A new 4’,6-dihydroxy,4-methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-gentiobioside and 4’,6-dihydroxy,4 methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-glucoside isolated from methanolic extract of Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl leaves

A new 4’,6-dihydroxy,4-methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-gentiobioside (1) was obtained from the leaves of Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl along with known 4’,6-dihydroxy,4-methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-glucoside (2). Bioactivity assays indicated that compound (1) and (2) have antioxidant activity and enhancement on SR-B1 genes expression in vitro. Their structures compounds were established by the interpretation of their spectroscopic data and comparison with known compounds

A new 4’,6-dihydroxy,4-methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-gentiobioside and 4’,6-dihydroxy,4 methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-glucoside isolated from methanolic extract of Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl leaves

A new 4’,6-dihydroxy,4-methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-gentiobioside (1) was obtained from the leaves of Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl along with known 4’,6-dihydroxy,4-methoxybenzophenone-2-O-β-D-glucoside (2). Bioactivity assays indicated that compound (1) and (2) have antioxidant activity and enhancement on SR-B1 genes expression in vitro. Their structures compounds were established by the interpretation of their spectroscopic data and comparison with known compounds

Kebiasaan Mencicipi Pestisida, Pemakaian APD dan Kadar Kholinesterase pada Petani di Desa Gajah Pokki Kecamatan Purba Kabupaten Simalungun

The use of pesticides is still very important in agriculture and plantations, because the control of pests that can damage agricultural products is very effective with pesticides. However, in applying it, it is often not in accordance with procedures, thus putting farmers at risk of being exposed to pesticides and being exposed in the long term. The habit of farmers in Gajah Pokki Village in tasting pesticides before they are applied is also worrying because pesticides enter the body directly orally. This study aims to determine the habit of tasting pesticides, wearing PPE and cholinesterase levels in farmers in Gajah Pokki Village, Purba District, Simalungun Regency. Pesticide subject is a farmer group of 20 people. The results showed that there were as many as 17 people (85%) of farmers who tasted pesticides, then 18 people who used gloves (90%), 17 people with masks (85%) and 18 people with eye protection (90%) . However, 19 people (95%) wore head protection and work clothes and 18 people (90%). Meanwhile, on blood examination to see cholinesterase levels, 7 people (35%) had abnormal cholinesterase levels

Antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumour-promoting and cytotoxic activities of different plant part extracts of Garcinia atroviridis Griff. ex T. Anders

Crude extracts (methanol) of various parts, viz. the leaves, fruits, roots, stem and trunk bark, of Garcinia atroviridis were screened for antimicrobial, cytotoxic, brine shrimp toxic, antitumour-promoting and antioxidant activities. The crude extracts exhibited predominantly antibacterial activity with the root extract showing the strongest inhibition against the test bacteria at a minimum inhibitory dose (MID) of 15.6 μg/disc. Although all the extracts failed to inhibit the growth of most of the test fungi, significant antifungal activity against Cladosporium herbarum was exhibited by most notably the fruit (MID: 100 μg), and the leaf (MID: 400 μg) extracts. None of the extracts were significantly cytotoxic, and lethal towards brine shrimps. The root, leaf, trunk and stem bark extracts (except for the fruits) showed strong antioxidant activity exceeding that of the standard antioxidant, α-tocopherol. Antitumour-promoting activity (>95% inhibition) was shown by the fruit, leaf, stem and trunk bark extracts

REVIEW ARTICLE - ANTITUMOUR-PROMOTING AND CYTOTOXIC CONSTITUENTS OF ETLINGERA ELATIOR

Phytochemical studies on rhizome of Etlingera elatior have resulted in the isolation of 1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,4,6-heptatrienone (1), demethoxycurcumin (2), 1,7bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one (3), 16-hydroxylabda-8(17),11,13trien-16,15-olide (4), stigmast-4-en-3-one (5), stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione (6), stigmast4-en-6b-ol-3-one (7), 5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (8). 1 and 4 were new compounds. Compounds 5 and 7 displayed high antitumour-promoting activity. Ethyl acetate extract showed a very significant cytotoxic activity against CEM-SS and MCF-7 cell lines (4 μg/ml and 6.25 μg/ml respectively). The antitumourpromoting activity was determined by EBV-EA assay and cytotoxic activity was determined by MTT assay

EFFICACY OF THREE MANGROVE PLANTS AGAINST 5-LIPOXYGENASE, ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ENZYMES AND FIVE PATHOGENIC BACTERIAL STRAINS

Mangroves are highly productive ecosystem with various important economic and environmental functions. They are the key elements in marine environment that produce diverse metabolites to adapt with the requirement of their challenging ecosystem. This make them an interesting source for natural bioactive molecules. In this study, we investigated inhibitory effects of extracts from Avicenna lanata, Ceriops tagal and Sonneratia alba against 5-lipoxygenase, acetylcholinesterase enzymes and four pathogenic bacterial strains using in vitro models. Best dual inhibitory effects against the two enzymes was recorded for the methanolic and ethylacetate bark extracts (final concentration used in the assay was 90 μg/ml) of Sonneratia alba and dichlro-root extarct of C.tagal (inhibition percentage ranging between 74-91%). Roots of Ceriops tagal showed the highest activity against lipoxygenase (93%), but was slightly weaker against AchE (83%). Antimicrobial properties of the extracts was determined using the microdilution assay. A. lananta (bark) showed the best antimicrobial efects with the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 90 μg/ml against S.aureus, E.coli and K. pneumoniae. Methanolic root and leaf extracts of C.tagal showed the same MIC values against S.aureus. Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of alkaloids, steroids and tannins in the investigated plant parts. These results support the ethnobotanical uses of these plants. Chemical profiling, isolation and determination of mechanism of actions of the observed bioactivities are currently in progress in our laboratory.&nbsp

Sustainable anti-MRSA Gracilaria changii extract through molecular biotechnology approach

Global bacterial infection management has a universal trend involving the fight against antibiotic resistant strains. The pressing microbial resistance problem incurred high infectious disease burden and cost constraints, requiring application of newer, more expensive agents. An approach for treatment against an antibiotic resistant pathogen, MRSA, involving a combination therapy is investigated. In the present study, synergy was determined by the checkerboard assay. The effect in combination of commercial antibiotic and seaweed extract were screened on MRSA strain. Following the disc diffusion test, the checkerboard assay, giving the FIC index of 0.93 indicate that the seaweed extract works in synergy with commercial antibiotics and it has the potential as a resistance modulator. In view of the fact that there was positive effect of the extract, further study were conducted molecularly on several genes to study the effect of the extract in combination with antibiotic toward the selected genes through RT-PCR analysis as compared to effect of the extract alone. The synergy effect on resistant genes of MRSA, namely mecA and mecI showed different nucleotide sequence changes as compared to untreated. The promising application of local G. changii as an antiMRSA agent is an added value to mega-diversity tropical flora