Chuchard Punsawad

Walailak University · School of Medicine

Abstract Background Drug resistance exists in almost all antimalarial drugs currently in use, leading to an urgent need to identify new antimalarial drugs. Medicinal plant use is an alternative approach to antimalarial chemotherapy. This study aimed to explore potent medicinal plants from Prabchompoothaweep remedy for antimalarial drug development....

This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial efficacy and toxicity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts from traditional recipes used in Thailand. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of ten traditional recipes were tested for in vitro antiplasmodial activity (parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay), cytotoxicity (MTT assay), and hemolysis...

Free heme in plasma acts as a prooxidant; thus, it is bound to hemopexin and eliminated by the liver. High iron content in the liver can support Plasmodium growth and cause oxidative liver injury. Inversely, the withholding of excessive iron can inhibit this growth and protect the liver against malaria infection. This study examined the effects of...

Malaria remains a life-threatening health problem and encounters with the increasing of antimalarial drug resistance. Medicinal plants play a critical role in synthesizing novel and potent antimalarial agents. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical constituents, antiplasmodial activity, and evaluate the toxicity of crude ethanolic extrac...

The Kheaw Hom remedy is a traditional Thai medicine widely used to treat fevers. Some plant ingredients in this remedy have been investigated for their antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. However, there have been no reports on the antimalarial activities of the medicinal plants in this remedy. Therefore, this st...

Background: The emergence of antimalarial drug resistance encourages the search for new antimalarial agents. Mammea siamensis belongs to the Calophyllaceae family, which is a medicinal plant that is used in traditional Thai preparations. The hexane and dichloromethane extracts of this plant were found to have potent antimalarial activity. Therefore...

Background Aging is closely associated to several deleterious conditions and cognitive impairment. Administration of low-dose paracetamol (APAP) has previously been reported to improve cognitive performance in both human and animal studies. However, the altered cognitive effects of low-dose APAP treatment in the aging brain have not been elucidated...

Ceftriaxone (CTX) exerts a neuroprotective effect by decreasing glutamate excitotoxicity. We further studied the underlying mechanisms and effects of CTX early post-treatment on behavior in a cerebral hypoperfusion rats. The rats’ common carotid arteries (2VO) were permanently ligated. CTX was treated after ischemia. Biochemical studies were perfor...

Although many natural products have proven their potential to regulate obesity through the modulation of adipocyte biology, none of them has yet been approved for clinical use in obesity therapy. This work aims to isolate valuable secondary metabolites from an orchid species (Dendrobium heterocarpum) and evaluate their possible roles in the growth...

Chronic ethanol consumption leads to the development of liver disease. In the present study, the effects of Glochidion wallichianum Mull. Arg. ethanol extract (GWE) on chronic ethanol-induced liver injury in rats were evaluated. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents and in vitro antioxidant activities were determined. In the in vivo experiment, mal...

This paper describes a simple and effective green approach for synthesizing silver nanoparticles using Launaea sarmentosa aqueous plant extract. Phytoconstituents screening revealed the presence of tannins and phenolics, terpenoids, and alkaloids, all of which function as both bio-reductants and capping agents for silver nanoparticles formation. Th...

Background Serum leptin levels reflects one’s degree of obesity and can affect vitamin D levels. The relationship between body fat, leptin, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) has not been extensively studied in adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the correlations between body composition and leptin and 25(OH)D levels in boys and girls.Metho...

Problem statement: An increase in exercise intensity enhances the immune system. However, concentrations of cortisol and cytokine responses as acute effects of different exercise intensities need to be comprehensively elucidated. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different exercise intensities on concentrations of salivary cor...

Background: Human toxocariasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the Toxocara canis and T. cati nematodes larvae. Dog owners are at a higher risk of acquiring T. canis infection, and there is no available evidence regarding the seroprevalence of T. canis infection among dog owners in Thailand. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the...

We aim to study the antioxidant ability of Thunbergia laurifolia (TL) aqueous leaf extract against PQ-induced kidney injury. Rats were divided into four groups (n = 4 per group): control group, the rats received subcutaneous injection of 1 ml/kg body weight (BW) normal saline; PQ group, the rats received subcutaneous injection of 18 mg/kg BW paraqu...

Decreased serum sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) has been reported in severe malaria patients, but the expression of receptors and enzymes associated with S1P has not been investigated in the liver of malaria patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expression of sphingosine kinase (SphK) and S1P receptors (S1PRs) in the liver of malar...

Background Paraquat (PQ) has been reported to have a high mortality rate. The major target organ of PQ poisoning is the lungs. The pathogenesis of PQ-induced lung injury involves oxidative stress and inflammation. Unfortunately, there is still no effective antidote for PQ poisoning. We hypothesized that aqueous Thunbergia laurifolia (TL) leaf extra...

