Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori among multiracial community in Northern Peninsular,Malaysia:effect of age across race and gender

Objective:To study the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) infection according to age group.Methods:H.pylori infection data among 1 965 consecutive patients referred to the Endoscopy Unit collected at Sungai Petani Hospital for oesophagogastro-duodenoscopy(OGD). The patients were divided into 9 age groups(10-19,20-29,30-39,40-49,50-59,60-69,70-79, 80-89 and 90-99 years).In addition these groups were further divided into three minor group namely young adults(10-39),older adults(40-69) and geriatric groups(70-99).Results:Overall prevalence of infection of H.pylori was analyzed and found that the prevalence increase with age (P【0.05).When the patients divided by ethnic and gender group with age,prevalence rate among young adults and older adults significantly higher(P【0.05) compared to geriatric groups across all races and gender(P【0.05).Furthermore,significantly higher number of males were infected compared to female(P【0.05) but such trend was only observed among older adult groups.In addition,there is a significant differences in H.pylori infection prevalence rates among ethnic groups(highest in Indians adults,followed Chinese and low in Malays,P【0.05).Conclusions: The overall prevalence of H.pylori did increase with age group across ethnicity and gender,in Northern Peninsular Malaysia.

Pharmacological activity,phytochemical analysis and toxicity of methanol extract of Etlingera elatior(torch ginger) flowers

Objective:To elucidate its pharmacological activities and medicinal potential of extract of Etlingera elatior（E.elatior）.Methods:Phytochemical screening of the flower extract was done to determine the phytochemical in the extract.The pharmacological study included the determination of antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration（MIC） of metabolic flower extract.The antimicrobial activity of the extract was tested against medically important bacterial,yeast and fungal strains.Apart from that,the methanolic extract of E.elatior flower was further tested in vivo toxicity using the brine shrimp lethality test.Moreover,the flower extract was qualitatively screened for their free radical scavenging activity by 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl radical（DPPH） assay.Results:The extract was effective on tested microorganisms and MIC values were in the range of 1.563-50.000 mg/mL.The brine shrimp lethality test exhibited no significant toxicity(LC50= 2.52 mg/mL) against Artemia salina.The E.elatior flower extract with high LC50 value signified that this plant is not toxic to humans.While the phytochemical screening of the flower extract revealed the presence of the following compounds: flavonoids,terpenoids,saponin,tannins and carbohydrates whereas,alkaloids,anthraquinone and reducing sugars were absent.The concentration of the flower extract required for 50% inhibition of DPPH radical scavenging effect(IC50) were 9.14 mg/mL and 8.08 mg/mL for butylated hydroxytoluene 8.08 mg/mL.Conclusions:These findings indicate that the extract of E.elatior flower possesses pharmacological properties and potential to develop natural products based pharmaceuticals products.