Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau is a traditional medicinal plant belonging to the Acanthaceae family. Its therapeutic potentials have been increasingly documented particularly the antiviral activity against Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. However, majority of these studies used crude or fractionated extracts and not much is known about individual compounds from these extracts and their biological activities. In the present study, we have isolated four compounds (CN1, CN2, CN3 and CN4) from the hexane fractions of C. nutans leaves. Using NMR spectroscopic analysis, these compounds were identified to be shaftoside (CN1), stigmasterol (CN2), β-sitosterol (CN3) and a triterpenoid lupeol (CN4). To determine the immunosuppressive potential of these compounds, their effects on mitogens induced T and B lymphocyte proliferation and the secretion of helper T cell cytokines were examined. Among the four compounds, stigmasterol (CN2) and β-sitosterol (CN3) were shown to readily inhibit T cell proliferation mediated by Concanavalin A (ConA). However, only β-sitosterol (CN3) and not stigmasterol (CN2) blocks the secretion of T helper 2 (Th2) cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). Both compounds have no effect on the secretion of Th1 cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ), suggesting that β-sitosterol treatment selectively suppresses Th2 activity and promotes a Th1 bias. CN3 was also found to significantly reduce the proliferation of both T helper cells (CD4(+)CD25(+)) and cytotoxic T cells (CD8(+)CD25(+)) following T cell activation induced by ConA. These results suggested that phytosterols isolated from C. nutans possess immunomodulatory effects with potential development as immunotherapeutics.
Malaysia implemented its first Movement Control Order (MCO) during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic to slow the transmission of the virus. This study aimed to explore the public perception of the MCO implementation and people's experiences during this period. The study employed qualitative explorative in-depth interviews conducted with 23 Malaysian adults from various demographic backgrounds. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 12. Three main themes were identified: a period of information surge, heterogeneous emotional response, and attempts to adapt. During the MCO, the participants obtained information from multiple platforms. They suggested the need for clear and repeated instructions to avoid confusion and misinformation. They also acknowledged the importance of the MCO in breaking the chain of transmission and safeguarding high-risk groups; however, they also expressed that stricter enforcement from the authorities was warranted. The changes in the participants' work-life routines, lack of physical interaction, and uncertainty about their health and the economy due to the MCO negatively impacted their psychological states. Despite these challenges, the participants attempted to adapt to life under the MCO in different ways. The findings imply that during a crisis, the public tends to seek clear and reliable information, experience emotional turmoil, and adapt to changes. The MCO implementation can be improved through an effective communication strategy and efforts to battle misinformation.
Spray drying techniques are one of the methods to preserve and extend the shelf-life of coconut milk. The objective of this research was to create a particle swarm optimization-enhanced artificial neural network (PSO-ANN) that could predict the coconut milk spray drying process. The parameters for PSO tuning were selected as the number of particles and acceleration constant, respectively, for both global and personal best using a 2k factorial design. The optimal PSO settings were recorded as global best, C1 = 4.0; personal best, C2 = 0; and number of particles = 100. When comparing different types of spray drying models, PSO-ANN had an MSE value of 0.077, GA-ANN had an MSE of 0.033, while ANN had an MSE of 0.082. Sensitivity analysis was conducted on all three models to evaluate the significance level of each parameter on the model, and it was discovered that inlet temperature had the most significant influence on the model performance. In conclusion, the PSO-ANN was found to be more effective than ANN but less effective than GA-ANN in predicting the quality of coconut milk powder.
Lumusidines A-D, bisindole alkaloids of the macroline-macroline type, and one of the macroline-pleiocarpamine type, villalstonidine F, were isolated from the stem-bark extract of Alstonia macrophylla (Apocynaceae). The structures and absolute configurations of these alkaloids were established using NMR, MS, and X-ray diffraction analyses.
