Oleanane-type saponins from Lysimachia laxa Baudo and their anti-bacterial activities.

Seven new oleanane-type triterpene saponins, lysimaponins A-G, were isolated from aerial parts of Lysimachia laxa Baudo. Their chemical structures have been elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic and chemical methods. All compounds were evaluated for their anti-bacterial effects against Microcystis aeruginosa, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. harveyi, V. vulinificus, V. cholerae, and V. alginolyticus. All compounds showed potent anti-bacterial activities against the cyanobacteria M. aeruginosa with IC50 values ranging from 14.4 ± 1.2 to 35.3 ± 2.2 µg/mL. Compounds 1, 2, 4-7 inhibited V. parahaemolyticus with MIC values ranging from 64 to 256 µg/mL. The results suggested that saponins from L. laxa could be potential anti-cyanobacteria agents.

Distribution and ecological risk assessment of phthalic acid esters in surface sediments of three rivers in Northern Vietnam.

Pollution status and distribution characteristics of ten typical phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were investigated in 36 sediment samples collected from three rivers in Northern Vietnam from June to October 2020. The total concentrations of PAEs in sediment samples collected from the To Lich River (n = 9), the Nhue River (n = 12), and the Day River (n = 15) were in ranges of 11,000-125,000 ng/g-dwt (mean/median: 50,000/42,200 ng/g-dwt), 2140-89,900 ng/g-dwt (mean/median: 29,300/20,700 ng/g-dwt), and 1140-43,100 ng/g-dwt (mean/median: 13,800/10,400 ng/g-dwt), respectively. Among ten PAEs studied, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was found at the highest levels in all samples meanwhile dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), and dipropyl phthalate (DPP) were detected at low frequency and concentration. Significant correlations have existed between the median-chain (C4-C7) PAE pairs in sediment samples. Due to the high accumulation in the sediments, the median-chain PAEs had a higher ecological risk than the short-chain (C1-C3) PAEs. These contaminants may present a longstanding influence on organisms and ecosystems.

Comprehensive determination of polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants in surface sediment samples from Hanoi urban area, Vietnam: Contamination status, accumulation profiles, and potential ecological risks.

Comprehensive and updated information about polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in surface sediments from Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, is rather scarce. In this study, concentrations and profiles of 209 PCBs, 41 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (BB-153), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were determined in sediment samples collected from the Red River and some inner-city rivers of Hanoi. Concentrations (ng/g dry weight, median and range) of pollutants decreased in the order: DBDPE (28; not detected ND - 59) ≈ PCBs (27; 1.7-50) > PBDEs (23; 0.20-61) > HBCD (1.2; ND - 5.2) > BTBPE (0.46; ND - 3.6) > BB-153 (0.004; ND - 0.014) > PBEB (ND). Pollutant levels in the inner-city river sediments were about one to two orders of magnitude higher than those measured in the Red River main stream sediments. Tri-to hexa-CBs are major homologs but detailed profiles vary between individual samples, reflecting source and/or seasonal variations. CB-11 and CB-209 were found at higher proportions in sediments than in technical PCB mixtures, suggesting their novel sources from pigments. Deca-BDE and DBDPE are the most predominant BFRs with an increasing trend predicted for DBDPE. A preliminary ecological risk assessment was conducted for these pollutants in sediments. Total PCBs and deca-BDE in a few inner-city river sediments may exhibit adverse effects on benthic organisms, but no serious risk was estimated in general.

Sanggenon C and O inhibit NO production, iNOS expression and NF-κB activation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells.

OBJECTIVE: The NO production through the iNOS induction by activation of nuclear factor (NF-κB) is known to involve in various inflammatory conditions. Sanggenon C and O, two Diels-Alder type adducts isolated from Morus alba, a plant has been used for the anti-inflammatory purpose in the Oriental medicine, were investigated for their effect on the NO production, iNOS expression and NF-κB activity. METHODS: The inhibitory effects of sanggenon C and O on the NF-κB activity were investigated in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells by SEAP reporter assay. The regulation of the iNOS expression and IκBα activation by two compounds was also evaluated by Western blot. RESULTS: Both compounds strongly inhibited NO production and NF-κB activation in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of the iNOS protein was also suppressed by treatment of the compounds (10 and 1 µM). Sanggenon O showed stronger inhibition than the diastereomer sanggenon C. Both compounds prevented the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα protein. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that sanggenon C and O inhibited NO production and iNOS expression by suppressing NF-κB activity and IκBα activation.

Trace Metal Element Analysis in Some Seafood in the Coastal Zone of the Red River (Ba Lat Estuary, Vietnam) by Green Sample Preparation and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Fisheries and aquaculture production in the coastal zone of Vietnam contribute significantly to the national economy. However, seafood quality and safety, especially in terms of metal contents, are of increasing concern, for both domestic and international markets. This paper presents the results of an investigation in some trace metal elements (iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg)) concentrations in some fishes, crustaceans, and molluscs in the coastal zone of the Red River (in the Ba Lat estuary in Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces) during four sampling campaigns in 2020. All samples were treated by a green sample preparation using microwave digestion and then analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that the trace metal element concentrations in fish, crustacean, and mollusc samples decreased in the following order: Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > As > Cd ∼ Hg. In more details, the ranges of trace metal elements in seafood samples were 13.13-202.73; 7.63-82.71; 0.48-22.73; 0.72-15.58; 0.18-5.12; 0.001-1.114; and 0.001-0.923 mg·kg-1 for Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, As, Cd, and Hg, respectively. The research results contribute to the dataset of the seafood (both fishery and aquacultural seafood) quality in the Red River coastal zone. Although the mean values of different trace metal elements observed in this study were lower than the allowed values of Vietnam's or European's threshold for food safety, some high concentrations were detected. The survey results suggest the need to expand the monitoring scope (frequency of monitoring, number of samples, and observed variables) for obtaining a fully comprehensive assessment of seafood quality in this region. Our results also indicate that it is necessary to manage water quality in coastal areas, especially where aquaculture activities are carried out.

Cytotoxic prenylated flavonoids from Morus alba.

A phytochemical fractionation of the methanol extract of the Morus alba leaves led to the isolation of eleven flavonoids (1-11). The structure of the new 3'-geranyl-3-prenyl-2',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone (1) was elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against human cervical carcinoma HeLa, human breast carcinoma MCF-7, and human hepatocarcinoma Hep3B cells was evaluated. Of note, morusin (9) was the most potent with an IC(50) value of 0.64 µM against HeLa cells.