Phytochemicals are compounds found in plants that possess a variety of bioactive properties, including antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of phytochemicals in targeting specific signalling pathways involved in cytokine storm, a life-threatening clinical condition resulting from excessive immune cell activation and oversupply of proinflammatory cytokines. Several studies have documented the immunomodulatory effects of phytochemicals on immune function, including their ability to regulate essential cellular and molecular interactions of immune system cells. This makes them a promising alternative for cytokine storm management, especially when combined with existing chemotherapies. Furthermore, phytochemicals have been found to target multiple signalling pathways, including the TNF-α/NF-κB, IL-1/NF-κB, IFN-γ/JAK/STAT, and IL-6/JAK-STAT. These pathways play critical roles in the development and progression of cytokine storm, and targeting them with phytochemicals represents a promising strategy for controlling cytokine release and the subsequent inflammation. Studies have also investigated certain families of plant-related constituents and their potential immunomodulatory actions. In vivo and in vitro studies have reported the immunomodulatory effects of phytochemicals, which provide viable alternatives in the management of cytokine storm syndrome. The collective data from previous studies suggest that phytochemicals represent a potentially functional source of cytokine storm treatment and promote further exploration of these compounds as immunomodulatory agents for suppressing specific signalling cascade responses. Overall, the previous research findings support the use of phytochemicals as a complementary approach in managing cytokine storm and improving patient outcomes.

Albizia myriophylla (ABZ) is a plant used in Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia for the treatment of diabetes mellitus type II. The antioxidant activities of ABZ have been suggested as one of the mechanisms for the observed beneficial effects. Hence, this study examined the phenolic, flavonoid, and saponin contents and antioxidant activity from methanol extract (ME) and its derived fractions hexane (HE), chloroform (CE), ethyl acetate (EAE), butanol (BE), and aqueous fraction of the bark of ABZ (AE). Amongst the extracts, EAE showed the highest total phenolic content of about 0.77 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g of extract (mg GAE/mg). However, the highest flavonoid content was detected in HE at 1.04 µg retinol equivalent ((RE)/g extract), while the saponin content was highest in CE at 1.1 µg diosgenin equivalent ((DE)/g extract). In 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhidrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test, EAE at 100 µg/mL had the highest percentage of inhibition of about 72.55%. 2-2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS radical scavenging test) showed BE had the highest percentage of inhibition at 100 µg/mL at 82.91%. Ferric reducing antioxidant power elucidated BE as having the highest percentage of inhibition which was 86.04% followed closely by ME at 85.90%. Thus, the different extracts of ABZ displayed various antioxidant capacity with probable free radical scavenging activity, which may be useful for the treatment of chronic inflammatory related metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity.

It is well-known that the classical hepatotropic viruses, hepatitis A to E, are the commonest cause of acute infective hepatitis in children [1]. In addition to acute viral hepatitis (AVH), various...

The most prevalent cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide is acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its consequences. Exposure to particulate matter (PM) from air pollution has been shown to impair both. Various plausible pathogenic mechanisms have been identified, including microRNAs (miRNAs), an epigenetic regulator for gene expression. Endogenous miRNAs, average 22‐nucleotide RNAs (ribonucleic acid), regulate gene expression through mRNA cleavage or translation repression and can influence proinflammatory gene expression posttranscriptionally. However, little is known about miRNA responses to fine PM (PM_2.5, PM₁₀, ultrafine particles, black carbon, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) from air pollution and their potential contribution to cardiovascular consequences, including systemic inflammation regulation. For the past decades, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as novel, prospective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various illnesses, including ACS. We wanted to outline some of the most important studies in the field and address the possible utility of miRNAs in regulating particulate matter‐induced ACS (PMIA) on inflammatory factors in this review.

The growing recognition of spirituality as a vital component of holistic patient care has spurred a movement to integrate this dimension into medical education globally. From an Islamic perspective, which has historically embraced a holistic view of healing, the separation of the spiritual from the physical in modern medical practice presents a significant challenge. This paper examines the critical need and frameworks for integrating Islamic spirituality into the undergraduate Medical Doctor (MD) curriculum. Drawing upon foundational Islamic concepts such as the Tawhidic epistemological paradigm and Prophetic Medicine (al-ṭibb al-nabawī) and analysing the pioneering curriculum models of Malaysian institutions like Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), this study identifies key educational needs, opportunities, and challenges. The findings suggest that a successful integration requires a value-driven, programmatic approach that combines both revealed (naqlī) and rational (ʿaqlī) knowledge. This paper proposes a curriculum development framework to guide Muslim medical schools in cultivating spiritually competent, compassionate physicians who are equipped to address the complete well-being of their patients in the 21st century.

Air pollutants are a major by-product of urbanisation and motorisation of society. In lower and upper middle-income Asian countries, in cities with rapid population growth such as Malaysia, traffic emissions are responsible for almost 90% of urban air pollution, so cycling or walking outdoor can be a major route of exposure for active commuters. Our study aims to examine the association between traffic-related air pollution and cardiorespiratory health symptoms among pedestrian and cyclists in a university campus located in Selangor, Malaysia.  PM2.5 concentrations were monitored using SidePak Personal Aerosol Monitor AM510 on weekday morning cycling and walking commutes into designated high and low-traffic areas nearby campus roadsides. Volunteers cycled (n=21) and walked (n=30) for about 60-minutes in high and low-traffic cycling and walking routes respectively. The cardiorespiratory health status of blood pressure and lung function were measured before, immediately after, after 15 minutes and after 1 hour of volunteers’ commutes. The average commute exposure to PM2.5 was determined, and the inhaled dosage was estimated. Results showed that pedestrian are exposed to higher PM2.5 levels than cyclists traveling in the same high-traffic areas. However, the inhalation dose per kilometre travelled, DL (µg/km) for cyclist was observed higher compared to the pedestrian due to the ventilation rate of physical activity. We also observed that there were increase in the systolic blood pressure and lung function (force-vital capacity-FVC) of pedestrians after the exposure to high PM2.5 concentrations at high traffic walking routes (61.6 ± 14.6 µg/m³). PM2.5 concentrations while walking in the university campus were approximately three times higher compared to cities in Europe (26 μg m−3). Our observation techniques can be applied in resource-constrained countries with heavy traffic emissions that may have an impact on the health of active commuters. To characterise the exposure patterns of other traffic-related air pollutant surrogates (such as soot/black carbon and nitrogen dioxide) and their influence on acute and chronic health outcomes in different Asian traffic microenvironments, further research based on the results of our study is needed.