Dunaliine A (1), a new amino diketone, has been isolated from the leaves of Desmos dunalii together with four known dihydrochalcones: 2',4-dihydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxy-3',5'-dimethyldihydrochalcone (2), 2',4-dihydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxydihydrochalcone (3), 2',4-dihydroxy-4',5',6'-trimethoxydihydrochalcone (4) and 2',4-dihydroxy-5'-methyl-4',6'-dimethoxydihydrochalcone (5). The structures of these compounds were established notably by spectral analysis (1D- and 2D- (1)H, (13)C NMR), UV, IR and HRMS.
In the title mol-ecule, C(14)H(9)N(3)O(3), the dihedral angle between the quinoxaline and benzene rings is 77.13 (9)°. The mol-ecule is twisted about the ether-benzene O-C bond, with a C-O-C-C torsion angle of -102.8 (2)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers in the ab plane, with one nitro O atom accepting two such inter-actions. The layers stack along the c-axis direction via weak C-H⋯π inter-actions.
In the title mol-ecule, C(12)H(10)N(2)O(4), the pyridine and benzene rings are almost orthogonal [dihedral angle = 86.69 (11)°], with the pyridine N atom directed towards the centre of the benzene ring. The -NO(2) [O-N-C-C = -26.1 (3)°] and -OMe [C-O-C-C = 166.5 (2)°] substituents are not coplanar with their respective aromatic rings. In the crystal, supra-molecular layers in the ab plane are formed via C-H⋯π inter-actions involving methyl H atoms and the pyridine and benzene rings. Short N-O⋯π contacts (where the π-system is derived from the pyridine ring) occur between layers in the c-axis direction.
Two independent mol-ecules comprise the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(12)H(11)N(3)O(2). These differ in terms of the relative orientations of the benzene rings as seen in the respective dihedral angles formed between the pyridine and benzene rings [17.42 (16) and 34.64 (16)°]. Both mol-ecules are twisted about the amine-tolyl N-C bonds [respective torsion angles = 22.3 (5) and 35.9 (5)°] but only about the amine-pyridine N-C bond in the first independent mol-ecule [respective torsion angles = -11.7 (5) and 0.8 (5)°]. Intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds preclude the amine H atoms from forming significant inter-molecular inter-actions. The crystal packing features inter-molecular C-H⋯O and C-H⋯π and π-π [centroid-centroid distance: pyridine-benzene = 3.6442 (19) Å and pyridine-pyridine = 3.722 (2) Å] contacts.
In the title compound, C(11)H(10)N(2)O(2), the aromatic rings are almost orthogonal to each other [dihedral angle = 86.97 (8)°], with the benzene ring orientated to face one of the pyrazine N atoms. In the crystal, centrosymmetrically related pairs are connected via pairs of C-H⋯π inter-actions and the dimeric units thus formed pack into undulating layers that stack along the a axis.
The quinoxaline system in the title hydrate, C(15)H(13)N(3)·H(2)O, is roughly planar, the r.m.s. deviation for the 18 non-H atoms being 0.188 Å; this conformation features a short intra-molecular C-H⋯N(pyrazine) inter-action. In the crystal, the amine H atom forms an N-H⋯O hydrogen bond to the water mol-ecule, which in turn forms two O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds to the pyrazine N atoms of different organic mol-ecules. These inter-actions lead to supra-molecular arrays in the bc plane that are two mol-ecules thick; additional π-π inter-actions stabilize the layers [ring centroid-centroid distance = 3.5923 (7) Å]. The layers stack along the a-axis direction via C-H⋯π contacts.
The pyrimidine and benzene rings in the title compound, C(10)H(8)N(2)O(2), form a dihedral angle of 71.03 (7)°, with the roughly orthogonal benzene ring being folded towards one of the pyrimidine N atoms. In the crystal, pairs of O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds connect mol-ecules related by twofold symmetry into dimeric aggregates. These associate into a supra-molecular chain propagating along the b axis by way of C-H⋯π contacts. The chains are cross-linked by π-π inter-actions that occur between pyrimidine rings [ring centroid-centroid distances = 3.5393 (9) and 3.5697 (9) Å].
