Extending indigenous knowledge to unveil the evolutionary journey of food preferences and socio-cultural phenomena.

Food acceptance is substantially influenced by eating behavior and society norms in relation to preferences, lifestyles, and socio-cultural practices. Food innovation communities need to comprehend the impact of changing trends in eating behavior as a driving force. Meanwhile, many studies indicate that indigenous knowledge plays an important role in uncovering various social phenomena and interpreting local holistic views, cultural ecology, and behavior. However, it is not easy to employ this knowledge due to its fragmented form. This study aims to exhibit a systematic process for investigating scattered indigenous food knowledge and revealing the evolution of socio-cultural movement and food preferences. Initially, ontology-based indigenous food knowledge was structured for this study using the qualitative method, with data subsequently gathered from cookbooks and cremation festschrifts using the quantitative method to construct a knowledge-based system. A total of 2486 recipes recorded in cookbooks dating back to 1782 were retrospectively considered; the findings of which revealed the evolutionary journey of food preferences and its cultural culinary impact.

Antibacterial activity of aquatic gliding bacteria.

The study aimed to screen and isolate strains of freshwater aquatic gliding bacteria, and to investigate their antibacterial activity against seven common pathogenic bacteria. Submerged specimens were collected and isolated for aquatic gliding bacteria using four different isolation media (DW, MA, SAP2, and Vy/2). Gliding bacteria identification was performed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Crude extracts were obtained by methanol extraction. Antibacterial activity against seven pathogenic bacteria was examined by agar-well diffusion assay. Five strains of aquatic gliding bacteria including RPD001, RPD008, RPD018, RPD027 and RPD049 were isolated. Each submerged biofilm and plastic specimen provided two isolates of gliding bacteria, whereas plant debris gave only one isolate. Two strains of gliding bacteria were obtained from each DW and Vy/2 isolation medium, while one strain was obtained from the SAP2 medium. Gliding bacteria strains RPD001, RPD008 and RPD018 were identified as Flavobacterium anhuiense with 96, 82 and 96 % similarity, respectively. Strains RPD049 and RPD027 were identified as F. johnsoniae and Lysobacter brunescens, respectively, with similarity equal to 96 %. Only crude extract obtained from RPD001 inhibited growth of Listeria monocytogenes (MIC 150 µg/ml), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 75 µg/ml) and Vibrio cholerae (MIC 300 µg/ml), but showed weak inhibitory effect on Salmonella typhimurium (MIC > 300 µg/ml). Gliding bacterium strain RPD008 should be considered to a novel genus separate from Flavobacterium due to its low similarity value. Crude extract produced by RPD001 showed potential for development as a broad antibiotic agent.

Carbazole-pyranocoumarin conjugate and two carbazole alkaloids from the stems of Clausena excavata.

A carbazole-pyranocoumarin conjugate, carbazomarin B (1), and two carbazole alkaloids, 6-methoxymukonidine (2) and 2-hydroxy-3-methoxycarbazole (3), together with 27 known compounds (4-30), were isolated from the stems of Clausena excavata. Their structures have been elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. Compound 2 showed moderate cytotoxicity to HuCCA-1, MOLT-3 and HepG2 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 15.09-28.50 µg/mL, but none to A549 cell line. Heptaphylline (6) and nordentatin (23) were found to show moderate cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cell line with IC50 values of 12.33 and 11.33, respectively, while clausine K (27) exhibited strong cytotoxicity with IC50 value of 1.05 µg/mL, better than a standard drug (etoposide, IC50 13.40 µg/mL).

A new antibacterial amino phenyl pyrrolidone derivative from a novel marine gliding bacterium Rapidithrix thailandica.

