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Distichochlamys benenica is a newly discovered plant belonging to the Distichochlamys family, which exerts many important biological activities. However, the anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects of the crude (ME) and fractioned extracts of D. benenica, such as hexane (HE), chloroform (CE), and ethyl acetate extracts (EAE), have not been elucidated yet. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated via DPPH free radical scavenging and phosphomolybdate assays. The anti-inflammatory potential of the extracts was assessed via their inhibitory effects on protein denaturation and nitric oxide production. The anti-cancer effect of the extracts against A549 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines was determined via MTT assay. The results revealed that among four extracts, the polyphenol concentration was highest in EAE (350.59 ± 13.26 mg GAE/g) while the flavonoid content was highest in HE and ME. Furthermore, the greatest DPPH radical capture efficiency was demonstrated by EAE (89.76 ± 0.68%), and total antioxidant activity was greatest in HE (204.18 ± 3.51 mg AAE/g). The greatest suppression of NO generation was similarly shown by EAE and HE, with IC50 values ranging from 3.72-4.06 µg/mL, respectively. Additionally, HE and EAE exhibited an inhibitory effect on protein denaturation (ranging from 12.76%-28.81%). HE and EAE had the greatest effectiveness against MDA-MB-231 cell lines in the antitumor test. These findings validate the potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties of D. benenica extracts, especially EAE and HE, and pave the way for the application of the extracts in the pharmaceutical industry as promising anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer medicines.

Walsura robusta Roxb., a member of the Meliaceace family, has long been used to treat various illnesses. For the first time, W. robusta volatile compounds (WRVCs) were extracted from leaves and identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The anti-inflammatory and anticancer of WRVCs were evaluated in vitro and in silico. As a result, the main components of WRVCs were bicyclogermacrene (25.8%), β-caryophyllene (13.4%), α-humulene (8.6%), and β-elemene (8.5%). WRVCs inhibited nitric oxide production moderately (23.75±1.7% at 20 μg/mL) but effectively inhibited the proliferation of various cancer cells with IC50 values ranging from 52.09±2.40 to 56.45±2.14 μg/mL. WRVCs (25 μg/mL) significantly reduced the migration of cancer cells with the percentage of wound closure only 12.77±3.79% (p < 0.05). Additionally, the main compounds in WRVCs bound tightly to VEGFR2 with free energy levels of -71.7 to -88.68 kcal/mol. These findings indicated that WRVCs could have a promising anticancer effect via targeting metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Houttuynia cordata Thunb., a member of the Saururaceae family, has been demonstrated to have potential in the treatment of different diseases. For the first time, aristolactam BII was isolated from the aerial part of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. and the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract and aristolactam BII was evaluated. Methods: After using chromatography to separate and obtain the compound, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance was used to identify the compound. An in vivo model of carrageenan-induced paw edema on mice was performed to test the anti-inflammation of the extract and compound. Furthermore, a ligand docking experiment was performed to determine the binding free energy of aristolactam to inflammatory proteins including COX-1, COX-2. Results: The findings showed that aristolactam BII effectively reduced the severity of the edema, similar to diclofenac, whereas the methanol extract showed low effectiveness. Particularly, the swelling rate of 50 mg/kg aristolactam BII treated mice was only 26.2 ± 7.1% (p < 0.01) after 5 h treatment. The in silico results described that aristolactam BII might inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 via creating h-bonds at the sites of Ser 530 residues. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of aristolactam BII. This study would provide more fundamental knowledge about the bioactivities of aristolactam BII isolated from Houttuynia cordata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moringa oleifera Lam. has long been used to treat many diseases, including diabetes, aging, inflammatory, and cancer. Many studies have revealed that the crude extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves possesses anticancer property. Therefore, in this study, the extract of Moringa oleifera leaves was fractionated using different solvents to figure out the most effective fraction for anti-proliferative effect on melanoma cells. Methanol extract (MO-ME), hexane fraction (MO-HE), chloroform fraction (MO-CH), ethyl acetate fraction (MO-EA), and water-soluble fraction (MO-WA) of Moringa oleifera leaves were prepared. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined. The anti-proliferative activity on melanoma cells and normal cells was investigated using WST-1 assay. The apoptotic activity was assessed by testing DNA condensation, DNA fragmentation, and phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization. The expression of apoptosis-related genes, the mitochondrial depolarization, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were then examined to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this regard, MO-ME, MO-EA, and MO-CH inhibited the proliferation of both A375 human melanoma cells and A2058 human melanoma cells, but had little effect on WS1 normal human skin fibroblasts and primary normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF). Among fractions, the phenolic-rich MO-EA markedly inhibited the growth of A375 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The anti-proliferation was supposed to be mediated via apoptosis, which was demonstrated by the significant increase of condensed chromatin, DNA fragmentation, and PS externalization. The apoptosis was stimulated by enhanced ROS production and reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential. MO-EA activated Bax while reducing Bcl-2 expression, leading to an increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The mechanisms of cell death involved in activation of Caspase-3/7 and Caspase-9 (Caspase-dependent pathway), activation, and translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) into the nucleus (Caspase-independent pathway). Our study indicated that the phenolic-rich fraction exerted significant anticancer effects on melanoma cells in vitro which involved in Caspase-dependent and Caspase-independent apoptosis pathways mediated by mitochondrial ROS. These results provided a fundament for the using of phenolic-rich fraction of Moringa oleifera leaves to