Research mainly focus on 1. Antihypertensive agents (TCMH/pure compounds) 2. Pain research (analgesic meter for pain model research) 3. Local herbs Pharmacopoeia 4. Vascular tone research (vasorelaxant/vasoconstrictor) 5. Anti-radiation research
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Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Enhancing university athletes’ physical activity and decision-making through educational interventions grounded in the theory of planned behavior Hai Liu, Ruilin Xu, Yean Chun Loh BMC Psychology, 2025 BACKGROUND: The decision-making processes and physical activities of university athletes are crucial for both individual well-being and athletic performance. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) provides a comprehensive framework for examining the cognitive factors that influence athletes' participation in physical activity. However, existing applications of TPB have primarily focused on general student populations, leaving a gap in our understanding of how this theory operates within the high-stakes, performance-driven environment of university athletics. This study aims not only to examine how TPB constructs (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) relate to university athletes' decision-making and physical activity behaviors but also to evaluate the effectiveness of a theory-based intervention designed to enhance these factors. Ultimately, the goal is to inform the development of evidence-based strategies for improving both health outcomes and decision-making competencies among student-athletes. METHODS: An experimental pretest/posttest control-experimental research method was employed. Data were collected through structured questionnaires designed to assess attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control - different aspects of the decision-making process - as well as the physical activities of the participating university athletes. DATA ANALYSIS: The data collected from the pretests and posttests were analyzed through descriptive statistics (Mean and SD) and inferential statistics (MANCOVA) to compare the mean scores of the control and experimental groups on all study variables. RESULTS: The results showed that following an educational intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significantly improved scores in attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, decision-making process, and physical activity measures, suggesting the effectiveness of the intervention. In contrast, the control group unexpectedly exhibited higher social resistance scores, potentially indicating unintended effects. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the effectiveness of educational interventions in enhancing key determinants of planned behavior and promoting physical activity among university athletes. By establishing a direct link between TPB-based training and measurable improvements in decision-making and behavioral outcomes, the study provides actionable insights for coaches, educators, and sports psychologists seeking to foster more autonomous, health-conscious, and strategically capable athlete populations.
Application of bioactivity validation as quality control approach: Panax notoginseng dominated scientific-driven new TCM formulae-BPAid from laboratory to industrial scale Wan Yin Tew, Yean Chun Loh, Chong Seng Yan, Hui Wei Loh, Chen Jingying, Chen Ying, Lee Suan Chua, Guo Longgang, Xu Wen, Xu Wei, Mun Fei Yam Pharmacological Research Modern Chinese Medicine, 2024 In the realm of Chinese medicine, quality control and pharmacodynamics are crucial to ensure the consistency in scaled-up process from the laboratory to commercial operations. This study aims to analyse bioactivity consistency between laboratory observations and commercial processes. The preparation of BPAid (5: 2: 9: 1 for Uncaria rhynchophylla (UR): Pueraria thomsonii (PT): Panax notoginseng (PN): Alisma orientale (AO) was divided into three methods: laboratory-scale maceration (BPAidM), industrial-scale flash extract method (BPAidFE), decoction method (BPAidD). The vasodilatory and antihypertensive effects of the extracts were examined through ex vivo and in vivo studies. The chemical fingerprint of each extract was analysed using tri-step FTIR spectroscopy, and UPLC-MS/MS was used for standard marker quantification. BPAidM exhibited the highest vasodilatory effect, followed by BPAidFE, and BPAidD with EC50 values of 11.25 ± 2.30 mg/mL, 39.23 ± 12.55 mg/mL, 24.33 ± 6.26 mg/mL, and 198.71 ± 127.21 mg/mL: RMAX values of 106.53 ± 7.95%, 82.92 ± 5.22%, 76.35 ± 4.51%, and 60.62 ± 5.7%, respectively. In in vivo antihypertensive studies, all extracts significantly reduced the blood pressure of Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (SHRs). The tri-step FTIR revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, esters, and saccharides in BPAid extracts. BPAidM contained the highest total standard marker in the UPLC-MS/MS quantification, followed by BPAidFE, and BPAidD. Ultimately, the flash extract technique is recommended to produce BPAid to meet the global demand.
