Quantitative analysis of methoxyflavones discriminates between the two types of Kaempferia parviflora.

INTRODUCTION: Kaempferia parviflora or black ginger is abundantly cultivated because its rhizomes contain methoxyflavones that have many pharmacological properties. K. parviflora can be divided into two types, based on morphological characteristics, but differences in their chemical compositions have never been explored. OBJECTIVES: This research aims to find chemical markers that can be used to differentiate between the two types of K. parviflora, the red-leaf and green-leaf types, by quantifying the amounts of methoxyflavones. MATERIAL AND METHODS: K. parviflora samples were collected from 39 locations in Thailand. Their genetic diversity was assessed by a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technique to construct the population structure. Their chemical compositions were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection to determine the methoxyflavone contents. RESULTS: The population structure based on >3,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers showed that the samples can be divided into two groups, which were consistent with the classification by leaf margin color (red-leaf and green-leaf types). HPLC analysis revealed 3,5,7,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone (PMF), 5,7-dimethoxyflavone (DMF), 5,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone (TMF), 3,5,7-trimethoxyflavone and 3,5,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone as major methoxyflavones that can be used as chemical markers. The red-leaf type showed higher amounts of PMF, TMF and 3,5,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone than the green-leaf type, while the green-leaf type showed higher amounts of DMF and 3,5,7-trimethoxyflavone than the red-leaf type. CONCLUSION: These results provide another approach to discriminate the two types of K. parviflora using chemical profiles alongside genetic and morphological analyses. Therefore, a specific type of K. parviflora can be selected over the other based on preferences for a certain methoxyflavone.

Polymethoxyflavones from Kaempferia parviflora ameliorate skin aging in primary human dermal fibroblasts and ex vivo human skin.

Skin aging is accompanied by an increase in the number of senescent cells, resulting in various pathological outcomes. These include inflammation, impaired barrier function, and susceptibility to skin disorders such as cancer. Kaempferia parviflora (Thai black ginger), a medicinal plant native to Thailand, has been shown to counteract inflammation, cancer, and senescence. This study demonstrates that polymethoxyflavones (5,7-dimethoxyflavone, 5,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone, and 3,5,7,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone) purified from K. parviflora rhizomes suppressed cellular senescence, reactive oxygen species, and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype in primary human dermal fibroblasts. In addition, they increased tropocollagen synthesis and alleviated free radical-induced cellular and mitochondrial damage. Moreover, the compounds mitigated chronological aging in a human ex vivo skin model by attenuating senescence and restoring expression of essential components of the extracellular matrix, including collagen type I, fibrillin-1, and hyaluronic acid. Finally, we report that polymethoxyflavones enhanced epidermal thickness and epidermal-dermal stability, while blocking age-related inflammation in skin explants. Our findings support the use of polymethoxyflavones from K. parviflora as natural anti-aging agents, highlighting their potential as active ingredients in cosmeceutical and nutraceutical products.

Near-infrared polyfluorene encapsulated in poly(ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles with remarkable large Stokes shift.

Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dyes have attracted increasing attention as fluorescent probes in biomedical applications due to their low biological autofluorescence as well as high tissue penetration depth. However, their being hydrophobic in nature limits their clinical use as they are prone to aggregate in the physiological environment. Herein, we have designed and synthesized a novel polymeric NIR fluorescent dye and then encapsulated it into a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) matrix by way of an emulsion-diffusion technique. The effect of the structure of the surfactant on the nanoparticle properties is investigated. Results show that polymeric surfactant, Kolliphor® P188, allows the formation of a high fluorescence intensity of the nanoparticles with the highest level homogeneity and stability. The synthesized nanoparticles show significant advantages in terms of a remarkable large stokes shift (276 nm) in the aqueous solution and excellent biocompatibility. The fabrication process is not limited to encapsulation of polymeric fluorescent dye. The synthesized NIR polymeric nanoparticles would be potentially applicable for biomedical applications.

Crinamine Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Proliferation, Migration, and Angiogenesis in Cervical Cancer SiHa Cells.

Crinumasiaticum is a perennial herb widely distributed in many warmer regions, including Thailand, and is well-known for its medicinal and ornamental values. Crinum alkaloids contain numerous compounds, such as crinamine. Even though its mechanism of action is still unknown, crinamine was previously shown to possess anticancer activity. In this study, we demonstrate that crinamine was more cytotoxic to cervical cancer cells than normal cells. It also inhibited anchorage-independent tumor spheroid growth more effectively than existing chemotherapeutic drugs carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil or the CDK9 inhibitor FIT-039. Additionally, unlike cisplatin, crinamine induced apoptosis without promoting DNA double-strand breaks. It suppressed cervical cancer cell migration by inhibiting the expression of positive regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition SNAI1 and VIM. Importantly, crinamine also exerted anti-angiogenic activities by inhibiting secretion of VEGF-A protein in cervical cancer cells and blood vessel development in zebrafish embryos. Gene expression analysis revealed that its mechanism of action might be attributed, in part, to downregulation of cancer-related genes, such as AKT1, BCL2L1, CCND1, CDK4, PLK1, and RHOA. Our findings provide a first insight into crinamine's anticancer activity, highlighting its potential use as an alternative bioactive compound for cervical cancer chemoprevention and therapy.

Sensitivity and specificity of PS/AA-modified nanoparticles used in malaria detection.

Polystyrene (PS) nanoparticle (NP) copolymerized with acrylic acid (AA) and coloured monomer, i.e. 2,3,6,7-tetra(2,2'-bithiophene)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic-N,N'-di(2-methylallyl)-bisimide (ALN8T), was synthesized via the miniemulsion polymerization. Before applying for malaria antigen detection, the blue NP was conjugated with human polyclonal malaria IgG antibody (Ab) specific to Plasmodium falciparum. For the conjugation, three methods, i.e. physical adsorption, covalent coupling and affinity binding via streptavidin (SA) and biotin interaction, were employed. The optimum ratio of Ab to NPs used in each immobilization procedure and the latex agglutination test based on the reaction between Ab conjugated NPs and malaria patient plasma were investigated. All Ab-latex conjugates provided the high sensitivity for the detection of P. falciparum malaria plasma. The highest specificity to P. falciparum was obtained from using Ab-NPs conjugated via the SA-biotin interaction.