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The current report describes the chemical investigation and biological activity of extracts produced by three fungal strains Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium simplicissimum, and Fusarium proliferatum isolated from the roots of Piper nigrum L. growing in Vietnam. These fungi were namely determined by morphological and DNA analyses. GC-MS identification revealed that the EtOAc extracts of these fungi were associated with the presence of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. These EtOAc extracts showed cytotoxicity towards cancer cell line HepG2, inhibited various microbacterial organisms, especially fungus Aspergillus niger and yeast Candida albicans (the MIC values of 50-100 µg/mL). In α-glucosidase inhibitory assay, they induced the IC50 values of 1.00-2.53 µg/mL were better than positive control acarbose (169.80 µg/mL). The EtOAc extract of F. oxysporum also showed strong anti-inflammatory activity against NO production and PGE-2 level. Four major compounds linoleic acid (37.346%), oleic acid (27.520%), palmitic acid (25.547%), and stearic acid (7.030%) from the EtOAc extract of F. oxysporum were selective in molecular docking study, by which linoleic and oleic acids showed higher binding affinity towards α-glucosidase than palmitic and stearic acids. In subsequent docking assay with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), palmitic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid could be moderate inhibitors.

Background:: Helicteres hirsuta has been used traditionally as a useful agent for hepatoprotective treatment. The aim of the current study is to isolate chemical constituents from the EtOAc extract of H. hirsuta stem and evaluate the capacity of the isolated compounds against hydroperoxide damaged rat liver cells. Methods:: Column chromatography was used for phytochemical isolation whereas MTT method was applied for intracellular antioxidative assay Results:: Phytochemical analysis of the EtOAc extract of H. hirsuta stem led to the isolation and determination of four triterpenoids betulin (1), bentulinic acid (2), alphitolic acid (3), and oleanolic acid (4), together with two steroids stigmast-4-ene-6β-ol-3-one (5), and β-sitostenone (6), whereas EtOAc extract of its leaf was composed of three steroids cucurbitacin D (11), cucurbitacin I (12), and simiarenol (13), four flavonoids tiliroside (14), potengriffioside A (15), kaempferide (16), and isokaempferide (17), along with two carotenoids lutelin (18), and β-carotene (19). Isolated compounds 3, 5, 6, 16, and 17 were found in genus Helicteres for the first time, while carotenoids 18, and 19 were never isolated from family Sterculiaceae before. Phytochemicals derived H. hirsuta species are also useful agents for antioxidative drugs, e.g, flavonol 17 induced the significant EC50 value of 22.24 ± 0.14 μg/mL, as compared with that of positive control curcumin (EC50 19.33 ± 0.77 μg/mL), against hydroperoxide damaged rat liver cells. Conclusion:: Antioxidative activity of the EtOAc extract of H. hirsuta stem against hydroperoxide is mostly based on the role of flavonoids.

With the prospect that the COVID-19 epidemic will be basically controlled, many provinces and cities in Vietnam in general and Ha Giang province in particular are actively developing and implementing plans to accelerate the speed of tourism recovery, ensure safety, adapt to the new normal and aim to achieve the goal of developing the tourism industry into a spearhead economic sector. To achieve those aims, the pillar of development needs to be directed toward innovation, particularly innovation in marketing activities. This study focuses on analyzing the influence of sensory marketing on local brand image, satisfaction, and tourist retention at tourist destinations in Ha Giang province. Through data obtained from 204 tourists who have experienced Ha Giang tourism, the results show that sensory marketing through taste, sight, and touch has a direct influence on the return intention of tourists, or an influence to return indirectly through local brand image and tourist satisfaction. Therefore, the authors have proposed some solutions for stakeholders to innovate Ha Giang tourism through sensory marketing.

