Husain Noreen, Abdul Hamid Hisyam, Said Zulfahmi, Maznah Ismail
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  ABSTRACT: ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dillenia suffruticosa (Family: Dilleniaceae) locally known as Simpoh air (Malay) has been reported to be used traditionally to treat cancerous growth. Therefore, the present study was attempted to investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of different parts (root, flower, fruit and leaf) of D. suffruticosa extracts. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this study, direct solvent extraction (aqueous and methanol) from different parts of D. suffruticosa (root, flower, fruit and leaf) were carried out. Antioxidant activities of D. suffruticosa extract were determined by using DPPH, ABTS FRAP and β-carotene bleaching assays. Cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest of the active extract were determined using MTT assay and flow cytometer, respectively. Sequential solvent extraction (hexane, DCM, EtOAc, and MeOH) were also carried out in root of D. suffruticosa to further evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the different solvent extracts. RESULTS: Methanol (MeOH) root extract showed the highest TPC, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities (especially towards HeLa) compared to others (P<0.05). Based on the results, sequential solvent extraction (hexane, DCM, EtOAc and MeOH) was carried out in the roots of D. suffruticosa. MeOH extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activities among others and significantly correlated (P<0.05) with TPC, suggesting the important contribution of phenolic compounds to its antioxidant activity. On the other hand, the DCM and EtOAc exhibited higher cytotoxic activity to selected cancer cells (HeLa, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, A549 and HT29) compared to others. In short, there is no established correlation between antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of D. suffruticosa extracts indicating that an agent with high antioxidant activities will not necessarily possesses good cytotoxic activities in return. Qualitative phytochemical screening of D. suffruticosa extracts suggested the presence of saponins, triterpenes, sterols, and polyphenolic compounds which are believed to contribute to the cytotoxic activities. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the cytotoxicity of the active extracts in HeLa was due to the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M.
  Journal of ethnopharmacology 01/2013; · 2.32 Impact Factor
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  Article: Neuroprotective Effects of Germinated Brown Rice against Hydrogen Peroxide Induced Cell Death in Human SH-SY5Y Cells

  Norsharina Ismail, Maznah Ismail, Siti Farhana Fathy, Siti Nor, Asma Musa, Mustapha Umar Imam, Jhi Biau Foo, Shahid Iqbal
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  ABSTRACT: The neuroprotective and antioxidative effects of germinated brown rice (GBR), brown rice (BR) and commercially available γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) against cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells have been investigated. Results show that GBR suppressed H 2 O 2 -mediated cytotoxicity and induced G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, GBR reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and prevented phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation in SH-SY5Y cells, key features of apoptosis, and subsequent cell death. GBR exhibited better neuroprotective and antioxidative activities as compared to BR and GABA. These results indicate that GBR possesses high antioxidative activities and suppressed cell death in SH-SY5Y cells by blocking the cell cycle re-entry and apoptotic mechanisms. Therefore, GBR could be developed as a value added functional food to prevent neurodegenerative diseases caused by oxidative stress and apoptosis.
  International Journal of Molecular Sciences 08/2012; 2012(13):9692-9708. · 2.60 Impact Factor
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  Article: Kenaf seed oil from supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction inhibits the proliferation of WEHI-3B leukemia cells in vivo

