Nur Aziemah Binti Mohammad Azizi

PhD Title: Inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase type 1 and 2 enzymes activity in cancer cells using herbal extracts as a way to treat advanced prostate cancer

Supervisor(s): Dr Sheikh Naeem Shafqat and Dk Dr Nuramalina Hafizah Pg Hj Mumin

About the PhD:

Prostate cancer (CaP) is one of the most frequent cancers found in men worldwide including in Brunei. Androgens, particularly dihydrotestosterone (DHT), although are growth modulators of the prostate, but with increased levels, are detrimental to CaP later in life. Androgens deprivation approach that aims to limit DHT production is commonly used to treat CaP, where it blocks the 5-alpha-reductase mediated DHT conversion using 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5αRis). The two most common 5αRis studied and used clinically to treat benign prostate hyperplasia i.e., finasteride and dutasteride, are reported to have numerous adverse effects that could impact a patient’s health and life as a whole. Plant source is rich in bioactive compounds with medicinal properties including anti-cancer, where it offers a potential alternative to synthetic compounds by exhibiting favourable side effects and less toxic profiles compared to conventional treatment, which could offer a better quality of life to cancer patients. Therefore, the present study aims to identify alternative compounds as part of advanced CaP treatment strategies. It is hoped that the results from this study could provide insights into identifying novel and effective 5αRis agents with anti-5αRs activity from locally found plants in Brunei, to improve the health of individuals with CaP.

Prizes & Awards

  1. 2020 | Universiti Brunei Darussalam Graduate Scholarship
  2. 2019 | Best Poster Presentation in 1st PAPRSB IHS Graduate Studies Research Day

Conferences & Meetings

  1. 2021 | Oral presenter in 3rd Annual PAPRSB IHS Graduate Studies Research Day | ”Inhibition of 5-alpha-Reductase Enzyme Activity in Cancer Cells Using Herbal Extracts as a Way to Treat Advanced Prostate Cancer”
  2. 2017 | Oral presenter in 10th Malaysia-Indonesia-Brunei Darussalam Medical Sciences Conference| “Developing and Validating Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibitor (PDE5i) Assay using Spectrophotometry”

published 27/07/2022

Amal Widaad Binti Mohaimin

Email: 19h8182@ubd.edu.bn

Qualifications

2017 – 2019 | MHSc in Biomedical Sciences by Research, PAPRSB IHS UBD

2012 – 2016 | BHSc in Biomedical Sciences, PAPRSB IHS UBD

Biography

I am a PhD candidate in Biomedical Sciences. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees of the same programme back in 2016 and 2019, respectively. My passion for research started during my final year of undergraduate study, where I got the chance to investigate the anti-hypertensive effect of Gynura procumben using isolated rat aorta in vitro using organ bath studies. I grew to love research, even more, when I pursued graduate study, where I developed a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor assay using spectrophotometry that enables the detection of Viagra-containing counterfeit drugs. My current doctoral work focuses on cancer research studies particularly in identifying the potential of bioactive compounds found in medicinal plant extracts targeting the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme inhibition activity using various cancer cell lines as novel drug targets for advanced prostate cancer treatment.

Publications

Nurhafizuddin, M., Azizi, A., Ming, L.C., Shafqat, N. (2022) In silico analysis of PORD mutations on the 3D structure of P450 oxidoreductase. Molecules 27:4646 https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27144646

Azizi A., Mumin, N.H., Shafqat, N. (2021) Phytochemicals with anti 5-alpha-reductase activity: a prospective for prostate cancer treatment [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000Research 10:221 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.51066.3

Shahlehi S., Azizi A., Tengah, A., Amdani, S.N., Petalcorin, M.I.R. (2020) Anti-hypertensive vasodilatory action of Gynura procumbens mediated by kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside. F1000Research 9:1226 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.25613.1

Azizi A., Tengah, A., Petalcorin, M.I.R. (2019) Developing a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor assay to detect counterfeit drugs containing phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors using spectrophotometry. F1000Research 8:1692 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.19500.1