Searching for bioactive agents from Vietnamese plants, nine compounds, including five nor-lignan-type benzofurans 1–5, two lignans 6 and 7, one sterol 8 and one triterpenoid 9 were separated from Styrax argentifolius for the first time. 5-((E)-2-Carboxyvinyl)-7-methoxy-2-(3′,4′-methylenedioxyphenyl)benzofuran (1) and 5-carboxy-7-methoxy-2-(3′,4′-methylenedioxyphenyl)benzofuran (2) were new benzofurans in nature. Sterol (20R)-24-ethylcholest-5,22-dien-7-one (8) and triterpenoid 2α,3α,24-trihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (9) were isolated from the genus Styrax for the first time. Egonol (3) showed potential IC50 values of 18.15–22.11 μg/mL against three cancer cell lines KB, HepG2 and Lu, while the IC50 values of new compound 1, (–)-machicendiol (4), and triterpenoid 9 were comparable with that of the positive control acarbose (IC50 118.43 ± 2.44 μg/mL) in α-glucosidase inhibitory assays. Styrax benzofurans and triterpenoids show cytotoxic and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. The activities of benzofurans 1 and 3–5 were due to the effect of propyl side chains at carbon C-5.

Background: Centipeda minima (the family Asteraceae) is an annual herbaceous plant native to the tropical regions, especially in eastern tropical Asia. C. minima is well-known in the list of medicinal plants with capacities in treatment of whooping cough, nasal allergy, malaria, and asthma. More than sixty reports on phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of this plant are now available, but a supportive review is insufficient. Objective: The current review aims to make a compilation of almost all of the isolated compounds from the title plant, together with their pharmacological activities. Methodology: Centipeda minima is a meaningful keyword to search for previous references, while the reliable databases, such as Sci-Finder, Google Scholar, Pub Med, Science Direct, the Web of Science, Scopus, Bentham science, Taylor Francis, Springer, IOP Science were utilized at most. Conclusion: More than one hundred secondary metabolites, classifying as terpenoids, flavonoids, mono-phenols, fatty acids, amides, and other types, were isolated from this plant. Among them, sesquiterpene lactones are dominant in either C. minima species or numerous plants of genus Centipeda. These phytochemical groups also possessed various biological results like anti-cancer, anti-bacteria, anti-allergy, anti-virus, anti-inflammation, and hepatoprotective activities. With many kinds of bioactive results such as anti-cancer and anti-inflammation, the use of C. minima plant extracts and isolated compounds for drug development seems to be a futuristic strategy.

New propene derivative 1-(3',4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-(2''-hydroxy-5-(3'''-hydroxypropyl)-3''-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (1), along with three known triterpenoids ursolic acid (2), pomolic acid (3), and maslinic acid (4) were isolated from the leaves of Styrax annamensis species. All structures were assigned by spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 showed potent cytotoxicity against four cancer cell lines (KB, HepG2, Lu, and MCF7) with the IC50 values of 3.19, 2.87, 2.33, and 2.44 µM, respectively.

Herbaceous annual plants of the genus Xanthium are widely distributed throughout the world and have been employed medicinally for millennia. This contribution aims to provide a systematic overview of the diverse structural classes of Xanthium secondary metabolites, as well as their pharmacological potential. On searching in various reference databases with a combination of three keywords "Xanthium", "Phytochemistry", and "Pharmacology", relevant publications have been obtained subsequently. From the 1950s to the present, phytochemical investigations have focused mainly on 15 Xanthium species, from which 300 compounds have been isolated and structurally resolved, primarily using NMR spectroscopic methodology. Xanthium constituents represent several secondary metabolite types, including simple phenols, sulfur and nitrogen-containing compounds, lignans, sterols, flavonoids, quinones, coumarins, and fatty acids, with terpenoids being the most common of these. Among the 174 terpenoids characterized, xanthanolide sesquiterpenoids are abundant, and most of the compounds isolated containing sulfur were found to be new in Nature. The ethnomedical uses of Xanthium crude extracts are supported by the in vitro and in vivo effects of their constituents, such as cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetes, and hepatoprotective activities. Toxicological results suggest that Xanthium plant extracts are generally safe for use. In the future, additional phytochemical investigations, along with further assessments of the biological profiles and mechanism of action studies of the components of Xanthium species, are to be expected.

To quickly recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, travel companies are trying to find effective ways to improve employee engagement and stabilize human resources in the long term. This paper examines the influence of corporate culture on the job engagement of employees based on the survey results of 193 employees in travel companies in Hanoi. The analysis results show that the five aspects of corporate culture mentioned have a positive influence on job engagement. The paper discusses the results and provides implications for managers in developing corporate culture for employee engagement improvement.