A recently described marine gliding bacterium Rapidithrix thailandica strain TISTR 1741 was isolated from biofilm specimen collected from the Andaman Sea in Thailand. Four liters fermentation broth of R. thailandica TISTR 1741 cultivated in VY/2 medium were extracted with methanol to yield a novel amino phenyl pyrrolidone derivative compound (1) with antibacterial activities. The chemical structure and physico-chemical properties of 1 were investigated by spectrometry techniques. Compound 1 exhibited selective inhibition against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) with the MIC of 5.97 mM.

Two novel Physcomitrella patens fatty acid elongases (ELOs): identification and functional characterization.

The lower plant Physcomitrella patens synthesizes several long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) by a series of desaturation and elongation reactions. In the present study, the full-length cDNAs for two novel fatty acid elongases designated PpELO1 and PpELO2 were isolated from P. patens using a PCR-based cloning strategy. These cDNAs encoding proteins of 335 and 280 amino acids with predicted molecular masses of 38.7 and 32.9 kDa, respectively, are predicted to contain seven transmembrane domains with a possible localization in the subcellular endoplasmic reticulum. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis revealed that they are closely related to other LC-PUFA elongases of the lower eukaryotes such as the Δ(5)- and Δ(6)-elongases of Marchantia polymorpha as well as the Δ(6)-elongase of P. patens. Heterologous expression of the PpELO1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae led to the elongation of Δ(9)-, Δ(6)-C18, and Δ(5)-C20 LC-PUFAs, whereas only Δ(9)- and Δ(6)-C18 LC-PUFA substrates were used by PpELO2. Chimeric proteins were constructed to identify the amino acid regions most likely to be involved in the determination of the fatty acid substrate specificity. The expression of eight chimeric proteins in yeast revealed that substitution of the C-terminal 50 amino acids from PpELO1 into PpELO2 resulted in a high specificity for C20 fatty acid substrates. As a result, we suggest that the C-terminal region of PpELO1 is sufficient for C20 substrate elongation. Overall, these results provide important insights into the structural basis for substrate specificity of PUFA-generating ELO enzymes.

(E)-4-Bromo-N'-(4-hy-droxy-3-meth-oxy-benzyl-idene)benzohydrazide monohydrate.

In the title compound, C(15)H(13)BrN(2)O(3)·H(2)O, the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 13.92 (6)°. The meth-oxy group of the 4-hy-droxy-3-meth-oxy-phenyl is almost coplanar with its bound benzene ring, as seen by the C(meth-yl)-O-C-C torsion angle of -0.35 (16)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked into a three-dimensional network by N-H⋯O, O-H⋯N and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and also weak C-H⋯O inter-actions. A short C⋯O contact of 3.0191 (15) Šis also present.

Alkaloid and coumarins from the green fruits of Aegle marmelos.

Five (1-5) and 15 known compounds were isolated from the acetone extract of the green fruits of Aegle marmelos. The structure of compounds 1-5, marmesiline (1), 6-(4-acetoxy-3-methyl-2-butenyl)-7-hydroxycoumarin (2), 6-(2-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-3-butenyl)-7-hydroxycoumarin (3), marmelonine (4) and 8-hydroxysmyrindiol (5), were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. Antifungal and antibacterial activities of selected compounds were also evaluated.

Synthesis, structure and in vitro antibacterial activities of new hybrid disinfectants quaternary ammonium compounds: pyridinium and quinolinium stilbene benzenesulfonates.

The series of pyridinium (1-10) and quinolinium (11-20) stilbene benzenesulfonates have been synthesized and their structures were investigated by UV-vis, FT-IR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. In addition, compound 5 was also determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized compounds against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria has been determined. The quinolinium derivatives exhibited two very potent characteristic activities, namely, (i) specific activity to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and (ii) with broad band spectrum activity. Compounds 11, 13 and 14 are the most active showing broad spectrum antibacterial activity against gram-positive (Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus, S. aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecalis) and gram-negative bacterium (Shigella sonnei). The MICs of these compounds were found to be better than that of Benzalkonium chloride (BZK), the commercially used disinfectant.

Chromene and prenylated xanthones from the roots of Cratoxylum formosum ssp. pruniflorum.

