Evaluation of the Vietnamese A6 mortality reporting system: injury as a cause of death.

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that the A6 mortality reporting system has been operating for almost 20 years in Vietnam, there has been no systematic evaluation of the system. This study assesses the completeness, sensitivity and positive predictive value of the system in relation to injury related mortality. METHODS: Evaluation of the A6 system was undertaken in three (geographically distributed) provinces in Vietnam. Deaths identified in the A6 system were compared with deaths identified by an independent consensus panel to determine the per cent completeness of the A6 system. Verbal autopsies (VA) were conducted for all identified deaths from the consensus panels, and the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the A6 system were assessed using the VAs as the reference. RESULTS: 5273 deaths were identified from the A6 system with a further 340 cases identified by the independent consensus panel (total n=5613). Injury related deaths accounted for 13.6% (n=763) of all deaths with an overall injury mortality rate of 55.3 per 100 000 person years. The per cent completeness of the A6 system in relation to injury deaths was 93.9% with a sensitivity of 75.4%, specificity of 98.4% and positive predictive value of 88.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The A6 mortality reporting system is embedded within the commune health system and is the lead mortality reporting system for the Ministry of Health. The system performs well in relation to its completeness and classification of injury related deaths. With further enhancements and ongoing support from government and donor agencies, the A6 system will be a valuable resource for identifying and planning preventive strategies targeting the leading causes of injury related deaths in Vietnam.

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.

Cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory cembranoids from the Vietnamese soft coral Lobophytum laevigatum.

Four new cembranoids, namely laevigatol A-D (1-4), and six known metabolites (5-10), were isolated from the Vietnamese soft coral Lobophytum laevigatum. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute stereochemistry of 1 was determined using the modified Mosher's method. Compounds 5, and 7-10 exhibited cytotoxic activity against selected human cancer cell lines. Compounds 1, 2, 8, and 9 showed dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the TNFα-induced NF-κB transcriptional activity in Hep-G2 cells. Moreover, compounds 1, 2, 8, and 9 significantly inhibited the induction of COX-2 and iNOS mRNA dose-dependently, indicating that these compounds attenuated the synthesis of these transcripts at the transcriptional level.

Cytotoxic and PPARs transcriptional activities of sterols from the Vietnamese soft coral Lobophytum laevigatum.

A new unusual sterol, named lobophytosterol (1), and five known metabolites (2-6) were isolated from the methanol extract of the soft coral Lobophytum laevigatum. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison with those reported in the literature. The absolute stereochemistry of 1 was determined using a modified Mosher's method. Compounds 1-3 showed cytotoxic activity against HCT-116 cells with IC(50) values of 3.2, 6.9 and 18.1 µM, respectively. Compound 1 additionally displayed cytotoxic effects on A549 and HL-60 cells with IC(50) values of 4.5 and 5.6 µM, respectively. Treatment of these cells with compound 1 resulted in an induction of apoptosis evident by chromatin condensation in treated cells. Besides, compounds 2, 4, and 6 significantly upregulated PPARs transcriptional activity dose-dependently in Hep-G2 cells. Taken together, these data suggest that compound 1 might inhibit the growth of the cancer cells by the induction of apoptosis, and compounds 2, 4, and 6 might act as specific agonists for PPARα, PPARδ, and PPARγ and may therefore regulate cellular glucose, lipid, and cholesterol metabolism.

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.

Triterpenoids from aerial parts of Glochidion eriocarpum.

From the aerial parts of Glochidion eriocarpum, a new triterpene, glochieriol (1), three new triterpenoid saponins, glochieriosides C - E (2 - 4), together with four known triterpenes (glochidonol, glochidiol, lupeol, and 3-epi-lupeol) were isolated by using combined chromatographic separations. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data, including FTICR-MS, 1D and 2D NMR.

Inhibitors of osteoclast formation from rhizomes of Cibotium barometz.

Eight compounds (1-8) were isolated from a methanol extract of Cibotium barometz rhizomes including two new furan derivatives, cibotiumbarosides A (1) and B (2), and a new glycoglycerolipid, cibotiglycerol (4). Their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Compounds 2-5 each showed inhibition of osteoclast formation with no affect on BMM cell viability.

Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans and lanostane derivatives from the roots of Kadsura coccinea and their protective effects on primary rat hepatocyte injury induced by t-butyl hydroperoxide.

A new dibenzocyclooctadiene lignan, acetylepigomisin R ( 1), and a new 3,4-seco-lanostane-type triterpene, seco-coccinic acid F ( 2), along with three known dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, isovaleroylbinankadsurin A ( 3), kadsuralignan J ( 4), and binankadsurin A ( 5), and one lanostane-type triterpene, 20( R),24( E)-3-oxo-9 beta-lanosta-7,24-dien-26-oic acid ( 6), were isolated from the methanol extract of the Kadsura coccinea roots. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence including ESI-MS, HR-EI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR. The protective effects of these compounds were evaluated in primary cultured rat hepatocytes intoxicated with 1.2 mM T-butyl hydroperoxide. Compounds 1, 3, and 5 showed protective effects with ED (50) values of 135.7, 26.1, and 79.3 microM, respectively.