Abstract Background In response to the persistent problem of malaria resistance, medicinal herbal plants can be used as a source of potential novel antimalarial agents. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo antimalarial activity and toxicity of an ethanolic seed extract of Spondias pinnata (L.f.) Kurz (S. pinnata). Methods Qu...

Background Novel potent antimalarial agents are urgently needed to overcome the problem of drug-resistant malaria. Herbal treatments are of interest because plants are the source of many pharmaceutical compounds. The Mahanil-Tang-Thong formulation is a Thai herbal formulation in the national list of essential medicines and is used for the treatment...

Soil-transmitted helminth infections are most prevalent in rural populations. Village health volunteers (VHVs) are the key individuals for Thai primary healthcare. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding soil-transmitted helminthia-sis in VHVs. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 552 VHVs...

Background Cerebral malaria (CM) is associated with sequestration of parasitized red blood cells (PRBCs) in the capillaries. Often, the association of CM with cerebral oedema is related with high mortality rate. Morphological changes of the choroid plexus (CP) and caspase-3 expression in CM have not been reported. In addition, limited knowledge is...

Hookworm infection is the most common human helminthic infection in the rural areas of southern Thailand. There is little information on the induced cellular immune responses in hookworm-infected children. The present study aimed to investigate the cellular immune responses, regulatory T cells (Tregs), Th1-type cytokines (interleukin (IL)-2 and int...

The increasing resistance of parasites to antimalarial drugs and the limited number of effective drugs are the greatest challenges in the treatment of malaria. It is necessary to search for an alternative medicine for use as a new, more effective antimalarial drug. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimalarial activity and cytot...

Background: The world population has exhibited increased trust in folk medicine, including Thai folk medicine, for the treatment of various illnesses. However, the comparative antioxidant and cytoprotective activities against oxidative damage of Tri-Than-Thip (Tri-TT), a Thai folk remedy, have not been reported. Objectives: The purpose of this s...

Aging is generally known to be associated with dynamic biological changes, physiological dysfunction, and environmental and psychological decline. Several studies have suggested that aging is associated with increased inflammatory cytokines, causing several diseases. However, the effect of exercise on aging has been less delineated, and the relatio...

Phy-Blica-D is a traditional Thai polyherbal formula that has reduced oxidative stress in non-communicable diseases. However, evidence supporting the gastroprotective effects of Phy-Blica-D has not been previously reported. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective effects of Phy-Blica-D against gastric ulcers in rats and investi...

The DNA-binding protein high mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1) mediates proinflammatory cytokines that contribute to acute lung injury (ALI). Although ALI is a frequent complication of malaria infection, the contribution of HMGB-1 and its receptors to the pathogenesis of malaria-associated ALI/acute respiratory distress syndrome (MA-ALI/ARDS) has not b...

Background: We aimed to determine whether neutralizing high mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1) prevents the release of HMGB-1 and proinflammatory cytokines on hemozoin (Hz)-induced alveolar epithelial cell in a model of malaria associated ALI/ARDS. Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine,...

Overweight/obesity is a pressing international health concern, and conventional treatments demonstrate poor long-term efficacy. Several studies have shown that yoga can control risk factors for cardiovascular disease, obesity, and psychosocial stress. The present study aimed to assess the effect of continuous yoga (asanas, pranayama, and Surya Nama...

Objective: To investigate the antimalarial effects and toxicity of the extracts of the flowers of Tagetes erecta L. and the leaves of Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn. in a mouse model. Methods: To determine the in vivo antimalarial activity of the extracts, mice were intraperitoneally injected with the Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain and then ad...

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous leaf extract of T. laurifolia against alcoholic liver injury in rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were administered either normal saline, ethanol (EtOH), normal saline with low or high dose T. laurifolia leaf extract (TL-LD or TL-HD), EtOH with TL-LD or EtOH with TL-HD....

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous leaf extract of T. laurifolia against alcoholic liver injury in rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were administered either normal saline, ethanol (EtOH), normal saline with low or high dose T. laurifolia leaf extract (TL-LD or TL-HD), EtOH with TL-LD or EtOH with TL-HD....

Background At present, the emergence and spread of antimalarial drug resistance has become a significant problem worldwide. There has been a challenge in searching for natural products for the development of novel antimalarial drugs. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate compounds from Dioscorea bulbifera responsible for antimalarial properties an...

Whether a body mass derived from extremes of body weight is beneficial to bone remains controversial. When fat accumulation reaches excessive levels and induces changes in hormonal factors and adipokines, it may affect bone accrual during growth. This study evaluated the relationships between body composition and key biomarkers in relation to bone...