The predominance of endothelium-derived relaxing factors and beta-adrenergic receptor pathways in strong vasorelaxation induced by 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the rat aorta Yean Chun Loh, Chuan Wei Oo, Wan Yin Tew, Xu Wen, Xu Wei, Mun Fei Yam Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, 2022 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4HB), known as ρ-hydroxybenzaldehyde, is commonly present in traditional Chinese medicine herb, most frequently used for hypertension treatment. This research aims to determine the potency of 4HB's vasorelaxant action. In the study, the vasodilation effect of 4HB was evaluated using in vitro isolated rat aortic rings assay. The aortic rings were pre-incubated with respective antagonists before being pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE) and challenged with various concentrations of 4HB for mechanistic action studies. Rmax (maximal vasodilation) and pEC50 (negative logarithm of half-maximal effective concentration) values of each experiment were determined for comparison purposes. 4HB caused vasodilation on endothelium-intact aortic rings which pre-contracted with PE (pEC50 = 3.53 ± 0.05, Rmax = 100.95 ± 4.25%) or potassium chloride (pEC50 = 2.96 ± 0.13, Rmax = 72.13 ± 4.93%). The vasodilation effect of 4HB was significantly decreased in the absence of an endothelium (pEC50 = 2.21 ± 0.25, Rmax = 47.96 ± 4.16%). The atropine, 4-aminopyridine, Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, glibenclamide, and propranolol significantly reduced the vasorelaxation effect of 4HB. Besides that, 4HB blocked the voltage-operated calcium channel (VOCC) and regulated the intracellular Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the aortic ring. Thus, the results indicated that 4HB exerted its vasodilatory effect via cGMP and β2 pathways, M3-dependent PLC/IP3 pathways, and potassium and calcium channels.
Herbal Medicines as Sources of an Evidence-Based Pharmacological Research Paradigm: improving research translation Yean Chun Loh, Chuan Wei Oo, Wan Yin Tew, Mun Fei Yam Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 2022 Healthcare has always been a crucial component of a highquality lifestyle for humanity. It has recently become a significant concern due to the growing number of infectious diseases, including the recent outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the rapidly increasing rates of chronic illnesses in youngsters [1]. This has ignited global concerns about the need to continue looking for effective and alternative treatments, leading to the appearance of a global rallying team that is evaluating the pharmacological effects of wellor partially known active compounds using the conventional mechanismcentred research paradigm, which involves in vitro and in vivo research models and mechanism of action studies. However, the difficulty of translating this research into clinical and practice has gradually become apparent in modern-drug research. Therefore, we, as scientists, should aim to determine an effective way to increase translation efficacy from research into practice. For instance, over two hundred studies were conducted using in vitro approaches to evaluate the vasorelaxation effects of various phytochemicals and their mechanistic actions to discover a new antihypertensive drug [2]. Although all of these studies claimed their compounds exhibited a relatively strong vasorelaxant effect in vitro, most of them were stopped at the same phase and were not further implemented in real-life medical practice. We, of course, understand that the key advantage of in vitro research is that it is free of the drawbacks of animal testing and uses a relatively low-cost model. Nevertheless, when compounds are administered into the human body, which has multiple pathways and constant communication among cells, various unknown reactions will occur, greatly affecting the therapeutic effects in comparison with those claimed in vitro [3]. Moreover, the chemical characteristics of compounds, such as poor chemical stability and low bioavailability, can be another limiting factor in proceeding with their use in real-life medical practice [4]. These factors drastically reduced the potential of these tested compounds to be successfully translated into current medical practice. In our view, an evidence-based research approach can be seen as a potential trend in pharmacological research to improve the effectiveness of research translation into practice. The evidence here refers to the knowledge of safety and efficacy that has been clinically demonstrated in humans. Scientists often emphasise the importance of phytochemicals in drug discovery research since herbs are the most natural repository of supple-
Evaluation of the impact of hot environmental conditions on physical activity among soccer players W.H. Liu, Z-Y Li, Y. C. Loh European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2022 OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a hot environment on several physiological variables of soccer players and suggest feasible solutions to it. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study is of prospective design, considering 66 participants comprising professional soccer players. All the participants completed the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ). The participants were assigned to 3 different groups. Each group was assigned 22 participants. They were made to play in three different chambers, maintained at cool, moderate and hot temperatures. Players were made to play and various variables were determined to assess the effect of hot temperature on them. RESULTS Several variables were determined including absolute and relative oxygen uptake, heart rate, minute ventilation, the blood concentration of lactate and time to get exhausted. All the variables of players who played in hot temperatures have revealed higher heart rate, ventilation and increased lactate concentration. Players in a hot environment ran out faster. CONCLUSIONS The study was concluded due to the players' dehydration and physiological deteriorated factors in a hot environment, leading to poor performances and also affecting the players' health in the long run. Further, the study suggested improving the environment around the game venues.
Evaluation and education of hydration and sodium status in a cool environment among Chinese athletes Y. Fan, Z-Y Li, Y. C. Loh European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2022 OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to find the significance of several factors with parameters of urine tests and blood tests. Finally, we aimed at evaluating the percentage of athletes from the study sample regarding their hydration level. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The current study is the prospective type and was conducted on Chinese athletes between June 2021 to April 2022. The study was done in 2 parts for obtaining measurements in the summer season and the winter season and then they were correlated between them. Urine and blood samples were evaluated for determining the required parameters. The parameters of the physical environment like temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, etc. were obtained from the concerned weather station for each day. RESULTS It was observed that 14.5%, 59% and 26.5% of the female participants were found to have hyper-hydrated, euhydrated and dehydrated, respectively. While 17.57%, 69.69% and 12.74% of the males were classified as hyper-hydrated, euhydrated and dehydrated, respectively. The participants with hyper-hydrated were found to have increased urine volume (p<0.001), reduced specific gravity (p<0.001) and reduced-sodium level (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The study found that there is a significant difference in sodium levels between gender and seasons. The level of serum osmolality is also significantly different between the whole study populations concerning combined seasons. In this way, many other parameters are evaluated by correlation with seasons and gender. Hence, this study has brought forward various important findings and gives an overall evaluation of hydration status.
