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Objective: To provide preliminary descriptions of the spread, burden and related medical capacity characteristics of the ASEAN countries. Methods: We utilized the data from four main official databases, including WHO reports, the Statistics and Research of the Coronavirus Disease, and the Southeast Asia Program of the Center for Strategic and International Study. The spread of the COVID- 19 pandemic, current burden and the COVID-19 medical response capacities were extracted before April 11, 2020. Results: As of April 13, 2020, the ASEAN countries reported 19 547 COVID-19 positive cases with 817 deaths (case-facility rate of 4.2%). Thailand was the first country in the region that reported having the COVID-19 cases, while Laos was the last to report confirmed COVID-19 cases. Durations for the number of deaths to double were between 8-12 days. For the testing and treatment capacities, the number of PCR tests provided to the populations was the highest in Vietnam, followed by Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Meanwhile, the percentage of the population being tested was the highest in Brunei (2.31%), followed by Singapore (1.30%). Conclusions: A wide range of interventions were taken into practice in response to the outbreak with an effort of curbing the rise of this pandemic. However, special care should not be overlooked as the pandemic is placing a huge impact on the population and becomes increasingly unpredictable. To tackle the spread of the pandemic in the region, the ASEAN countries should work together as one community to provide better responses to future pandemics and other transboundary public health challenges.
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Aims: To isolate pure compounds from the methanolic fraction obtained from successive fractionation of defatted ethanolic extract and evaluate in vitro antioxidant and anticancer activity of the crude ethanolic extract, methanolic fraction and pure compounds isolated from methanolic fraction from leaves of Pteris multifida Poir. Study Design: Isolation and identification of the compounds, evaluation of antioxidant and anticancer activity on cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), lung carcinoma cell line (NCIH460) and breast carcinoma cell line (MCF-7). Place and Duration of Study: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City and School of Biotechnology, International University, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, between December 2012 and September 2013. Methodology: The crude ethanolic leaf extract and methanolic fraction obtained from successive fractionation of defatted ethanolic extract from Pteris multifida leaves were prepared. The isolated compounds from methanolic fraction were identified using different spectroscopic techniques. Antioxidant activity of the samples was evaluated by using the stable free radical 2, 2- diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay was exploited for determination of anticancer activity against three selected human cancer cell lines: HeLa, NCI-H460 and MCF-7. Results: Two main compounds were isolated from methanolic fraction obtained from successive fractionation of defatted ethanolic extract: rutin (1) and apigenin-7-O-β-Dglucopyranoside (2). The crude ethanolic leaf extract showed weak antioxidant activity (IC50 = 89.84 μg/mL) whereas the methanolic fraction expressed quite strong antioxidant activity (IC50 = 21.9 μg/mL). Rutin (1) showed a good ingredient of antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 37.70 ± 0.03 μg/mL. Crude ethanolic leaf extract had cytotoxic activity against HeLa and NCI-H460 cell lines while the methanolic fraction had cytotoxic activity against HeLa, NCI-H460 and MCF-7 cell lines. Apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2) had strong anticancer activity against MCF-7 cell line with IC50 = 22.62 ± 0.59 μg/mL. Conclusion: The crude ethanolic leaf extract and its methanolic fraction of P. multifida showed the potential activity in antioxidant and anticancer activity. Rutin had a potent antioxidant activity while apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside had a strong anticancer activity against the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7.