Cucumber Extract Research Articles

UJI STABILITAS FISIK FORMULASI SEDIAAN HAIR TONIC HERBAL BUAH MENTIMUN (Cucumis Sativus L) SEBAGAI PERAWATAN RAMBUT

Hair is an essential part of the body that often experiences various problems, one of which is hair loss. Fortunately, hair loss problems can be prevented by applying a hair tonic. Many hair tonic preparations are on the market, both made from herbal and synthetic ingredients. Efforts have been made to formulate cucumber into hair tonics. This study aims to utilize herbal plants, particularly cucumber, as a remedy for hair loss. Cucumber was developed into several hair tonic formulations, and their physical stability was subsequently tested. The cucumber was extracted using the infusion method. The yielded infusion was later made into three formulas of hair tonics with three times replications for each procedure. Following the formulations, physical stability tests of the preparations were carried out, such as organoleptic, homogeneity, pH, and viscosity tests. Results of the tests showed that the trials were physically stable with a homogenous physical appearance indicating an even distribution of cucumber extract in the preparations. Further results showed average pH of 5.87, 6.12, and 6.49 with viscosity values of 0.0082, 0.0083, and 0.0085 N.S/m2, respectively. In conclusion, all the ingredients in the formulation of herbal hair tonics provided stable color and pH range that still met the requirements. Hence, this study suggested the administration of cucumber hair tonic as one of many remedies for hair ailments, specifically hair loss.

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential of three sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract. Ereguero MG, Gelani C, Dalayap R, Cordero MA, Tabugo SR. 2023. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential of three sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines. Biodiversitas 24: 2527-2535. The marine environment is a rich source of potential antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents. This study investigated three sea cucumber species' antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. The methanol: ethyl acetate crude extracts of Holothuria scabra, Stichopus sp., and Holothuria atra were tested for their antibacterial activity against gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) bacteria using modified microtiter plate method. Results revealed that sea cucumber extracts have MIC values of 0.0008-0.0944 mg/mL. One-way ANOVA results revealed a p value <0.05, and Tukey’s pairwise result confirmed that the antibacterial activity of H. scabra extract is not comparable with Ciprofloxacin (p value <0.05). However, Stichopus sp., and H. atra (1) and H. atra (2) revealed a comparable antibacterial activity with Ciprofloxacin (p value >0.05). The crude extracts were also evaluated for in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using the albumin denaturation method. The results showed a percentage inhibition within the range from 44.50-49.69%, 44.74-51.44%, 31.82-49.48%, and 49.16-52.15% inhibition at 200-, 100-, 50-, and 25 ppm, respectively. One-way ANOVA and Tukey’s pairwise result revealed that the sea cucumber extracts showed a comparable percent inhibition with the positive controls, Celecoxib and Diclofenac sodium, at 200 ppm. This study revealed sea cucumber crude extracts as a potential antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent.

Application of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Method in Black Sea Cucumber (Holothuria atra) Extract Peel-off Gel Mask and Antioxidant Activity Tests

Black Sea cucumbers (Holothuria atra) are a potential source of active metabolites such as flavonoids widely used for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical products. The type of nanoparticle that is often used in cosmetics and skin products is Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN). In this study, the SLN of black sea cucumber extract will be prepared in the form of a peel-off gel mask as an antioxidant. Black sea cucumbers were extracted using the maceration method, while SLN preparation used high-shear homogenization and freeze-drying methods. Crude extract and SLN were formulated into peel-off gels and then evaluated, including organoleptic, homogeneity, viscosity, pH, spreadability, drying time, tensile strength test, and antioxidant activity using the DPPH method. The IC50 values of blank (F1), peel-off gel extract (F2), and nanoparticle peel-off gel extract (F3) were each 600.8727 ± 0.43; 580.7849±0.7; and 592.76±0.55 µg/mL. In conclusion, the SLN method can be applied to the formulation of black sea cucumber extract nanoparticles. However, peel-off gel masks from the crude and nanoparticle extracts have very weak antioxidant activity.

Proliferative Effect of Aqueous Extract of Sea Cucumber (Holothuria parva) Body Wall on Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells.