Two new xanthones, namely pruniflorone K (1) and L (2), have been isolated from the roots of Cratoxylum formosum ssp. pruniflorum, along with thirteen known xanthones (3-15). Their structures were mainly established using the spectroscopic methods. Only isolated compounds with sufficient amount were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activities.

Candenatenins A-F, phenolic compounds from the heartwood of Dalbergia candenatensis.

Chemical investigation of the CH2Cl2 extract of the heartwood of Dalbergia candenatensis affored six new phenolic compounds, designated candenatenins A-F (1-6), as well as four known compounds, (2R,3R)-3,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (7), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-8,9-methylenedioxypterocarpan (8), nutiducol (9), and sophoraflavanone A (10). The structures of the new compounds were determined by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic studies as well as by MS analysis. The cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds are also reported.

Diversity of marine gliding bacteria in Thailand and their cytotoxicity

Eighty-four marine gliding bacteria were isolated from specimens collected in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. All exhibited gliding motility and swarm colonies on cultivation plates and they were purified by subculturing and micromanipulator techniques. Their 16S rRNA genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the represented isolates can be separated into six different clads (gr 1 - gr 6) within the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteriodes (CFB) group. Group 1 formed a remote linear, with only 90 percent sequence similarity, from Flavobacteriaceae bacterium which indicated a potentially novel taxonomic group. Groups 2 and 3 were identified as the recently proposed Tenacibaculum mesophilum and Fulvivirga kasyanovii respectively. Groups 4, 5 and 6, consisting of the largest number of the members, were identified as Rapidithrix thailandica, Aureispira marina and Aureispira maritima respectively. The isolates were cultivated in four different cultivation media (Vy/2, RL 1, CY and SK) and the crude extracts were submitted to screen cytotoxicity using a sulphorodamine B (SRB) assay. The results from cytotoxic screening showed that groups 2, 4 and 6 were capable of producing the cytotoxic metabolites against selected human cell lines (breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), colon cancer (HT-29), cervical cancer (HeLa) and oral cancer (KB)). However, groups 1, 3 and 5 did not produce metabolites with cytotoxicity when cultivated in the same cultivation media as the previous groups. CY medium was the only cultivation medium which could yield the cytotoxic metabolites against MCF-7.

Cytotoxic and antibacterial sesquiterpenes from Thespesia populnea.

Eight new sesquiterpenoids, named populene A-H (1-8), were isolated from dichloromethane extracts of the wood and dark heartwood of Thespesia populnea, together with 11 known compounds (9-19). Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. The cytotoxic activity of isolated compounds was evaluated against four cancer cell lines: MCF-7, HeLa, HT-29, and KB. Mansonone E (11) and (+)-gossypol (18) showed significant activities. Their antibacterial properties against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis are also presented.

Phanginin A-K, diterpenoids from the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn.

The first chemical study on the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn. led to isolation of 11 cassane-type diterpenes, named phanginin A-K (1-11). The skeleton present in compounds 1-8 is rather unusual, consisting of a cassane-type diterpene with an ether bridge between C-19/C-20 in compounds 1-6 and C-11/C-20 in compounds 7 and 8. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. In addition, the X-ray structure of phanginin A (1) is reported. Only phanginin I (9) exhibited cytotoxic effect against KB cell line with IC50 value of 4.4 microg/ml.

Acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting activity of pyrrole derivatives from a novel marine gliding bacterium, Rapidithrix thailandica.

Acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting activity of marinoquinoline A (1), a new pyrroloquinoline from a novel species of a marine gliding bacterium Rapidithrix thailandica, was assessed (IC(50) 4.9 microM). Two related pyrrole derivatives, 3-(2'-aminophenyl)-pyrrole (3) and 2,2-dimethyl-pyrrolo-1,2-dihydroquinoline (4), were also isolated from two other strains of R. thailandica. The isolation of 3 from a natural source is reported here for the first time. Compound 4 was proposed to be an isolation artifact derived from 3. The two isolated compounds were virtually inactive in the acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory assay (enzyme inhibition < 30% at 0.1 g L(-1)).

