Currently, scientific publications are focusing on the pharmacological actions of Citrus limon's extract and essential oil. Its essential oil is rich in bioactive monoterpenoids, such as D-limonene, β-pinene, γ-terpinene. Citrus limon essential oils have been recognized as the potential source of natural insecticides because of their selectivity, ability to be biologically degraded into non-toxic compounds, low impacts on biodiversity and the environment. Many previous studies have reported anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, hepato-regenerative, and cardio-protective activities of Citrus limon essential oil. In this study, we collected the discarded Citrus limon peel source in Gia Lai province to utilize as a material to build an optimized extraction process with the following criteria: extraction solvent, solvent/sample ratio, extraction temperature, and extraction time. The results showed a stable extraction process with a maximum extraction efficiency of 4.02%, at 40°C, for 3 hours, with two extraction times using 95% ethanol for solvent. Using GC/MS method, the determined limonene content accounted for 12.2% of the extract. The Citrus limon peel extract exhibited potency against Aedes aegypti (arbovirus vector) at a concentration of 0.01 mL, with protection time of 70 minutes and biting percentage of 0.9%, compared to negative control with statistically significant (P < 0.05). The above results correspond with the most recent publications about the effects of mosquito repellence of certain plant-based essential oils. This study has proven that Citrus limon peel in this locality signifies a promising candidature for future studies regarding its main active compound, limonene, in the control of dengue-transmitting vectors. Therefore, Citrus limon peel extract brings hope to develop new mosquito repellency products in the future.

Background: Dengue fever and Zika are two of the Aedes-borne diseases. Despite being widely used, synthetic mosquitocides become abortive for the mosquito control due to growing resistance and environmental pollution. In Gia Lai province (dengue-endemic area), a huge amount of cashew nut shell waste with roughly 100,000 tons/year has been disposed of into the environment, potentiating a high risk of pollution. Methodology/Principal findings: To utilize it, anacardic acid was extracted and combined it with ethanol extract of the local lime peel, which contains limonene, to generate APL formulation. APL robustly exhibited inhibition of egg hatching, larvicidal effect, and repellent effect against female mosquitoes from oviposition sites in the laboratory and field. The results showed that, at a dose of 12.5 ppm, the APL formulation after 24 hours of treatment demonstrated oviposition deterrence against Ae. aegypti (43.6%) and Ae. albopictus (59.6%); inhibited egg hatching of Ae. aegypti (49.6%) and Ae. albopictus (59.6%); caused larval lethality in Ae. aegypti (LC 50 = 9.5 ppm, LC 90 = 21 ppm) and Ae. albopictus (LC 50 = 7.6 ppm, LC 90 = 18 ppm). Under natural field conditions, it showed a 100% reduction in larval density after 48 and 72 hours of the APL treatment at a tested concentration of 120 mg a.i./m 2 and maintained a mortality rate of 100% in the next 14 days. Conclusions/Significance: The APL formulation is promisingly to become an environmentally friendly and highly effective biological product for future management programs of dengue and Zika-transmitting vectors. Here offer prospects in controlling critical illnesses transmitted by several mosquito species in dengue-endemic areas.

Efficient cancer treatment remains a huge challenge worldwide. As reported by the World HealthOrganization, the number of cancer patients is estimated to be 24 million in 2035, which is a 70% increasecompared to 14.1 million in 2012. The severity of cancer is due to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs),which are directly related to drug resistance, metastasis, and tumor relapse. Because of the unknown location ofthe primary tumor and/or the residency of CSCs, standard therapies deliver a high dose of drugs to the whole body,which can have negative effects and deadly consequences for patients undergoing treatment. Therefore, efficientluminescent materials for labeling and tracking CSCs are urgently needed to determine their distribution andtarget treatment. Herein, a fluorescent Tb3+ nano-ion and CD133 monoclonal antibody (mAb) were conjugatedinto a nano probe-complex (ET2). Tb3+ nano-ion is a rare-earth element and the CD133 mAb targets CD133,which is a CSC surface marker. The Tb3+ nanorods were surface treated with silica and activated with -NH2 forfunctioning before being coupled with CD133 mAb. Strong fluorescent Tb3+ nanorods were used to decrease thetoxicity of high-dose medicines, and the purpose of the CD133 mAb was to increase the specific binding capacityof CSCs to the ET2 nanocomplex. The luminescent properties of this coupled ET2 complex were determinedand its ability to target and label CSCs was determined using the pluripotent human embryonic carcinoma cellline, NTERA-2. Fluorescence microscopy showed strong luminescent signals from ET2-exposed NTERA-2cells. It was also demonstrated that the ET2 nanocomplex effectively labeled up to 97.74% of the tested NTERA-2 cells, but only 2.35% of CCD-18Co human colon normal cells. Therefore, these results show that the ET2luminescent nanocomplex specifically targeted and labeled CSCs, and may be used for further applications infundamental and clinical research.

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