C-5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenylcalix[4]-2-methylresorcinarene (I) was synthesized by cyclocondensation of 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-methylresorcinol in the presence of concentrated HCl. Compound I was characterized by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic data. X-ray analysis showed that this compound crystallized in a triclinic system with space group of Pī, a = 15.9592(16)Å, b = 16.9417(17)Å, c = 17.0974(17)Å, α = 68.656(3)°, β = 85.689(3)°, γ = 81.631(3)°, Z = 2 and V = 4258.6(7)Å3. The molecule adopts a chair (C2h) conformation. The thermal properties and antioxidant activity were also investigated. It was strongly antiviral against HSV-1 and weakly antibacterial against Gram-positive bacteria. Cytotoxicity testing on Vero cells showed that it is non-toxic, with a CC50 of more than 0.4 mg/mL.
Sialic acids are a group of nine-carbon α-keto acids. Sialic acid exists in more than 50 forms, with the natural types discovered as N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), deaminoneuraminic acid (2-keto-3-deoxy-nonulononic acid or Kdn), and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). Sialic acid level varies depending on the source, where edible bird's nest (EBN), predominantly Neu5Ac, is among the major sources of sialic acid. Due to its high nutritive value and complexity, sialic acid has been studied extensively through acid, aqueous, and enzymatic extraction. Although detection by chromatographic methods or mass spectrometry is common, the isolation and recovery work remained limited. Sialic acid is well-recognised for its bioactivities, including brain and cognition development, immune-enhancing, anti-hypertensive, anticancer, and skin whitening properties. Therefore, sialic acid can be used as a functional ingredient in the various industries. This paper reviews the current trend in the biochemistry, sources, extraction, and functions of sialic acids with special reference to EBN.
We examined the anti-influenza virus activity of tricin, 4',5,7-trihydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyflavone, against five viruses: A/Solomon islands/3/2006 (H1N1), A/Hiroshima/52/2005 (H3N2), A/California/07/2009 (H1N1pdm), A/Narita/1/2009 (H1N1pdm) and B/Malaysia/2506/2004 strains in vitro and against A/PR/8/34 virus in vivo.
Edible bird's nest (EBN) is a functional food renowned for its numerous health benefits. While its nutritional and therapeutic value is well-documented, the metabolites contributing to the bioactivities of EBN remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify the metabolites present in EBN subjected to different treatments, including double-boiled EBN (EBNdb), EBN hydrolysate (EBNhydro), EBN fermented with Lactobacillus helveticus (EBNLH), Latilactobacillus curvatus (EBNLC), and Latilactobacillus sakei (EBNLS) using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and correlate the identified bioactive metabolites with the bioactivities of EBN. It was found that the fermented EBNs exhibited the highest number of metabolites, with 76 tentatively identified, followed by EBNhydro (45) and EBNdb (37). Citric acid (1.97-4.48 g/kg) was present in all treated EBN samples, while L(+)-lactic acid (3.03-8.07 g/kg) and adipic acid (2.33-3.18 g/kg) were only found in fermented EBNs. Among the treated EBN samples, EBNLC demonstrated the significantly highest (p ≤ 0.05) antioxidative (22.34 ± 0.41 % 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical scavenging activity), antihypertensive (5.46 ± 0.26 % angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity), and antihyperglycemic activities (6.48 ± 0.34 % α-amylase inhibitory activity). A total of 18 metabolites, including citric acid, 4-sphingenin, N-acetylcitrulline, 4-aminophenol, L(+)-lactic acid, 2-oxoadipate, sildenafil, formylglycinamidin-RP, 11β,17α,21-α-5β-pregnane-3,20-dione, 2-ketobutyric acid, homoserine, benzaldehyde, 1-pyrroline4-hydroxy-2-carboxylate, nortriptyline, 1-methylguanine, 3-hydroxy-trimethyllysine, 3-phenylpropionate, and reserphine were predicted as bioactive metabolites using the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). This study provides valuable insights into the metabolites present in EBN and serves as fundamental data for future investigations into the bioactive compounds responsible for its specific health benefits, potentially leading to the development of enhanced EBN-based functional foods.