Sea cucumber extracts and their bioactive compounds have the potential for stem cell proliferation induction and for their beneficial therapeutic properties. In this study, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were exposed to an aqueous extract of Holothuria parva body walls. Proliferative molecules were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis in an aqueous extract of H. parva. The aqueous extract concentrations of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 µg/mL and 10 and 20 ng/mL of human epidermal growth factor (EGF) as positive controls were treated on hUC-MSCs. MTT, cell count, viability, and cell cycle assays were performed. Using Western blot analysis, the effects of extracts of H. parva and EGF on cell proliferation markers were detected. Computational modeling was done to detect effective proliferative compounds in the aqueous extract of H. parva. A MTT assay showed that the 10, 20, and 40 µg/mL aqueous extract of H. parva had a proliferative effect on hUC-MSCs. The cell count, which was treated with a 20 µg/mL concentration, increased faster and higher than the control group (p < 0.05). This concentration of the extract did not have a significant effect on hUC-MSCs' viability. The cell cycle assay of hUC-MSCs showed that the percentage of cells in the G2 stage of the extract was biologically higher than the control group. Expression of cyclin D1, cyclin D3, cyclin E, HIF-1α, and TERT was increased compared with the control group. Moreover, expression of p21 and PCNA decreased after treating hUC-MSCs with the extract. However, CDC-2/cdk-1 and ERK1/2 had almost the same expression as the control group. The expression of CDK-4 and CDK-6 decreased after treatment. Between the detected compounds, 1-methyl-4-(1-methyl phenyl)-benzene showed better affinity to CDK-4 and p21 than tetradecanoic acid. The H. parva aqueous extract showed proliferative potential on hUC-MSCs.

Antibacterial Potential of Holothuria leucospilota, Brandt 1835 Extracts from Carmen Bay, Romblon, Philippines

This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of extracts from the skin, Polian vesicle, Cuveirian tubules, and intestines of sea cucumber Holothuria leucospilota was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria). The disc diffusion method evaluated the antibacterial activity of sea cucumber H. leucospilota extracts. All treatments show inhibitory effects in both test microorganisms however cuvierian tubules have no effect on E. coli. Among the six treatments tested in S. aureus, the skin has the highest zone of inhibition with an average of 23.25mm followed by the intestine at 14.75mm, positive control at 10.25mm, and Polian vesicle at 9.00mm, respectively. The majority of the treatments were classified as bacteriostatic towards the test microorganisms. Based on the findings of this study, the Gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus was more susceptible than the Gram-negative bacteria, E. coli. Therefore, it was concluded that sea cucumber extracts especially H. leucospilota collected in Carmen Bay, Romblon, Philippines, exhibited antibacterial potential towards test bacteria. The results of this study suggest that H. leucospilota is a potential source for discovering new antibiotics. Thus, this species has a potential for the pharmaceutical industry. It also suggests further investigations need to be carried out to determine its potential application in other aspects of medicine. In addition, elucidation of the compounds responsible for the bioactive including identification, sufficient isolation, and purifications, and also the analysis of the antibacterial mode of action should be done for natural drug development in the future.

Evaluasi aktivitas penyembuhan luka menggunakan krim campuran ekstrak teripang laut dan kunyit

Background: Skin is a layer of tissue from body that covers and protects the body from the danger that comes from outside and the environment. Skin is very susceptible to trauma, which is a cut wound. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the mixture from sea cucumber and turmeric extract in cream dosage on rat’s cut wounds. Methods: This study used 15 white rats which were given a cut and the treatments of mixed cream with the different concentrations. The treatments were given by to dab the mixed cream on the wound area each day. The wound healing was observed on days 1, 7, 14 and 21, then the researchers gave scores on those wounds. The researcher measured the wound healing through the acceleration parameters of wound closure and inflammation reduction. Results: The results of this study showed that the rats wound completely closed on all area treatments and also showed that the healing time is faster than those who did not receive treatment. Conclusion: This result indicates that sea cucumber and turmeric extract have the potential and effective for heals the wounds and then can be used as an alternative for wound medicine.

Construction and functional analysis of nattokinase-producing cucumber obtained by the CRISPR-Cas9 system

AbstractNattokinase (NK) is effective in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Cucumber is rich in nutrients with low sugar content and is safe for consumption. The aim of this study was to construct a therapeutic cucumber that can express NK, which can prevent and alleviate cardiovascular diseases by consumption. Because the Bitter fruit (Bt) gene contributes to bitter taste but has no obvious effect on the growth and development of cucumber, so the NK-producing cucumber was constructed by replacing the Bt gene with NK by using CRISPR/Cas9. The pZHY988-Cas9-sgRNA and pX6-LHA-U6-NK-T-RHA vectors were constructed and transformed into Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105, which was transformed into cucumber by floral dip method. The crude extract of NK-producing cucumber had significant thrombolytic activity in vitro. In addition, treatment with the crude extract significantly delayed thrombus tail appearance, and the thrombin time of mice was much longer than that of normal mice. The degrees of coagulation and blood viscosity as well as hemorheological properties improved significantly after crude extract treatment. These findings show that NK-producing cucumber can effectively alleviate thrombosis and improve blood biochemical parameters, providing a new direction for diet therapy against cardiovascular diseases.