A series of novel naphthoquinone-fused podophyllotoxins containing fluoro and trifluoromethyl substituents were synthesized in a medium with good yields using two different synthetic approaches: microwave-assisted four-component reactions of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, tetronic acid, fluorinated arylaldehydes, and ammonium acetate, and microwave-assisted three-component reactions of 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone, tetronic acid, and fluorinated arylaldehydes. The structures of all products were confirmed by spectral analysis. Together, cytotoxicity assessment of the products against four human cancer cell lines (human carcinoma [KB], human hepatocellular carcinoma [HepG2], lung cancer [A549], breast carcinoma [MCF7], and human embryonic kidney [Hek-293]) was performed by MTT assay. Among the obtained compounds, compound 7f turned out to be the most potent anticancer agent with significant cytotoxic activity against KB, HepG2, and MCF cancer cell lines.

Three new xanthones, garcimckeans A-C (

New propene derivative 1-(3

Searching for bioactive agents from medicinal plants, eleven constituents were isolated from Polyscias guilfoylei stem for the first time, including a nucleoside uracil (1), two sterols β-sitosterol (2) and daucosterol (3), a saponin androseptoside A (4), two lignans (+)-pinoresinol (5) and (+)-syringaresinol (6), four phenolic acids protocatechuic acid (7), methyl protocatechuate (8), caffeic acid (9), and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (10), and a flavonoid quercitrin (11). Metabolites 1, 4, and 6–11 have never been observed in genus Polyscias before. Phenolic compounds 7 and 9 possessed the respective IC50 values of 21.33 and 13.88 µg/mL in DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) antioxidative assay, as compared with that of the positive control resveratrol (IC50 = 13.21 µg/mL). From density functional theory (DFT) calculated approach, the DPPH free radical scavenging capacity of two compounds 7 and 9 can be explained by the role of OH groups at carbons C-3 and C-4. Antioxidative actions of these two potential agents are followed HAT (H atom transfer) mechanism by OH bond disruption in gas, but SPLET (sequential proton loss electron transfer) mechanism in solvents water and methanol. Compared to 4-OH group, 3-OH group showed better bond disruption enthalpies and better kinetic energies since it reacted with HOO• and DPPH radicals. Sterols 2–3 and flavonoid 11 induced the IC50 values of

Genus Styrax belongs to the family Styracaceae, which is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions and has been applied in pharmacological uses and food chemical products. Original research articles related to Styrax plants are now abundant, but there has not been an overview account to demonstrate the highlights in phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of Styrax constituents. This chapter compiles a full list of secondary metabolites from this genus, along with their pharmacological effects. Herein, 165 isolated compounds are summarised with diverse chemical structures, and lignans and triterpenoids can be seen as major components. Pharmacological studies have introduced the use of Styrax components in anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, antimycobacterial, antiaging, antivirus HIV, and antischistosomicidal activities, estrogenic biosynthesis, etc. Regarding food chemistry, several Styrax plants can also be good candidates to provide essential oils and nutrient content of protein, especially benzoin resins.

Supplier relationship management plays a crucial role in the firm’s development and success. This paper examines the impact of supplier relationship management on the operational performance of firms. The data was collected from 304 manufacturing plants in 4 Asian countries in the period 2013-2015. The results of statistical descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis indicate that supplier relationship management has a positive relationship with operational performance. The study also proposes some suggestions for researchers and managers in developing and applying measurement scales of supplier relationship management to improve supply chain management effectiveness.