  Jhi Biau Foo, Latifah Saiful Yazan, Siti Muskinah Mansor, Norsharina Ismail, Paridah Md Tahir, Maznah Ismail
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  ABSTRACT: Hibiscus cannabinus (kenaf) seed oil is a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals with high anti-oxidative and cancer chemopreventive properties. However, the seeds are disposed as waste material during the harvesting or processing of kenaf. Preliminary study revealed that kenaf seed oil from supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction (SFE) induced apoptosis in WEHI-3B leukemia cells. Thus, this study was carried out to investigate the effects of kenaf seed oil from SFE on WEHI-3B cells in vivo. Acute toxicity study revealed that kenaf seed oil is practically non-toxic by oral route. Treatment with kenaf seed oil increased the population of T cells, but decreased the populations of immature monocytes and granulocytes in the peripheral blood of WEHI-3B/BALB/c mice. The weights of the spleen and liver of WEHI-3B/BALB/c mice decreased after the treatment with kenaf seed oil. Moreover, infiltration of leukemic cells into the splenic red pulp reduced after the treatment. In conclusion, kenaf seed oil reduced the severity of leukemia in WEHI-3B/BALB/c mice. These results provide information to industrialists and farmers to fully utilize and develop kenaf seed oil as a novel bio-health product.
  Journal of medicinal plant research 03/2012; 6:1429-1436. · 0.59 Impact Factor
• Article: Effect of kenaf seed oil from different ways of extraction towards ovarian cancer cells

  Latifah Saiful Yazan, Jhi Biau Foo, Siti Aisyah Abd Ghafar, Kim Wei Chan, Paridah Md Tahir, Maznah Ismail
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  ABSTRACT: Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) from the family of Malvaceae is a valuable fibre plant native to India and Africa. Kenaf is composed of various active components including tannins, saponins, polyphenolics, alkaloids, essential oils and steroids. It has been used to treat bruises, bilious conditions, fever and puerperium. Nevertheless, the anti-cancer properties of kenaf seed oil have not yet been investigated. In this study, kenaf seed oils obtained by Sonication, Soxhlet and supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction (SFE) with 9 different combinations of pressure (bars) and temperature (°C) (200/40, 200/60, 200/80, 400/40, 400/60, 400/80, 600/40, 600/60 and 600/80) were investigated for the cytotoxicities. All the oils were cytotoxic towards ovarian cancer (CaOV3) and colon cancer (HT29) cell lines in a dose dependent manner as detected by using the MTT assay and trypan blue dye exclusion method. Oil from Sonication was the most cytotoxic towards CaOV3 cell line. Treated cells exhibited characteristics of apoptosis such as chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation. In conclusion, kenaf seed oils from the three extractions were cytotoxic towards CaOV3 cell line in a dose-dependent manner possibly via the induction of apoptosis. In considering the safety of the product, SFE technology is a better alternative extraction method that is suitable in kenaf seed oil extraction.
  Food and Bioproducts Processing 10/2011; 89(4):328–332. · 1.94 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Jhi Biau Foo

  Article: Kenaf seed oil from supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells

  Jhi Biau Foo, Latifah Saiful Yazan, Kim Wei Chan, Paridah Md, Tahir, Maznah Ismail
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  ABSTRACT: This study was designed to determine the cytotoxic effects of kenaf seed oil (Hibiscus cannabinus) variety V36 extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction (SFE) with different combinations of pressure (bars) and temperature (°C). Extracted oils were tested on human promyelocytic HL-60, murine myelomonocytic WEHI-3B and human chronic myelogenous K562 leukemic cell lines. The yield of kenaf seed oil extracted by SFE ranged from 11 to 13% (w/w). Oils were found to be cytotoxic towards all the leukemia cell lines in a dose-dependent manner with no effects on normal cells (3T3). Oil from SFE at 600 bar 40°C (V600/40) was more cytotoxic towards HL-60, WEHI-3B and K562 when compared with other kenaf seed oils (extracted with different parameters) with the IC 50 values of 178.78±10.52, 189.43±11.63 and 213.33±15.45 µg/ml, respectively. V600/40-treated leukemia cells exhibited typical characteristics of apoptosis such as nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, nuclear margination, membrane blebbing and cellular shrinkage, as viewed under inverted light microscope and fluorescence microscope. Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry revealed that, V600/40 induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest and significantly increased (P < 0.05) the sub-G1 apoptotic population in the leukemia cells. In conclusion, kenaf seed oil V600/40 induced apoptosis via G1 phase cell cycle arrest in HL-60, WEHI-3B and K562 leukemia cell lines.
  AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY 07/2011; 10:5389-5397. · 0.57 Impact Factor