Five bufadienolides (1-5) isolated from the leaves of Kalanchoe pinnata and K. daigremontiana x tubiflora (Crassulaceae) were examined for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation in Raji cells induced by the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. All bufadienolides showed inhibitory activity, and bryophyllin A (1) exhibited the most marked inhibition (IC50 = 0.4 microM) among the tested compounds. Bryophyllin C (2), a reduction analogue of 1, and bersaldegenin-3-acetate (3) lacking the orthoacetate moiety were less active. These results strongly suggest that bufadienolides are potential cancer chemopreventive agents.

The sarcopenic phenotype is characterized by a reduction of muscle mass, a shift in fiber-type distribution, and reduced satellite cell regeneration. Sarcopenia is still a major challenge to healthy aging. Traditional Indonesian societies in Sulawesi island have been using nutmeg for maintaining health condition during aging. Interestingly, nutmeg has been known to stimulate peroxisome proliferator activated receptors γ (PPARγ) which may contribute to myogenesis process in cardiac muscle. There is limited information about the role of nutmeg extract into physiological health benefit during aging especially myogenesis process in skeletal muscle. In the present study, we want to explore the potential effect of nutmeg in preserving skeletal muscle mass of aging rats. Aging rats, 80 weeks old, were divided into two groups (control and nutmeg). Nutmeg extract was administered for 12 weeks by gavaging. After treatment, rats were anaesthesized, then soleus and gastrocnemius muscles were collected, weighted, frozen using liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80°C until use. We observed phenomenon that nutmeg increased a little but significant food consumption on week 12, but significant decrease in body weight on weeks 10 and 12 unexpectedly increased significantly in soleus muscle weight (p<0.05). Nutmeg extract increased significantly gene expression of myogenic differentiation (MyoD), paired box 7 (Pax7), myogenin, myosin heavy chain I (MHC I), and insulin-like growth factor I (p<0.01) in soleus muscle. Furthermore, nutmeg increased serine/threonine kinase (AKT) protein levels and activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), inhibited autophagy activity, and stimulated or at least preserved muscle mass during aging. Taken together, nutmeg extract may increase muscle mass or prevent decrease of muscle wasting in soleus muscle by partly stimulating myogenesis, regeneration process, and preserving muscle mass via IGF-AKT-mTOR pathway leading to inhibition of autophagy activity during aging. This finding may reveal the potential nutmeg benefits as alternative supplement for preserving skeletal muscle mass and preventing sarcopenia in elderly.

Two flavanoid compounds, catechin (1) and epicatechin (2), have been isolated from the stembark of Chisocheton pentandrus. The chemical structure of compounds1and2were identified by spectroscopic data including, UV, IR, NMR ( 1 H, 13 C, DEPT 135°, HMQC, HMBC, 1 H-1 H COSY) and MS and by comparing with previously reported spectral data. Compounds 1 and 2, were isolated in this plant for first time and showed no cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

The n-hexane fraction from the stem bark of Lansium domesticum Corr. Cv. Kokosan afforded 3 sesquiterpenoids, namely eudesm-4(15),7-dien-1β-ol (1), eudesm-4(15)-ene-1β,6α-diol (2), and octahydro-4-hydroxy-3a-methyl-7-methylene-a-(1-methylethyl)-1H-indene-1-methanol (3). These three compounds were discovered in the Lansium genus for the first time. Their chemical structures were determined based on data generated from various spectroscopic methods, including one- and two-dimensional NMR, as well as mass spectroscopy. Sesquiterpenoid compounds (1-3) have also been evaluated on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines and the compound 1 showed the strongest activity with an IC50 value of 17.97 µg/mL while compounds 2 and 3 showed moderate and weak activity with IC50 values of 121.65 and 201.57 µg/mL, respectively. The implication of the findings of these compounds is as an illustration that one of these sesquiterpenoids has potential as an anticancer with the presence of double bond which played important role in the cytotoxic activity that can be studied for new drug discovery.

Aglaia is the largest genus of the Meliaceae family which contains terpenoid compounds. This type of compounds showed a diverse structures and biological activities that can be found in natural resources. Aglaia elaeagnoidea is a species from Aglaia genus that only has a few previous research. This study was aimed to isolate and determine the chemical structure of terpenoid compounds from the ethyl acetate extract of A. elaeagnoidea stem bark. Ethyl acetate extracts were separated and purified by various chromatographic techniques to obtain compounds 1-5. Compounds 1-5 were identified their chemical structures by spectroscopic methods (IR, MS, and NMR) and comparison with previous reported spectral data. Compounds 1 and 2 were identified as eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids, 5-epi-eudesm-4(15)-ene-1β,6β-diol (1) and 6α-Hydroxy-eudesm-4(15)-en-1-one (2). Compounds 3-5 were identified as dammarane-type triterpenoids, 20S,24S-epoxy-25-hydroxydammarane-3-one (3), 20S,24S-epoxydammarane-3α,25-diol (4), and 3α-epi-cabraleahydroxy lactone (5). These compounds are first time reported from this plant. Compounds 1-5 were tested for cytotoxicity against HeLa cervical cancer cell and DU145 prostate cancer cell and as a result, compound 4 (20S,24S-epoxydammarane-3α,25-diol) showed the stronger activity compared to other compounds.