Study on the Chemistry and Antimicrobial Activity of Psychotria reevesii Wall. (Rubiaceae)

The first chemical investigation on Vietnamese medicinal plant Psychotria reevesii Wall. (Rubiaceae) led to the isolation and structural determination of β-sitosterol and stigmasterol as a mixture, 1-octacosene, and asperglaucide from n-hexane- and CHCl3-soluble fractions of MeOH extract from the aerial parts of P. reevesii. Phytochemical screening based on color reactions, HPLC analysis, and NMR spectroscopy revealed the concentration of condensed tannins in EtOAc- and n-BuOH soluble fractions. The high accumulation of tannins may be responsible for the antibacterial activities of the polar fractions against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella sonnei, and Shigella flexneri. However, they did not exhibit any inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Candida stellatoides.Keywords: Psychotria reevesii; Rubiaceae; asperglaucide; antibacterial activity; antifungal activity

A fatty acid, flavonoids, and steroids from Zingiber penisulare. I. Theilade (zingiberaceae)

The first chemical study of Zingiber penisulare I. Theilade (Zingiberaceae) resulted in the isolation of a fatty acid, eicosanoic acid (1), three kaempferol derivatives, 5-hydroxy-3,4',7-trimethoxyflavone  (2), 4',5-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavonol (5), and 4',5-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyflavone (6), b-sitosterol (3), and 6b-hydroxystigmast-4-ene-3-one (4). Their chemical structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses. Keywords: Zingiber penisulare; Zingiberaceae; kaempferol; flavonol; stigmastane

HMU fluorinze mouthwash enhances enamel remineralization: An in vitro study

BACKGROUND: Fluoride therapy has long been used extensively to prevent dental caries. Fluoride appears in variety of dental care products such as mouthrinse, dentifrice, gel, etc. HMU fluorinze is the first mouthwash containing fluoride in Vietnam. AIM: This research was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of HMU Fluorinze mouthwash on remineralizing enamel in laboratory conditions. METHODS: 20 third molars teeth were cleaned and covered with nail polish , except for a 3x3 mm square on their buccal surfaces. These teeth went through two steps: demineralization using Coke and remineralization for 20 days: 1) using standard calcifying solution (control group) and 2) using standard calcifying solution + HMU Fluorinze mouthwash 2 times/day (experimental group). The mineralization index of enamel structure after demineralization and remineralization was assessed by DIAGNOdent pen 2190. RESULTS: The mineralization indexes of the control group and experimental group at baseline were 3.65 ± 0.76 and 3.35 ± 0.64, after demineralization were in turn of 21.78 ± 4.48 and 20.25 ± 2.26; and after remineralization were 6.30 ± 1.03 and 3.90 ± 1.24. The different figures  between the two groups after remineralization shows statistical significance (p<0.01). Group B using HMU fluorinze mouthwash after 20 days did not differ from the original results (p = 0.272), in contrast with the control group (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: HMU fluorinze mouthwash has better mineralization effect than standard calcifying solution

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Unexpected course of Beckmann rearrangement of taraxerone oxime with Ac₂O/AcOH

<div><p>The chemistry of pentacyclic taraxerane-type triterpenoids has not been extensively studied. In the course of our synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds from taraxerone using Beckmann rearrangement with Ac₂O/AcOH as the rearrangement agent, unexpected synthetic pathways were discovered leading to new types of modified taraxerane skeletons.</p></div

Application of the taraxerane–oleanane rearrangement to the synthesis of <i>seco</i>-oleanane triterpenoids from taraxerone

<div><p>Synthetic oleananes and <i>seco</i>-oleananes form a group of promising anti-inflammatory and cancer chemopreventive agents with an excellent safety profile. These compounds are usually prepared by semi-synthesis from natural oleanane triterpenoids. Since a taraxer-14-ene was reported to be rearranged into an olean-12-ene under mild reaction conditions, a rapid synthesis of <i>seco</i>-oleananes from taraxerone, which is a readily available starting material, was explored by us. Treatment of taraxerone with <i>m</i>-chloroperoxybenzoic acid gave 14,15-epoxy lactones, which underwent the taraxerane–oleanane rearrangement leading to new <i>seco</i>-oleanane triterpenoids.</p></div