ABSTRACT
Five novel highly oxygenated diterpenes, orthosiphols K (1), L (2), M (3), and N (4) and norstaminone A (5), were isolated from the aerial part of Orthosiphon stamineus, together with three known diterpenes, orthosiphols A (6) and B (7) and neoorthosiphol A (8). Orthosiphol L (2) is an isopimarane-type diterpene with a hydroxyl group at C-12, which supports the biogenesis of staminane-type diterpenes, i.e., migration of a vinylic group from C-13 of isopimarane to C-12. Norstaminone A (5) has a staminane carbon framework and supports the biosynthetic pathway from staminols to norstaminols via staminolactones. All the isolated compounds showed mild to weak antiproliferative activities toward highly liver metastatic colon 26-L5 carcinoma and human HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cell lines.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/isolation & purification , Diterpenes/isolation & purification , Lamiaceae/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology , Cell Division/drug effects , Diterpenes/chemistry , Diterpenes/pharmacology , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Myanmar , Phenols/chemistry , Phenols/isolation & purification , Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment , Spectrophotometry, InfraredABSTRACT
We have previously shown that HIV-1 env subtypes B' (a Thai-B cluster within subtype B) and E (CRF01_AE) are distributed in Yangon, the capital city of Myanmar. However, HIV strains from the rest of country have not yet been genetically characterized. In the present study, we determined env (C2/V3) and gag (p17) subtypes of 25 specimens from central Myanmar (Mandalay). Phylogenetic analyses identified 5 subtype C (20%), in addition to 10 CRF01_AE (40%) and 4 subtype B' (16%). Interestingly, the remaining six specimens (24%) showed discordance between gag and env subtypes; three gag subtype B'/env subtype C, one gag subtype B'/env subtype E, one gag subtype C/env subtype B', and one gag subtype C/env subtype E. These discordant specimens were found frequently among injecting drug users (4 of 12, 33%) and female commercial sex workers (2 of 8, 25%) engaging in high-risk behaviors. The recombinant nature of these HIV-1 strains was verified in three specimens, indicating the presence of new forms of HIV-1 intersubtype C/B' and C/B'/E recombinants with different recombination breakpoints. The data suggest that multiple subtypes of B', C, and CRF01_AE are cocirculating in central Myanmar, leading to the evolution of new forms of intersubtype recombinants among the risk populations exhibiting one of the highest HIV infection rates in the region.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/virology , HIV-1/classification , HIV-1/genetics , Recombination, Genetic , Viral Proteins , Adolescent , Adult , Amino Acid Sequence , Female , Gene Products, gag/chemistry , Gene Products, gag/genetics , HIV Antigens/chemistry , HIV Antigens/genetics , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/chemistry , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/genetics , Humans , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Myanmar/epidemiology , Peptide Fragments/chemistry , Peptide Fragments/genetics , Phylogeny , Sequence Analysis, DNA , gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency VirusABSTRACT
A total of three hundred mothers in both rural and urban areas were interviewed and their knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on acute respiratory infections (ARI) were compared. It was observed that KAP on ARI of mothers in both categories was almost the same with the exception of their health care seeking practice. Most had traditional beliefs as to the cause of ARI with only a minority knowing the causes. Only one third of mothers knew signs and symptoms of pneumonia; the majority had not experienced the fatal danger sign, chest indrawing and could not recognize it. As regards health care seeking practices, private general practitioners were identified as favorite health providers in urban areas. Utilization of government health facilities was higher among rural mothers. Self medication was found to be common in both categories of mothers, with western medicine being the top of the list.