Chikungunya and Zika viruses, both transmitted by mosquito vectors, have globally re-emerged over for the last 60 years and resulted in crucial social and economic concerns. Presently, there is no specific antiviral agent or vaccine against these debilitating viruses. Understanding viral–host interactions is needed to develop targeted therapeutics....

Background Sophora exigua Craib. is commonly used in Thailand to reduce fever and increase postpartum breast milk production in women who have hypogalactia. However, there has been no report on the antioxidant and antimalarial properties of this plant. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and antimalarial activities of S. exigua root ext...

Increased visceral fat is associated with an increased mortality rate. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a noninvasive method to assess visceral fat that is easily accessible and avoids exposure to radiation. It is unknown how a visceral fat rating from a noninvasive machine correlates with the serum lipid profile and fasting blood sugar (F...

Background: Hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis infections are neglected tropical diseases in developing countries, which have environmental risk factors with the potential for transmission of hookworm and S. stercoralis infections. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors for hookworm and S. stercoralis infections in East Kal...

IntroductionOsteoporosis is a prevalent comorbidity in patients with COPD that is usually underrecognized and hence undertreated. Compared to the gold standard dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is less expensive, more portable, and more accessible, especially in less developed countries. The aim of this...

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimalarial activities and toxicity of Pogostemon cablin extracts. In vitro activities against the chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum K1 strain were assessed by using the Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase enzyme (pLDH) assay, while in vivo activity against the Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain in m...

Background Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection is a neglected tropical disease affecting approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide. In past decades, most studies focused on STH infection in preschool-aged and school-aged children in different regions of Thailand. However, little is known about the prevalence and intensity of STH infection in...

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most serious complications of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria, but the exact pathogenic mechanisms of AKI in P. falciparum infection have not been clearly elucidated. We hypothesized that oxidative stress is a potential mediator of acute tubular necrosis in P. falciparum-infected kidneys. Therefore, this...

Background: Frailty is an important condition in elderly individuals because it increases disability, morbidity, and mortality. The definition frailty from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) criteria is used worldwide and defined as fulfilling 3 out of the 5 phenotypic criteria that indicate compromised energetics: weakness, slowness, low level...

Soil is considered the primary source of Toxocara transmission to humans, especially children. The status of soil contamination with Toxocara eggs in southern Thailand is unknown. This study aimed at estimating the soil contamination with Toxocara eggs in public schools in Nakhon Si Thammarat province in southern Thailand. Soil samples were collect...

Essential oils are volatile fragrance liquids extracted from plants, and their compound annual growth rate is expected to expand to 8.6% from 2019 to 2025, according to Grand View Research. Essential oils have several domains of application, such as in the food and beverage industry, in cosmetics, as well as for medicinal use. In this study, Michel...

Background: Human toxocariasis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by a parasite in the genus Toxocara and is transmitted mainly by the accidental ingestion of embryonated Toxocara canis (dog roundworm) or T. cati (cat roundworm) eggs. Several studies reported that children were the main population at risk for T. canis infection. Currently, no reports...

Pulmonary edema (PE) is a major cause of pulmonary manifestations of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria and is usually associated with acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The sphingosine kinase-1 (SphK-1)/sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-3 (S1PR-3) pathway has recently been reported to affect the pathogenesis o...

Background Human toxocariasis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by a parasite in the genus Toxocara and is transmitted mainly by accidental ingestion of embryonated Toxocara canis (dog round worm) or T. cati (cat round worm) eggs. Several studies reported that children were the main population at risk for T. canis infection. Currently, no reports on t...

Background: Malaria-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (MA-ARDS) is an understudied complication of malaria and is characterized by pulmonary inflammation and disruption of the alveolar-capillary membrane. Its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Since endothelial activation plays an important role in other malarial complications, t...

The resistance of malaria parasites to the current antimalarial drugs has led to the search for novel effective drugs. Betula alnoides has been traditionally used for the treatment of malaria, but the scientific evidence to substantiate this claim is still lacking. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the antimalarial activity and toxic...

Background: The hematological changes following the initial drug regimen has been poorly understood in Thailand. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of malaria parasite recurrence and hematological alteration of patients during the initial drug regimen. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at Phop Phra Hospital, Tak Provi...

This study aimed to investigate the expression of sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK-1) and sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR-3) in a mouse model of malaria-associated acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS). DBA/2 mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA to generate an experimental model of malaria-associated ALI/ARD...

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is in the collectin family of C-type lectins and plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation and the innate immune defense against pathogens. This protein has been proposed as a biomarker for acute lung injury. However, the expression of SP-D in the lung and the circulating levels of SP-D during malaria inf...

Malaria is a potential medical emergency and should be treated immediately because delays in diagnosis and treatment are the leading causes of death in many countries. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice related to malaria diagnosis for early detection among healthcare workers in the laboratories of hospitals in Thailan...