treat skin cancer effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human interferon alpha-2b (IFNα-2b) has therapeutic applications as an antiviral and antiproliferative drug and has been used for a wide range of indications. Efficient production of IFNα-2b in Escherichia coli has been difficult because the protein tends to form inclusion bodies. This obstacle has garnered interest in efficiently expressing IFNα-2b and overcoming its poor solubility. In this study, seven N-terminal fusion partners - hexahistidine (His6), thioredoxin, glutathione S -transferase (GST), maltose-binding protein (MBP), N-utilization substance protein A, protein disulfide bond isomerase (PDI), and b'a' domain of PDI - were tested for soluble overexpression of codon-optimized IFNα-2b in E. coli . Low temperature increased the expression level of all of the tagged proteins except for the GST fusion. All the tags, except for His6 and GST, improved solubility. We purified IFNα-2b from the MBP-tagged fusion using immobilized metal affinity chromatography and anion exchange chromatogra phy, and obtained a final yield of 7.2 mg from an initial 500-ml culture. The endotoxin level was 0.46 EU/μg. Biological activity was demonstrated using a luciferase assay, which showed a dose-dependent response with a calculated EC 50 of 10.3 ± 5.9 p M . Our results demonstrate that using an MBPtagged fusion is an efficient way to produce pure IFNα-2b. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three species of the Rutaceae family, including Acronychia pedunculata, Euodia lepta, and Severinia monophylla have been used in traditional medicine. However, the comparison of the chemical composition, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects of the leaf essential oils of these species have not been investigated yet. A total of 38 compounds were identified via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, comprising 96.5-99.8 % of the total composition. Both A. pedunculata and E. lepta essential oils exhibited strong inhibitory effects against cancer cells (IC 50 : 59.04-97.52 μg/mL) while that of S. monophylla showed a lower anti-cancer effect (IC 50 >100 μg/mL). Among three essential oils, only the E. lepta leaf oil demonstrated a high anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-stimulated macrophages (IC 50 =6.47±0.65 μg/mL), while the others showed a moderate anti-inflammatory effect (IC 50 >50 μg/mL). Molecular docking studies also suggested the binding potential of the key compounds from three essential oils against inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, two proteins associated with inflammatory response, with the negative energies ranging from -41.0 to -71.9 kcal/mol. The present findings suggest the leaf essential oils from these species as potential medicines for treatment of cancer or inflammation associated diseases, especially the ones from A. pedunculata and E. lepta oils., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Ginseng is considered as a beneficial herbal remedy and over recent years its efficacy and safety have been verified in clinical therapy. There are two typical species of ginseng including Asian and American ginseng. The varieties of both species have been applied for commercialized materials in different stages of processing from raw to processed products. Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv. (P. vietnamensis) belongs to Asian ginseng and has been utilized as effective herbal remedy. P. vietnamensis is believed to improve immune response, longevity and consequent health. There are more than 300 bioactive compounds have been isolated from P. vietnamensis and classified in various groups, such as ginsenosides, flavonoids, phenolics.... These biological activities consist of anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, neu-roprotective and anti-stress, which are validated by in vitro and in vivo studies. In this review, we systematize the literatures about ethnopharmacology, major bioactive constituents, and toxicology of P. vietnamensis, which were certified by various studies. Furthermore, we also summarize the current method to micro-propagate and lists of extracting sources of bioactive compounds (root, leave, stem.) and the solvents deployed during extraction process. Therefore, this review would provide the firm-evidences and premise for the therapeutic potentials of P. vietnamensis in the future.

Anaxagorea luzonensis A. Gray, a member of the Annonaceae family, has been used to treat a variety of illnesses for a long time. For the first time, A . luzonensis volatile compounds (ALVCs) were extracted from the leaves, and the components were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Further, the main compositions of ALVCs were also assessed for their ability to bind with anti-inflammatory proteins using a docking model. In addition, in vitro tests e.g. inhibition of protein degradation and the inhibition of nitric oxide release using RAW264.7 macrophage cells were utilized for evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity. The results showed that the principal compounds of ALVCs were bulnesol (34.1 %), cubitene (17.8 %), β -eudesmol (10.4 %), epi -longipinanol (5.9 %), and ( Z )-nerolidyl acetate (5.5 %). Three compounds viz. bulnesol, cubitene, and β -eudesmol bound firmly to cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), as shown by the in silico analysis, similar to the positive control diclofenac. ALVCs effectively inhibited protein degradation with the IC 50 of 31 ± 2.3 μg/mL and inhibited nitric oxide production with the IC 50 of 43.30 ± 3.37 μg/mL. These findings showed that ALVCs might have a promising anti-inflammatory effect by blocking several inflammatory proteins., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Distichochlamys genus, belonging to the ginger family, are native to Vietnam and there has not been many research mentioned about biological properties of this genus. In this study, essential oils were extracted from the rhizomes of Distichochlamys benenica (DBEO) and Distichochlamys citrea (DCEO), and the components were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Further, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory activity of these essential oils was evaluated in vitro using nitric oxide inhibitory assay and in silico via binding with the inflammatory cyclooxygenase proteins (COX-1 and COX-2). The main constituents of DBEO and DCEO, according to the results, were 1,8-cineole, (E)-citral and (Z)-citral. The nitric oxide release was inhibited by DBEO and DCEO, with IC 50 values of 27.13±2.43 and 37.44±3.02 µg/ mL, respectively. Moreover, the COX-1 and COX-2 proteins formed strong bonds with 1,8-cineole, (E)- citral, and (Z)-citral, whose free energies roughly ranged from -54.78 to -84.08 kcal/mol. These results suggested that by inhibiting multiple inflammatory proteins, DBEO and DCEO may have a promising anti-inflammatory effect.