Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 27 No 1 (2023): 189 - 197

 

MALAYSIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS (Euphorbia milii) AS A DRUG ALTERNATIVE SOURCE FOR ANTI-GOUT THERAPY

 

(Tumbuhan Perubatan Malaysia (Euphorbia milii) sebagai Sumber

Ubat Alternatif untuk Terapi Anti-gout)

 

Nur Syafika Amani Abd. Mutalib1, Mohamad Hussin Haji Zain2, Asnuzilawati Asari1,3, Maulidiani Maulidiani1,

Ahmad Nazif Aziz1,3, Norhayati Yusuf1, Nurul Huda Abdul Wahab1,3*

 

1Faculty of Science and Marine Environment,

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu,

21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

2Center for Foundation Studies in STEM,

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu,

21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

3Advanced Nano Materials (ANoMa) Research Group,

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu,

21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: nhuda@umt.edu.my

 

 

Received: 3 July 2022; Accepted: 20 January 2023; Published:  22 February 2023

 

 

Abstract

Gout has been detected as amongst the oldest disease since the 5th Century BC and to date it is arising. This disease occurs due to excess production of uric acid that leads to the formation of crystals around the joints. It may become worse when permanent tissue damage is involved. Nowadays, many advance treatments are found. However, it may be very costly. One of the cheapest alternatives is a synthetic drug called allopurinol, which has negative side effect for long term consumption. Euphorbia milii (Euphorbiaceae) was chosen as the sample due to various secondary metabolites being reported which might be beneficial for treatment of gout. Quantitative analysis of total phenolic content and xanthine oxidase inhibitory assay were done to the crude extracts of Malaysian E. milii, followed by IC50 to determine the concentration needed to reduce 50% of uric acid production. The result showed that methanol leaves extract of E. milii had the highest total phenolic content (0.77 ± 0.02 mg QAE/g of sample), which made this extract a potent uric acid inhibitor (Half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50 = 0.0864 mM). This value had significantly reduced uric acid production by 65.6%. Therefore, methanolic leaves extract that was subjected to GC-MS and hexadecanoic acid and has anti-gout properties, was discovered in the crude extract. In conclusion, the Malaysian E. milii plant has potential to be developed as a new drug which might be beneficial for the treatment of gout.

 

Keywords: Euphorbiaceae, Malaysian plant, quantitative analysis, anti-gout, uric acid

 

Abstrak

Gout telah dikesan sebagai antara penyakit tertua sejak abad ke-5 SM dan ia terus wujud hingga kini. Penyakit ini berlaku akibat pengeluaran asid urik berlebihan yang menyebabkan pembentukan kristal di sekeliling sendi. Ia mungkin menjadi lebih teruk apabila melibatkan kerosakan kekal pada tisu. Kini, banyak rawatan awal telah ditemui. Walau bagaimanapun, ia mungkin sangat mahal. Salah satu alternatif yang paling murah ialah ubat sintetik bernama allopurinol yang mempunyai kesan sampingan negatif untuk penggunaan jangka panjang. Euphorbia milii (Euphorbiaceae) telah dipilih sebagai sampel kerana pelbagai metabolit sekunder yang mungkin bermanfaat untuk rawatan gout telah dilaporkan. Analisis kuantitatif jumlah kandungan fenolik dan ujian perencatan xanthine oxidase telah dilakukan terhadap ekstrak mentah E. milii Malaysia diikuti dengan IC50 untuk menentukan kepekatan yang perlu untuk mengurangkan 50% daripada pengeluaran asid urik. Hasilnya, ekstrak metanol daun E. milii menunjukkan jumlah kandungan fenolik yang tertinggi (0.77 ± 0.02 mg QAE/g sampel) yang menjadikan ekstrak ini berpotensi sebagai perencat asid urik (Kepekatan perencatan separuh maksimum, IC50 = 0.0864 mM). Nilai ini mengurangkan pengeluaran asid urik dengan ketara sebanyak 65.6%. Oleh itu, ekstrak metanol daun kemudiannya tertakluk kepada GC-MS dan asid heksadekanoik serta mempunyai sifat anti-gout, telah dikenal pasti wujud dalam ekstrak mentah. Kesimpulannya, tumbuhan E. milii Malaysia ini berpotensi untuk dibangunkan sebagai satu ubat baru yang mungkin bermanfaat untuk rawatan gout.

 

Kata kunci: Euphorbiaceae, tumbuhan Malaysia, analisis kuantitatif, anti-gout, asid urik

 

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