Investigation of antibacterial and anticancer effects of novel niosomal formulated Persian Gulf Sea cucumber extracts

Pharmaceutical companies worldwide are scrambling to develop new ways to combat cancer and microbiological pathogens. The goal of this research was to investigate the antibacterial, anticancer, and apoptosis effects of novel niosomal formulated Persian Gulf Sea cucumber extracts (SCEs). Sea cucumber methanolic extracts were prepared and encapsulated in niosome nanoparticles using thin-film hydration. The compound was made up of Span 60 and Tween 60 blended with cholesterol in a 3:3:4 M ratios. Characterization of niosome-encapsulated SCE evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The disk diffusion method and microtiter plates were used to investigate the antimicrobial activity. The effect of niosome-encapsulated SCE on cell proliferation and apoptosis induction was studied using MTT and Annexin V, respectively. The expression of apoptosis-related genes, including Bax, Fas, Bax, Bak, and Bcl2, was studied using quantitative real-time PCR. Niosome-encapsulated SCE with a size of 80.46 ± 1.31 and an encapsulation efficiency of 79.18 ± 0.23 was formulated. At a concentration of 100 μg/ml, the greatest antimicrobial effect of the niosome-encapsulated SCE was correlated to Staphylococcus aureus, with an inhibition zone of 13.16 mm. The findings of the study revealed that all strains were unable to produce biofilms at a concentration of 100 μg/ml niosome-encapsulated SCE (p < 0.001). The survival rate of cancer cells after 72 h of exposure to niosome-encapsulated SCE was 40 ± 3.0%. Encapsulated SCE in niosomes inhibited cell progression in MCF-7 cells by increasing G0/G1 and decreasing S phase relative to G2/M phase; as a result, it activated the apoptosis signaling pathway and led to the induction of apoptosis in 69.12 ± 1.2% of tumor cells by increasing the expression of proapoptotic genes (p < 0.001). The results indicate that sea cucumber species from the Persian Gulf are a promising source of natural chemicals with antibacterial and anticancer properties, paving the path for novel marine natural products to be discovered. This is the first demonstration that niosome-encapsulated SCE contains antibacterial and anticancer chemicals that, according to their specific characteristics, boost antitumor activity.

Holothuria scabra Jaegar 1833 (Sandfish) extracts and collagens modulate protein‐bound Nε‐carboxymethyllysine, Nε‐carboxyethyllysine and methylglyoxal‐derived hydroimidazolone‐1 levels

SummaryIn this study, sea cucumber (Holothuria scabra; Jaegar 1833) extracts and collagens were evaluated for inhibitory properties of protein‐bound advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Processed dried sea cucumber with salt extract showed a significant lower IC50 value for fluorescent AGEs (9.19 ± 7.68 μg mL−1, P &lt; 0.05) and fructosamine (503.47 ± 46.37 μg mL−1, P &lt; 0.05), respectively. Processed dried with and without salt extracts significantly reduced the Nε‐carboxymethyllysine (CML) and methylglyoxal‐derived hydroimidazolone‐1 (MG‐H1) levels tested at 250 μg mL−1. Smoked dried and fresh‐dried extracts significantly reduced the Nε‐carboxyethyllysine (CEL) levels tested at 250 μg mL−1. Pepsin‐solubilised collagen and the crude collagen fibrils significantly reduced CML and MG‐H1 levels whereas CEL levels were unchanged. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that protein‐bound AGE and CML inhibition significantly correlated with the total phenolic and antioxidant activities, respectively. This study provides a strong rationale for further investigation aimed at identifying the active compounds responsible for the observed effects on biomarkers relevant to diabetes.

