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Musa balbisiana (MB) fruits are widespread as an herbal medicine worldwide. This study aimed to screen phytochemicals, standardize raw materials and crude extract, and evaluate antioxidant property of MB fruit extracts. Standardization was performed using purity content and chemical characterizations, total polyphenol (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents to assess the quality. The phytochemicals were determined by chemical reactions. DPPH quenching, ABTS cation decolorization, and reducing power assays were selected to investigate antioxidant ability. Results indicated that physicochemical parameters for MB fruits were within prescribed Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia 5th limits. Phytochemical analysis of MB fruits disclosed the presence of volatile oils, lipids, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, saponins, and triterpenoid. The TPC was 3.92 ± 0.27 mg GAE/g d. w. (dry weight) and 162.64 ± 3.39 mg GAE/g d. w. for the raw materials and crude extract respectively while the TFC was 0.138 ± 0.002 mg QE/g d. w. and 1.222 ± 0.007 mg QE/g d. w. Furthermore, crude extract and some of its fractions have a high radical scavenging activity. These initial studies play a pivotal role in the procurement of raw materials and evaluation of the quality of the crude extract, and show antioxidant potential of MB fruits.

Using various chromatographic methods, four new phenolics, coroffesters A-D (1 − 4) were isolated from the fruit of Cornus officinalis (Cornaceae). Their structures (1 − 4) were elucidated unambiguously by spectroscopic methods such as one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1 D- and 2 D-NMR) spectroscopy and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). The anti-inflammatory activity of the isolated compounds was also evaluated. All compounds (1 − 4) showed moderate inhibitory activity against NO production in a dose-dependent manner in RAW 264.7 cells.

Six undescribed sesquiterpene glucosides, fissispallins A-F, and one known sesquiterpene glucoside, fissispallin, were discovered in the leaves of Fissistigma pallens (Finet & Gagnep.) Merr. The structures were determined using spectroscopic methods, including 1D, 2D NMR, and MS. All compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against three human cancer cell lines, HT-29, A-2058, and A-549. Fissispallin A showed potent activity with the IC50 values less than 1.5 μM against all tested human cancer cell lines. Fissispallin also showed potent activity with IC50 value of 0.4 ± 0.3 on the A-2058 cancer cell lines. Fissispallins B-D showed significant cytotoxic activity against all the tested cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 3.8 to 7.2 μM.

Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz (Acanthaceae) is known as traditional medicine for the treatment of fungal and herpes virus infections. A new naphthoquinone racemate, rhinacasutone (1) together with seven known compounds, rhinacanthone (2), rhinacanthins C, D, N, Q, and E (3–7), and heliobuphthalmin (8) were isolated from root of R. nasutus. Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D-, 2D-NMR and MS data. All the isolated compounds were tested for their antiviral activities against PR8, HRV1B, and CVB3-infected vero cells. Compounds 3–6 exhibited significant antiviral activities with the IC50 value ranging from 0.03 to 23.7 μM in all three infections.

Our current research on phytochemical profile of the folk medicinal plant Anemone chapaensis Gagnep. led to the isolation of a new saponin, chapaenoside (1), along with 13 known compounds (2-14). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive chemical and spectroscopic methods (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance [NMR] spectroscopy and mass spectrometry) as well as comparison with the literature data. The isolated compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activities against 9 cancer cell lines by MTT method. The result indicated that the major saponin prosapogenin CP6 (5) showed selectively strong activity against NCI-N87, RD, Panc-1, and MIA Paca-2 cells with the IC50 values of 5.4, 7.5, 7.5, and 2.7 μM, respectively. The results of phytochemical constituents and principal bioactive saponins from A. chapaensis contributed not only to its phytochemical profile associated with chemotaxonomy but also to biological evidence of the title plant.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with a dismal survival rate of less than 7%. This is due to its late diagnosis and aggressive, metastatic disease. Currently treatment typically consists of surgery and/or treatment with gemcitabine; gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel or FOLFIRINOX - all chemotherapeutic agents that have natural product-derived components that only prolong survival by 5-6 months at best. As traditional Vietnamese medicinal plants have been used to treat a number of diseases for several thousands of years, there is great potential to investigate their importance as sources of novel therapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Pancreatic cancer cell lines (BxPC3, MiaPaCa2 and CFPAC1) and the normal pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) cell line were treated with pure compounds isolated from the Vietnamese plants Croton tonkinensis and Salacia cochinchinensis and the effects on cell viability (CCK-8 assay) and apoptosis (caspase-3/-7 activation assay) were assessed to determine their anti-cancer capacity. RESULTS: Treatment of pancreatic cancer cell lines with Pristimerin (from Salacia cochinchinensis) and CT1 (from Croton tonkinensis) resulted in significant dose-dependent growth inhibition. Pancreatic cancer cell lines showed significantly greater sensitivity to Pristimerin treatment after 24 and 72hrs, with a 1.7 – 2.3 fold lower IC50 value in MiaPaCa2 pancreatic cancer cells compared to normal HPDE cells, respectively (24hrs: 48 vs. 111nM; 72hrs: 63.85 vs. 111nM). Significant cytotoxicity was also seen in other pancreatic cancer cell lines (BxPC3 103 - 210nM; CFPAC1 77nM). Treatment with CT1 also resulted in significant dose-dependent cytotoxicity with an IC50 value that was 1.5 – 1.8 fold lower in MiaPaCa2 cells compared to normal HPDE cells, respectively (24hrs: 116 vs. 177nM; 72hrs: 46.5 vs. 84.5nM). Treatment of BxPC3 and CFPAC1 cells with CT1 also led to significant cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 300nM and 170nM, respectively. Moreover, treatment with Pristimerin and CT1 at concentrations of 625nM and 1μM induced caspase-dependent apoptosis of MiaPaCa2 and HPDE cells after 22hrs of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Pure compounds from Vietnamese medicinal plants show significant pancreatic cancer growth inhibition and induce apoptosis in vitro at concentrations that have minimal effect on normal pancreatic cells and therefore show promise as novel anti-pancreatic cancer therapies. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Danielle Bond, Phuong Thien Thuong, Do Thi Ha, Nguyen Minh Khoi, Judith Weidenhofer, Christopher J. Scarlett. Vietnamese medicinal plant compounds show potent anti-pancreatic cancer activity in vitro [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2175. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2175

Four lignans, meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (DHGA), macelignan, fragransin A2 and nectandrin B, were isolated from the seeds of Myristica fragrans (Vietnamese nutmeg) and investigated for their cytotoxic activity against eight cancer cell lines. Of these, DHGA exhibited potent cytotoxicity against H358 with IC50 value of 10.1 μM. In addition, DHGA showed antitumor activity in allogeneic tumor-bearing mice model.

The first study on chemical constituents and biological activities of Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels (Rutaceae) growing in Vietnam has been done. Phytochemical investigation of n-hexane extract led to the isolation of five compounds: dihydroindicolactone (1), 8-geranyloxy psoralen (2), imperatorin (3), heraclenol (4) and indicolactone (5), in which this is the first report on the presence of dihydroindicolactone (1). Their structures were elucidated based on LC/MS/NMR hyphenated techniques as well as comparison with those of literature data. The n-hexane extract and its subfractions, ethanol 95% extract and several isolated compounds were evaluated for antifungal activity.