New triterpenoid saponins from Glochidion eriocarpum and their cytotoxic activity.

Combined chromatographic methods led to the isolation of two new triterpenoid saponins, glochieriosides A and B (1, 2), from the aerial parts of Glochidion eriocarpum, along with three known triterpenes, glochidone (3), lup-20(29)-en-3beta,23-diol (4), and lup-20(29)-en-1beta,3beta-diol (5). The structures of the new saponins were determined to be 22beta-benzoyloxy-3beta,16beta,28-trihydroxyolean-12-ene 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside] (1) and 22beta-benzoyloxy-3beta,16beta,28-trihydroxyolean-12-ene 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranoside] (2). The structural elucidation was accomplished by using a combination of the 1D-NMR (1H-, 13C-NMR, distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT) 90 degrees , and DEPT 135 degrees ), 2D-NMR (1H-1H correlation spectroscopy, heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation, heteronuclear multiple bond correlation, and rotating frame Overhouser effect spectroscopy), ESI-MS, and HR-FAB-MS experiments. Glochieriosides A and B exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against HL-60, HT-29, MCF-7 and SK-OV-3 human cancer cell lines with the IC50 values of 5.5, 6.8, 29.1, and 22.7 microM for glochierioside A, respectively, and 6.6, 18.6, 36.1, and 16.0 microM for glochierioside B. Glochidone was less active with IC50 values greater than 100 microM while lup-20(29)-en-1beta,3beta-diol was moderately active with IC50 values of 43.3, 67.0, 66.1, and 48.0 microM, respectively.

A new C29-sterol with a cyclopropane ring at C-25 and 26 from the Vietnamese marine sponge lanthella sp.

One new C(29) sterol with a cyclopropane ring at C-25 and C-26, aragusteroketal B (1), and aragusterol B (2) were isolated from the Vietnamese marine sponge Ianthella sp. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses. Both 1 and 2 showed moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, SK-Hep-1, and HeLa cell lines with IC(50) in the range of 12.8-27.8 microM.

New phenylpropanoid esters of sucrose from Polygonum hydropiper and their antioxidant activity.

By various chromatographic methods, two new phenylpropanoid esters of sucrose named hidropiperosides A (1) and B (2), and three known compounds as vanicosides A (3), B (4), and E (5) were isolated from the methanolic extract of the whole plant of Polygonum hydropiper L. (Polygonaceae). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods including 1D-and 2D-NMR experiments, as well as ESI-MS analysis. All the isolated compounds were tested for their antioxidant activity in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay system. Among them, compounds 2 and 3 showed significant antioxidant activity with their SC(50) values of 23.4 and 26.7 microg/mL, respectively.

New cytotoxic benzopyrans from the leaves of Mallotus apelta.

Two new benzopyrans 6-[1'-oxo-3'(R)-hydroxy-butyl]-5,7-dimethoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran (1) and 6-[1'-oxo-3'(R)-methoxy-butyl]-5,7-dimethoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran (2) were isolated from the leaves of Mallotus apelta Muell.-Arg., (Euphorbiaceae). Their chemical structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, especially by 1 D-, 2D-NMR and MS spectra. Compound 1 was found to have strong cytotoxic effect against two human cancer cell lines as human hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep-2, IC50: 0.49 microg/mL) and rhabdosarcoma (RD, IC50: 0.54 microg/mL), while compound 2 showed moderate activity against Hep-2 cell line (IC50, 4.22 microg/mL) by in vitro assay.

Caesaldecan, a cassane diterpenoid from the leaves of Caesalpinia decapetala.

A new cassane diterpenoid, caesaldecan, was isolated from Caesalpinia decapetala with eight known compounds, spathulenol, 4,5-epoxy-8(14)-caryophyllene, squalene, lupeol, trans-resveratrol, quercetin, astragalin, and stigmasterol. The (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectra of the new compound were completely assigned by using a combination of 2D NMR techniques, namely, (1)H-(1)H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and ROESY.

Phenolic constituents with inhibitory activity against NFAT transcription from Desmos chinensis.

Six phenolic constituents, 2-methoxybenzyl benzoate (1), negletein (2), 2',3'-dihydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxydihydrochalcone (3), 5,6-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-dihydroflavone (4), astilbin (5), and quercitrin (6) were isolated from the methanol extract of the dried leaves of Desmos chinensis. Their structures were elucidated from spectral and chemical data. Of these constituents, compounds 2 (IC50: 3.89 +/- 0.39 microM) and 3 (IC50: 9.77 +/- 0.26 microM) exhibited potent inhibitory activity against nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factor, and compound 1 (IC50: 28.4 +/- 2.62 microM) exhibited moderate inhibitory activity.

Pentacyclic triterpenoids from Mallotus apelta.

A new triterpene (1) and six known pentacyclic terpenoids (2-7) were isolated from the methanol extract of the dried leaves from Mallotus apelta. Based on the spectral and chemical evidence, their structures were determined to be 3alpha-hydroxyhop-22(29)-ene (1), hennadiol (2), friedelin (3), friedelanol (4), epifriedelanol (5), taraxerone (6), and epitaraxerol (7).