Saponin and Fatty Acid Profiling of the Sea Cucumber Holothuria atra, α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity and the Identification of a Novel Triterpene Glycoside

Saponin-rich sea cucumber extracts have shown antidiabetic effects in a few reports. Although the triterpene glycosides of sea cucumbers are commonly isolated from their Cuvierian tubules, these are absent in Holothuria atra Jaeger. Therefore, this study intended to investigate the saponin profile in the body wall of H. atra, as well as to assess the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the H. atra extracts. The chemical profiling of sea cucumber extracts was conducted by UPLC-HRMS analysis. This resulted in the tentative identification of 11 compounds, 7 of which have not been reported in the H. Atra body wall before. Additionally, two triterpene glycosides were purified and their structures were elucidated based on HRMS and NMR data: desholothurin B (1), and a novel epimer, 12-epi-desholothurin B (2). Moreover, the fatty acid profile of the H. atra body wall was investigated by GC-MS. It was found that the Me90 fraction of the H. atra body wall showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 value 0.158 ± 0.002 mg/mL), thus making it more potent than acarbose (IC50 value 2.340 ± 0.044 mg/mL).

Enhanced sensing performance of carbaryl pesticide by employing a MnO2/GO/e-Ag-based nanoplatform: role of graphene oxide as an adsorbing agent in the SERS analytical performance.

A functional ternary substrate was developed for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing systems. MnO2 nanosheets were synthesized by a simple and controllable hydrothermal method, followed by the integration of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. Subsequently, MnO2/GO nanostructures were decorated with plasmonic Ag nanoparticles (e-AgNPs). The MnO2/GO/e-Ag substrate could enhance the SERS sensing signal for organic chemicals without the assistance of chemical bonds between those analytes and the semiconductor within the ternary substrate, which have been proven to promote charge transfer and elevate the SERS enhancement in previous studies. Instead, GO nanosheets acted as a carpet also supporting the MnO2 nanosheets and e-AgNPs to form a porous structure, allowing the analytes to be well-adsorbed onto the ternary substrate, which improved the sensing performance of the SERS platform, compared to pure e-AgNPs, MnO2/e-Ag, and GO/e-Ag alone. The GO content in the nanocomposite was also considered to optimize the SERS substrate. With the most optimal GO content of 0.1 wt%, MnO2/GO/e-Ag-based SERS sensors could detect carbaryl, a pesticide, at concentrations as low as 1.11 × 10-8 M in standard solutions and 10-7 M in real tap water and cucumber extract.

Phenolic compounds and in vitro antioxidant activity of spray-dried and freeze-dried aqueous extracts of sea cucumber (Holothuria tubulosa)

Phenolic compounds and in vitro antioxidant activity of spray-dried and freeze-dried aqueous extracts of sea cucumber (Holothuria tubulosa)

Effectiveness of a Cucumber Extract Supplement on Articular Pain in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial

This 8-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study aimed to assess the effectiveness of supplementation with an extract of Cucumis sativus L. (20 mg/day) on pain and other variables in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) over 40 years. The change in pain intensity using a 1–10 cm visual analog scale (VAS) was the primary endpoint. Fifty-five patients (mean age 50.6 ± 8.6 years) were included (experimental group, n = 29; placebo, n = 26). VAS scores for pain decreased significantly in both study groups, but decreases were higher in the experimental group (between-group p = 0.013). Improvements in pain, stiffness, and physical function according to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were also significantly higher in the experimental group. The Timed Up and Go test result also decreased significantly in the experimental group. An improvement in muscle function was associated with significant increases in isokinetic and isometric dynamometry variables, particularly for isometric 60°·s−1 and 180°·s−1 knee flexion exercises in the experimental group. Plasma levels of interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) also decreased significantly in the experimental group. Based on the beneficial effects of cucumber on symptomatology and inflammatory and cartilage degradation biomarkers in knee OA, cucumber extract supplementation may a useful natural approach to maintain healthy joints.

Phytochemical analysis in foamy extract of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

The metabolite profiling of white foamy substance local white cultivar of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) was performed using HR-LCMS. Prominent compounds with MS spectra, peak list, and compound structure were studied. Which pertains to Cucurbitaceae. The cytotoxic activity was studied on onion root tip squash and microscopic evaluation was done. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the analytical data showed the presence of Triterpenes: Cucurbitacin-C (0.8ppm), Cucurbitacin-E (5.53ppm) and Cardiac glycosides: Gitoxigenin (7.76ppm), Strophanthidin (13.79ppm), and Digitoxigenin (2.13ppm) in 10μl of the loaded sample.100 other compounds were identified by accurate mass of Q-TOF/MS and verified by database compounds (IRM calibration). Strophanthidin in the highest concentration in the foamy extract is a significant finding. This study reports the traditional significance of removing white foamy substances for bitterness in cucumber before slicing. The cytotoxic study on onion root tips by photomicrograph study indicates reduction in root growth and chromosomal aberrations, disturbed telophase, anaphase, abnormal cell shape, dissolved chromosomes, membrane damage and nuclear lesions. SAARC J. Agric., 20(2): 145-155 (2022)

Neuroprotective effects of a medium chain fatty acid, decanoic acid, isolated from H. leucospilota against Parkinsonism in C. elegans PD model.