Rapidithrix thailandica gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine gliding bacterium isolated from samples collected from the Andaman sea, along the southern coastline of Thailand.

The taxonomic positions of three strains of marine gliding bacteria, TISTR 1736, TISTR 1741 and TISTR 1750(T), isolated from the southern coastline of Thailand were evaluated by using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the three isolates formed a distinct lineage within the family 'Flammeovirgaceae', phylum Bacteroidetes, and were related to the genus Flexithrix. The DNA G+C contents of the isolates were in the range 40-43 mol%. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were 16 : 1omega5c (cis-5-hexadecenoic acid) and 15 : 0 (pentadecanoic acid). The major hydroxyl fatty acids were 3-OH 17 : 0 (3-hydroxyheptadecanoic acid), 3-OH 15 : 0 (3-hydroxypentadecanoic acid) and 3-OH 16 : 0 (3-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid). On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, these marine bacteria are considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Rapidithrix thailandica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Rapidithrix thailandica is TISTR 1750(T) (=IAM 15448(T)).

Aureispira maritima sp. nov., isolated from marine barnacle debris.

A novel gliding marine bacterium (strain 59SA(T)) was isolated from marine barnacle debris. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate formed a distinct lineage within the genus Aureispira in the family 'Saprospiraceae'. The DNA G+C content of strain 59SA(T) was 38.7 mol%, the major respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the predominant cellular fatty acids were 20 : 4omega6c and 16 : 0. On the basis of the data from DNA-DNA hybridization, physiological and chemotaxonomic analyses and 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, strain 59SA(T) represents a novel species of the genus Aureispira, for which the name Aureispira maritima sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 59SA(T) (=IAM 15439(T)=TISTR 1726(T)).

Aureispira marina gen. nov., sp. nov., a gliding, arachidonic acid-containing bacterium isolated from the southern coastline of Thailand.

Three strains of gliding bacteria, 24(T), 62 and 71, isolated from a marine sponge and algae from the southern coastline of Thailand, were studied using a polyphasic approach to clarify their taxonomic positions. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the three isolates formed a distinct lineage within the family 'Saprospiraceae' of the phylum Bacteroidetes and were related to members of the genus Saprospira. The G+C contents of the isolates were in the range 38-39 mol%. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The predominant cellular fatty acids were 20 : 4omega6c (arachidonic acid), 16 : 0 and iso-17 : 0. On the basis of morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, together with DNA-DNA hybridization data and 16S rRNA gene sequences, the isolates represent a novel species of a novel genus, for which the name Aureispira marina gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Aureispira marina is 24(T) (=IAM 15389(T)=TISTR 1719(T)).

Potential anti-allergic ent-kaurene diterpenes from the bark of Suregada multiflora.

Two ent-kaurene diterpenes, ent-16-kaurene-3beta,15beta,18-triol (1) and ent-3-oxo-16-kaurene-15beta,18-diol (2), were isolated from a dichloromethane extract of the bark of Suregada multiflora along with five known diterpenes:ent-16-kaurene-3beta,15beta-diol (3), abbeokutone (4), helioscopinolide A (5), helioscopinolide C (6) and helioscopinolide I (7). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1-7 possessed appreciable anti-allergic activities in RBL-2H3 cells model with IC50 values ranging from 22.5 to 42.2 microM.

Antibacterial and cytotoxic xanthones from the roots of Cratoxylum formosum.

Chemical investigation of the roots of Cratoxylum formosum has resulted in the isolation and characterization of xanthones: three new, named formoxanthone A-C and three known together with three known anthraquinones. Their structures were established on the basis of analysis of spectroscopic evidence. In addition, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the isolates were also evaluated.