THE DETERMINATION OF ETHYL P-METHOXY CINNAMATE IN KAEMPFERIA GALANGA L. RHIZOME EXTRACT HARVESTED IN RAINY AND DRY SEASONS

Objective: Kaempferia galanga L. rhizome (KGR), has been empirically used in Indonesia, particularly by Javanese, to cure inflammation. KGR contains various secondary metabolites which explain its pharmacology activities, among them is ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC). However, due to the different seasons of our country, the yield of extraction is often unalike. In this work, we determined the percentage of yield (w/w), the water content (thermogravimetric method), and the concentration of EPMC in the Ethanol extract of Kaempferia galanga L. Rhizome (EEKG) harvested from the rainy (EEKG-R) and dry seasons (EEKG-D). Methods: The sun-dried rhizomes were cold macerated for 3x24 h with 70% ethanol, filtered, and the solvent was evaporated at 40-45 °C until a viscous extract was obtained. The determination of EPMC in the extract was carried out using the RP-HPLC standard addition method. Detection was set at 308 nm; injection volume 20 µl; flow rate 1.0 ml/min. The column used is C18 (length 250 mm, internal diameter 4.6 mm, particle size 5 µm). Results: The yield of EEKG-R (harvested in the rainy season) = 14.56% w/w, water content = 4.37%, and the EPMC = 0.01%. Meanwhile the yield of EEKG-D (harvested in the dry season) = 5.79% w/w, water content = 18.76%, and the EPMC = 0.001%. Conclusion: Different climates affect the percentage yield and the quality of the extract. In our work, the EEKG-R (harvested in the rainy season) revealed a better quality compared to that of EEKG-D (harvested in the dry season) This study gives important information to standardize and optimize the harvest time of KG rhizomes for drugs development, which are strongly influenced by seasonal differences

ภาวะน้ำลายน้อย ปากแห้งและการติดเชื้อราในช่องปากในกลุ่มผู้ติดเชื้อเอ็ช ไอ วี ในประเทศไทย

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Cationic Host Defence Peptides:Potential as Antiviral Therapeutics

There is a pressing need to develop new antiviral treatments; of the 60 drugs currently available, half are aimed at HIV-1 and the remainder target only a further six viruses. This demand has led to the emergence of possible peptide therapies, with 15 currently in clinical trials. Advancements in understanding the antiviral potential of naturally occurring host defence peptides highlights the potential of a whole new class of molecules to be considered as antiviral therapeutics. Cationic host defence peptides, such as defensins and cathelicidins, are important components of innate immunity with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory capabilities. In recent years they have also been shown to be natural, broad-spectrum antivirals against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, including HIV-1, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and herpes simplex virus. Here we review the antiviral properties of several families of these host peptides and their potential to inform the design of novel therapeutics