Sea cucumbers are marine organism that have long been used for food and traditional medicine in Asian countries. Recently, we have shown that ethyl acetate fraction (HLEA) of the crude extract of the black sea cucumber, Holothuria leucospilota, could alleviate Parkinsonism in Caenorhabditis elegans PD models. In this study, we found that the effective neuroprotective activity is attributed to HLEA-P1 compound chemically isolated and identified in H. leucospilota ethyl acetate. We reported here that HLEA-P1 could attenuate DAergic neurodegeneration, improve DAergic-dependent behaviors, reduce oxidative stress in 6-OHDA-induced C. elegans. In addition, HLEA-P1 reduced α-synuclein aggregation, improved behavior deficit and recovered lipid deposition in transgenic C. elegans overexpressing α-synuclein. We also found that HLEA-P1 activates nuclear localization of DAF-16 transcription factor of insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway. Treatment with 25μg/ml of HLEA-P1 upregulated transcriptional activity of DAF-16 target genes including anti-oxidant genes (such as sod-3) and small heat shock proteins (such as hsp16.1, hsp16.2, and hsp12.6) in 6-OHDA-induced worms. In α-synuclein-overexpressed C. elegans strain, treatment with 5μg/ml of HLEA-P1 significantly activated mRNA expression of sod-3 and hsp16.2. Chemical analysis demonstrated that HLEA-P1 compound is decanoic acid/capric acid. Taken together, our findings revealed that decanoic acid isolated from H. leucospilota exerts anti-Parkinson effect in C. elegans PD models by partly modulating IIS/DAF-16 pathway.

Antioxidant activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized using Holothuria atra extract

Sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) was used as a reducing and capping agent in the green synthesis process to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The antioxidant activity of the generated silver nanoparticles was then evaluated. Seacucumber extract was mixed with the AgNO3 solution and homogenized using a magnetic stirrer to create the silver nanoparticles. It was determined that silver nanoparticle production had occurred using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Before being examined for antioxidant activity, the generated nanoparticles were first given a characterizing using Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectrometers. The maximum uptake was obtained at wavelengths of 440 cm-1 using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Functional groups that play a role in the synthesis of nanoparticles were -OH- C=O, and –C-O groups. The free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with an absorbance maximum (517 nm) was used for antioxidant properties. The antioxidant assay showed that Silver nanoparticles had higher antioxidant activity than sea cucumber extract alone, with an IC50 value of 4 ppm.Keywords:AntioxidantSeacucumberGreen SynthesisSilver NanoparticlesDPPH

Bioactive Components of Meat Powder and Viscera-Gonad Holothuria Scabra from Terung Island Waters, Batam, Indonesia

Holothuria scabra contains some bioactive components that are highly needed by humans in functional and healthy food. This study aims to determine differences in chemical content and bioactive components, the amount of water-soluble protein, salt-soluble protein, amino acid profile, and fatty acid profile from meat powder ingredients and viscera-gonad. The research stages include the weeding process and sample preparation, making meat powder and sea cucumber viscera-gonad, and testing the chemical and bioactive composition. Yields of sea cucumber meat powder and viscera-gonads were 95.45% and 95.92%, respectively. Sea cucumber meat powder has a slightly grayish creamy white color (69.32% white degree), while the sea cucumber gonad powder has a slightly brownish grayish-white color (63.09% white degree). The chemical contents of meat powder and edible gonad of sea cucumber are water content 9.12% and 16.12%, protein 79.50% (dw) and 51.83% (dw), fat 2.14% (dw) and 20.09% (dw), ash 4.14% (dw) and 9.52% (dw), carbohydrates 13.88% (dw) and 18.57% (dw), respectively. Components of bioactive in sea cucumber extract generally contain flavonoid components, saponins, alkaloids and steroids, and specifically, the meat is not identified flavonoid compounds. Water-soluble protein and salt-soluble protein in the sea cucumber powder decreased compared to the fresh sea cucumber. Essential amino acids in sea cucumber amino were most abundant in meat of 74.09% and viscera-gonads of 49.95%. The dominant essential amino acids in sea cucumber meat included lysine (6.78%) and leucine (7.11%), in the viscera-gonad of leucine amino acid types (3.81%) and arginine (4.16%). The amount of total fatty acids in sea cucumber meat (1.71%) was smaller than that of sea cucumber gonads (18.49%). The types of fatty acids identified in the meat and the sea cucumber viscera-gonad were saturated fatty acids of 1.08% and 8.97%; saturated fatty acids of 0.63% and 4.96%; while compounds saturated fatty acids in meat were not identified and in viscera-gonads by 4.56%.

