Methanolic extract of Cynometra cauliflora whole fruit was assayed for cytotoxicity against the human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 and the normal mouse fibroblast NIH/3T3 cell lines by using the MTT assay. The CD50 of the extract for 72 hours was 0.9 μg/mL whereas the value for the cytotoxic drug vincristine was 0.2 μg/mL. The viability of the NIH/3T3 cells was at 80.0% when treated at 15.0 μg/mL. The extract inhibited HL-60 cell proliferation with dose dependence. AO/PI staining of HL-60 cells treated with the extract revealed that majority of cells were in the apoptotic cell death mode. Flow cytometry analysis of HL-60 cells treated at CD50 of the extract showed that the early apoptotic cells were 31.0, 26.3 and 19.9% at 24, 48, and 72 hours treatment, respectively. The percentage of late apoptotic cells was increased from 62.0 at 24 hours to 64.1 and 70.2 at 48 and 72 hours, respectively. Meanwhile, percent of necrotic cells were 4.9, 6.6, and 8.5 at 24, 48, and 72 hours, respectively. This study has shown that the methanolic extract of C. cauliflora whole fruit was cytotoxic towards HL-60 cells and induced the cells into apoptotic cell death mode, but less cytotoxic towards NIH/3T3 cells.

Pomelo (Citrus grandis or Citrus maxima) is a tropical fruit from Rutaceae family has grown in Malaysia. These natural, non-hybrid citrus fruits originated from Southeast Asia and widely grown in Indonesia, China and Thailand (Morton, 1987;Scora, 1975). Commonly known as Limau Kepala Besar, Limau Bali (pomelo), Limau Tambun and Limau Besar Ledang, this fruit have four famous varieties such as Varieties PO51 (Shanting), Varieties PO52 (Tambun), Varieties PO55 (Limau Besar, Ledang) and Varieties PO56 (Melomas Variety) which can be found in the local and global markets. The aim of this research is to study the characteristics behind every purchasing decision through personal, socio-cultural and psychological factors of consumer. Data were collected using online questionnaire which a total of 100 forms were distributed around Johor, Malaysia. The data were analyzed to identify the relationship between respondent profiles and identify the most influential factors that show the relationship associations with consumer purchasing decisions on pomelo fruits. The results showed that personal, socio-cultural and psychological factors have influenced consumers' decision-making process when buying the pomelo fruits.

The research study regarding antimicrobial activity of pure compounds and LCMS data comparison from extract of lichen Parmotrema praesorediosum in Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Antimicrobial activity of acetone, ethanol, and methanol extracts as well as five compounds, namely methyl divaricatinate, methyl haematommate, methyl chlorohaematommate, methyl β-orsellinate, and vinapraesorediosic acid from methanol extract were identified for the microbial activity against four bacterial species, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogens, and Escerichia coli as well as two fungal species, Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosisbased on standards. The determination of IC50 using minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) by broth microdilution method was carried out. For acetone extract, 201 μg/mL concentration was required to inhibit 50% (IC50) growth of positive gram bacteria, S. aureus while the concentrations of 430 and 480 μg/mL were able to inhibit 50% (IC50) growth of C. albicans and C. parapsilosis, respectively. Ethanol and methanol extract as well as five pure compounds did not inhibit 50% (IC50) of bacterial and yeast growths. Five pure compounds were first reported to determine IC50 of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) from lichen, Parmotrema praesorediosum in Malaysia. The comparison of LC-MS data between ethanol and acetone extracts showed that there was a peak of the main compound, atranorin in the acetone extract, but was invisible in the ethanol extract where the main bond broke down and produced other compounds. Result of pure compounds from antimicrobial activity and LCMS data comparison from extract of lichen Parmotrema praesorediosum were first reported in Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Data produced from this study will be used to show the comparison and latest result that will provide ongoing body of research into the issue of natural product.

Efficient strategies for phytase production gained increasing importance as more applications require high amounts of phytase for the market. Four phytase-producing bacterial strains isolated from Malaysia’s hot springs were used in this study to determine the effect of nitrogen sources on phytase production. All of the strains were screened out by applying halozone method which shows all of the strains were definitely positive phytase producer. Phytase Screening Medium (PSM) with soybean extract as substrate was used as a cultivation medium. Optimised condition with 1.0 % (w/v) of glucose (as carbon source), pH 5.5 and 37°C temperature was applied. Yeast extract and peptone were used to identify optimum nitrogen source in maximum phytase production. Quantitative analysis observed were optical density, colony forming unit, pH values and phytase activity to identify the effect of nitrogen source in phytase production. The finding was bacterial strain L3 as the best producer in producing maximum phytase (0.2162 U/mL) with optimised condition using yeast extract as nitrogen source. Findings in this study proved that yeast extract act as the optimum nitrogen source which contribute to maximum phytase production as supported by previous studies. This study can provide an efficient strategy to produce maximum phytase as few studies stated that phytase is an application tool in functional food production that consists of myo-inositol phosphates that is believed to have important pharmacological effects.

10-oxodehydrobotrydial (1) and 4β-Acetoxy-9β,10β,15α-trihydroxyprobotrydial (2) have been isolated from Hypoxylon rickii mycelia extract. Compound 2 is probably an intermediate of botrydial, which is a known sesquiterpene phytotoxin. Cluster Omega and Artemis software analysis suggested that HRT6, a possible botrydial-like gene cluster with four genes shows more than 50% similarities compared to Botrytis cinerea botrydial gene cluster, BcBOT. A comparison between proposed 4β-Acetoxy-9β,10β,15α-trihydroxyprobotrydial (2) producing pathway and BcBOT proposed pathway shows compatible function of each gene prediction. Further confirmation using RNA gene knock-outs is on-going. Keywords:Hypoxylon rickii, botryane, terpene synthase Abstrak 10-oksodehidrobotridial (1) dan 4β-Asetoksi-9β,10β,15α-trihidroksiprobotridial (2) telah dipencilkan dari ekstrak miselia Hypoxylon rickii. Sebatian 2 dijangkakan sebagai sebatian perantara dalam pembentukkan botridial iaitu sejenis fitotoksin sesquiterpena. Penggunaan dua perisian Cluster Omega dan Artemis telah berjaya mengenalpasti gen kelompok yang berkemungkinan dari H. rickii sebagai HRT6 dengan empat gen menunjukkan persamaan lebih daripada 50% berbanding gen kelompok Botrytis cinerea, BcBOT. Perbandingan antara dengan cadangan laluan biosintesis 4β-Asetoksi-9β,10β,15α-trihidroksiprobotridial (2) dengan BcBOT menunjukkan persamaan fungsi -fungsi gen. Pengesahan lanjut menggunakan RNA (mendiamkan gen) sedang dijalankan.