Centipeda minima (the family Asteraceae) is an annual herbaceous plant native to the tropical regions, especially in eastern tropical Asia. C. minima is well-known in the list of medicinal plants with capacities in treatment of whooping cough, nasal allergy, malaria, and asthma. More than sixty reports on phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of this plant are now available, but a supportive review is insufficient.The current review aims to make a compilation of almost all of the isolated compounds from the title plant, together with their pharmacological activities.Centipeda minima is a meaningful keyword to search for previous references, while the reliable databases, such as Sci-Finder, Google Scholar, Pub Med, Science Direct, the Web of Science, Scopus, Bentham science, Taylor Francis, Springer, IOP Science were utilized at most.More than one hundred secondary metabolites, classifying as terpenoids, flavonoids, mono-phenols, fatty acids, amides, and other types, were isolated from this plant. Among them, sesquiterpene lactones are dominant in either C. minima species or numerous plants of genus Centipeda. These phytochemical groups also possessed various biological results like anti-cancer, anti-bacteria, anti-allergy, anti-virus, anti-inflammation, and hepatoprotective activities. With many kinds of bioactive results such as anti-cancer and anti-inflammation, the use of C. minima plant extracts and isolated compounds for drug development seems to be a futuristic strategy.

The anti-cancer activity of bannaxanthone E isolated from Garcinia mckeaniana leaves was assessed through a flow cytometric method on human lung SK-LU-1 cancer cells, including cell cycle changes and induction of cell apoptosis. Treatment with bannaxanthone E led to the suppression of cell cycle progression at the G2/M phase to 19.6% at 4 µM, and induced apoptosis via cell morphological changes, increased the fluorescence signal in caspase-3/7 activation, and accumulation of apoptotic cells in the SK-LU-1 line at 4 µM to 25.7%.

A new benzofurane 7-methoxy-2-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-benzofuran-5-carboxylate (1) and 5 known compounds, such as propacin (2), hisbiscolatone A (3), heliclactone (4), rosmarinic acid (5), and syringaldehyde (6), were isolated from methanol extract of the Helicteres hirsuta stems. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectroscopy (MS) Furthermore, compounds 1 to 6 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against 4 human cancer cell lines such as Lu-1, MCF7, HepG2, and KB. The results showed that compound 2 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against Lu-1, MCF7, HepG2, and KB cell lines with IC50 values of 43.97 ± 2.12, 46.53 ± 0.75, 52.63 ± 0.24, and 56.37 ± 1.04 µg/mL, respectively. This is the first report of compounds 2 to 6 from H. hirsuta.

In order to find out the influence of carboxylic acid functionalities in the N-lactam side chains of indenoisoquinolines on cytotoxic activities, several new compounds have been synthesized and structurally characterized by analytical and spectral methods. The incorporation of a carboxylic acid group into the lactam side chain of indenoisoquinolines results in differences in cytotoxicity. The results indicated that compound 18c displayed substantial cytotoxic specificity toward KB and HepG2 cancer cells.

Six known compounds including α-amyrin 3-acetate (1), β-sitosterol (2), betulinic acid (3), friedelan-3-one (4), artochamin B (5), and 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-O-α-d-glucopyranoside (6) were isolated from the stem barks and leaves of Artocarpus nigrifolius (Moraceae) for the first time. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods as well as comparison with literatures. Cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity of 1–6 were evaluated. Results showed that artochamin B (5) possessed the highest cytotoxicity towards MCF7, Lu, HepG2, and KB cell lines with IC50 values of 4.59, 20.00, 3.60, and 1.18 μg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus), whereas inactive on the growth of both Gram-negative bacteria and yeast.

A series of 4-anilinoquinazoline–triazole–AZT hybrids were designed and synthesized as anticancer agents. Their cytotoxic potential has been evaluated by means of a micro-dilution assay against three human cancer cell lines (KB, epidermoid carcinoma; HepG2, hepatoma carcinoma; SK-Lu-1, non-small lung cancer). The biological results revealed that compounds 4b and 6d showed good anticancer activities against KB, HepG2, and Lu cell lines (IC50 values ranging from 9 μM to 100 μM). Especially, compounds 4b and 6d exhibited up to 3-fold more potent than reference drugs erlotinib hydrochloride and AZT in term of anti-lung cancer activity.

Series of novel artemisinin derivatives were designed and synthesized in which the amino propanol group was bonded to the artemisinin nucleus through C-C linkage. Ten new compounds were thus successfully prepared and evaluated as cytotoxic agents, revealing an interesting anticancer activity in KB and HepG2 cancer cell lines.