Discovery of trans-3,4,4′-trihydroxystilbene as new lead vasorelaxant agent for antihypertensive drug development Yean Chun Loh, Sock Ying Chan, C. Oo, M. Yam Life Sciences, 2021 AIMS The structure-vasorelaxant activity relationships (SARs) assessment in previous study has found that trans-3,4,4'-trihydroxystilbene (344OH) could potentially act as a vasorelaxing agent with demonstration of over 2-fold maximal relaxation (Rmax) compared to its analogue, resveratrol. The present study focuses on the mechanism of actions and pathways employed by 344OH and compared to its analogue to further speculate the SAR of stilbenoids towards vasorelaxation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The 344OH employed in present study was synthesized based on the protocol in previous study. The vascular responses towards the cumulative addition of 344OH were evaluated using in vitro rat aortic rings assays. KEY FINDINGS The pEC50 and Rmax values were found to be 4.33 ± 0.05 and 106 ± 3.99%, respectively. Results showed that the vasorelaxation of 344OH were predominated by G-protein-coupled muscarinic- (M3) and β2-adrenergic receptors, followed by PGI2/AC/cAMP- and NO/sGC/cGMP-dependent pathways. It was also identified that 344OH employed voltage-activated- (Kv), calcium-activated- (Kca) and inwardly-rectifying (Kir) potassium channels and act as an antagonist for both VOCC and IP3R while regulating the action potential in the vasculature. SIGNIFICANCE The different position of hydroxyl substituent located in A-ring of the stilbenoid backbone in 344OH compared to resveratrol resulted in a significant difference in mechanistic actions that lead to 344OH's fast-acting and less time-dependent vasorelaxation behaviour. This has substantially increased the potential of 344OH to be developed as an effective antihypertensive drug in future. Present findings further strengthen our inferences where the SARs study approach should be carried out as the mainstream methodology in future drug development research.
Synthesis, characterization, and anti-cancer activity of new chalcone derivatives containing naphthalene and fluorine moieties Yeong Hui Lim, Chuan Wei Oo, Rhun Yian Koh, Gah Leong Voon, Mei Yeng Yew, Mun Fei Yam, Yean Chun Loh Drug Development Research, 2020 In recent years, chalcones and their derivatives have become the focus of global scientists due to increasing evidence reported towards their potency in antitumor and anti‐cancer. Here, the chalcones designed and synthesized in our present study were derived from the derivatives of naphthaldehyde and acetophenone. Both these precursors have been reported in demonstrating a certain degree of anticancer property. Also, the substituents on these precursors such as hydroxyl, methoxy, prenyl, and chloro were shown able to enhance the anticancer efficiency. Hence, it is the interest of the current study to investigate the anticancer potential of the hybrid molecules (chalcones) consisting of these precursors with different alkoxy substituents and with or without the fluorine moiety. Two series of chalcone derivatives were designed, synthesized, and characterized using the elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, subsequently evaluated for their anti‐cancer activity. Interestingly, the results showed that the fluorinated chalcones 11–15 exhibited stronger cytotoxic activity towards the breast cancer cell lines (4T1) compared to non‐fluorinated chalcone derivatives. Remarkably, the selectivity index obtained for these fluorinated chalcones derivatives against the breast cancer 4T1 cell line was higher than those exhibited by cisplatin, which is one of the most frequently deployed chemotherapy agents in current medical practice. These findings could provide an insight towards the potential of fluorinated chalcones being developed as an anti‐cancer agent with moderate activity towards breast cancer cell and low inhibition of fibroblast cell at a concentration of 100 μM.
In vitro study and structure-activity relationship analysis of stilbenoid derivatives as powerful vasorelaxants: Discovery of new lead compound Sock Ying Chan, Yean Chun Loh, Chuan Wei Oo, Mun Fei Yam Bioorganic Chemistry, 2020 The development of vasorelaxant as the antihypertensive drug is important as it produces a rapid and direct relaxation effect on the blood vessel muscles. Resveratrol (RV), as the most widely studied stilbenoid and the lead compound, inducing the excellent vasorelaxation effect through the multiple signalling pathways. In this study, the in vitro vascular response of the synthesized trans-stilbenoid derivatives, SB 1-8e were primarily evaluated by employing the phenylephrine (PE)-precontracted endothelium-intact isolated aortic rings. Herein we report trans-3,4,4'-trihydroxystilbene (SB 8b) exhibited surprisingly more than 2-fold improvement to the maximal relaxation (Rmax) of RV. This article also highlights the characterization of the aromatic protons in terms of their unique splitting patterns in 1H NMR.
Orthogonal stimulus-response as a tool to formulate traditional Chinese medicinal herbal combination - New scientific-based TCM herbal formulating method - Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 2018