Antifungal activity of selected sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines using modified SPOTi assay

Abstract. Ereguero MG, Cordero MA, Dalayap R, Tabugo SR. 2022. Antifungal activity of selected sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines using modified SPOTi assay. Biodiversitas 23: 6049-6055. Marine organisms have become essential candidates for discovering novel compounds that can be medically and commercially important. They are believed to yield novel compounds with unique chemical structures and significant biological activities since they managed to survive a milieu of pathogenic microorganisms and essential predators. The quest against fungal infections has been challenging due to acquired resistance to commercially available drugs hence, novel sources to treat infectious diseases caused by fungi have been investigated. Sea cucumbers have been recognized in Asian countries as a rich food source. Apart from that, they have also been studied for their medicinal properties. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of the selected sea cucumber species found in Brgy. Sugod, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines using the modified SPOTi assay. Methanol: ethyl acetate crude extracts of Holothuria scabra, Stichopus sp., and Holothuria atra were tested for their antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Candida tropicalis. A 96-well plate assay was used, and the growth of fungi was assessed visually for up to 72hrs. The concentration resulting in ‘no fungal growth’ was observed and taken as the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value. The average MIC was calculated. Results showed that sea cucumber crude extracts have MIC values of 0.0333-0.1 mg/mL. Tukey’s posthoc test confirmed that the antifungal activity of the sea cucumber extracts was comparable to the positive control Fluconazole (p&gt;0.05). The present study revealed a potentially effective natural antifungal agent from sea cucumbers.

Comparison of metabolite profiles and cytotoxicity of the black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) dried with different drying techniques

Holothuria atra is a species of sea cucumber that could be a source of cytotoxic compounds. The present work aimed to determine the effect of different drying techniques on the profile of metabolites and cytotoxicity of sea cucumber extracts. Sea cucumbers were dried in the sun for 3 d, and then oven-dried at a temperature of 40, 50, and 60°C for 24 h. Fresh sea cucumbers without drying served as a control. The dried and fresh sea cucumbers were extracted by maceration for 12 h using ethanol. The metabolite profiling was performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses, whereas the cytotoxicity was assayed by MTT method using the human breast ductal carcinoma cells (T47D). Analyses of FTIR and HPLC showed that the bioactive compounds of the ethanol extract were relatively stable during drying. This was in line with its cytotoxicity against T47D cells, which did not show significant differences between treatments. Based on these results, it was concluded that drying by sun or oven did not damage the bioactive compounds in the ethanolic extract of sea cucumber.

UJI VIRULENSI Spodoptera litura F. NUCLEAR POLYHEDROSIS VIRUS (S1-NPV) DENGAN PENAMBAHAN ULTRA VIOLET PROTEKTAN TERHADAP ULAT DAUN TEMBAKAU (Spodoptera litura F.)

Sl-NPV is a specific type of NPV used to control S.litura. Exposure to ultraviolet light causes a decrease in the effectiveness of Sl-NPV, so a protective material is needed that can maintain the virulence of Sl-NPV from UV exposure. The purpose of this study was to determine the virulence of Sl-NPV with the addition of a protective agent and to determine the most efficient protective agent for the virulence of Sl-NPV against S.litura. This study used a Randomized Block Design (RAK) consisting of one treatment factor, namely the type of protective material, with 6 treatments, namely control, Sl-NPV+kaolin 5%, Sl-NPV+ husk charcoal 5%, Sl- NPV + molasses 5%, Sl-NPV + yam extract 5%, Sl-NPV + cucumber extract 5%. The observation parameters used in this study were mortality of S. litura larvae, LT50, ER, and physical changes. The results showed that the addition of a protective agent (uv protector) had an effect on Sl-NPV in causing mortality of S. litura F. The most efficient protective agent was molasses with an ER value of 1.64 and an LT50 of 54 hours.