In the centrosymmetric title mol-ecule, [Cu(2)(CH(3)COO)(4)(C(6)H(9)N(3))(2)], each of the four acetate groups bridges a pair of Cu(II) atoms [Cu-Cu = 2.6540 (4) Å]. The distorted octa-hedral geometry of the metal atom is completed by an N-donor atom of the N-ethyl-pyrimidin-2-amine ligand: an intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen links its N-H group to an acetate carboxyl-ate O atom. In the crystal, C-H⋯O inter-actions link the mol-ecules into a supra-molecular chain along the b axis.
The title complex, [Cu(2)(CH(3)COO)(4)(C(13)H(14)N(2))(2)], features a binuclear mol-ecule, which lies about a crystallographic centre of inversion; the four acetate ions each bridge a pair of Cu(II) atoms. The coordination of the metal atom is distorted octa-hedral within a donor set defined by four O atoms, the heterocyclic N atom and the second Cu atom. The pyridine ring is twisted with respect to the tolyl ring and forms a dihedral angle of 35.34 (9)°. A bifurcated N-H⋯(O,O) hydrogen bond is present, linking the amine group to two carboxyl-ate O atoms derived from different acetate ions. In the crystal, C-H⋯π inter-actions link mol-ecules into a supra-molecular array in the bc plane.
In the crystal structure of the title complex, [Cu(2)(CH(3)COO)(4)(C(12)H(11)ClN(2))(2)], the complete binuclear mol-ecule is generated by a crystallographic centre of inversion; the four acetate groups each bridge a pair of Cu(II) atoms. The coordination of the metal atom is distorted octa-hedral within a donor set defined by four O atoms, the heterocyclic N atom and the second Cu atom. The pyridine ring is twisted with respect to the benzene ring, forming a dihedral angle of 33.9 (2)°. An intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bond is present between the amino group and a carboxyl O atom. Inter-molecular inter-actions of the C-H⋯π type link mol-ecules in the crystal structure.
In the title compound, C(11)H(10)N(2)O(2), the benzene ring faces towards one of the pyrimidine N atoms, and is almost orthogonal to the plane through the pyrimidine ring [dihedral angle = 84.40 (14)°]. In the crystal, the presence of C-H⋯π and π-π [centroid-centroid separation = 3.7658 (18) Å] inter-actions leads to a supra-molecular array in the ac plane. The layers thus formed inter-digitate along the b axis.
In the title compound, C(12)H(11)ClN(2), the dihedral angle between the benzene and pyridyl rings is 48.03 (8)°. Twists are also evident in the mol-ecule, in particular about the N(a)-C(b) (a = amine and b = benzene) bond [C-N-C-C = -144.79 (18)°]. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds result in the formation of eight-membered {⋯NCNH}(2) synthons [or R(2) (2)(8) loops].
The aromatic and the aromatic fused-rings in the title compound, C(15)H(13)N(3), open the angle at the planar N atom to 130.07 (13) and 129.98 (13)° in the two independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. The amino N atom of one mol-ecule forms a hydrogen bond to the 4-N atom of an adjacent quinoxalinyl ring, generating a supra-molecular chain.
In the title compound, C(10)H(8)ClN(3), the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 43.0 (1)° and the bridging C-N-C angle is 128.19 (16)°. The amino N atom of one mol-ecule forms a hydrogen bond to the 1-N atom of an adjacent pyrazinyl ring, generating an inversion dimer.
There are two mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(14)H(10)ClN(3), with dihedral angles of 5.11 (10) and 13.61 (10)° between the aromatic ring systems. In the crystal structure, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds, resulting in chains propagating in [010].
The two aromatic systems in the title compound, C(11)H(11)N(3), are inclined by 19.1 (1)°, whilst the angle at the central amino N atom is 130.3 (2)°. The amino group forms a hydrogen bond to the pyrazine N-4 atom of an adjacent mol-ecule, forming a chain motif.