Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms is commonly used for medicinal purposes in Vietnam. In traditional medicine, the plant is used to cure ischemia, reduce inflammation, and increase cerebral blood circulation. Triterpene saponins are the major chemical constituents found in the roots of P. fruticosa. This compound exhibited a broad spectrum of biological effects, including lowering blood sugar, suppressing tumor growth and inflammation. This study focused on optimizing the process of total saponins extraction from P. fruticosa roots using the ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) method, ethanol solvent and response surface methodology, and Box–Behnken design model, then evaluating the cytotoxic effect against some cancer cell lines. The results showed that under the optimal conditions, including an extraction temperature of 60 °C and ultrasonic power of 185 W in 65 min, the maximum extraction yield and total saponin content were 14.51 ± 1.15% and 41.24 ± 1.68 mg/g, respectively. Moreover, the saponin extract had cytotoxic effects against A549, HepG₂, PC-3, and Hela. The results of this study confirmed that triterpene saponin is an important chemical component which is present in a high content in P. fruticosa roots and gives rise to significant biological activities. In addition, UAE can be used as a highly efficient method for triterpene saponins extraction from P. fruticosa roots.

One of the significant durability challenges is the corrosion of reinforced concrete. A gold nanoparticle/reduced graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode (AuNPs-rGO-GCE) was fabricated using an electrochemical reduction method for the simultaneous determination of paracetamol (PAR) and chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM). AuNPs-rGO modified GC electrodes were prepared through direct electrochemical reduction of GO to rGO, followed by direct reduction of Au ions to Au on the rGO matrix. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterized the resulting AuNPs-rGO. It was found that AuNPs around 15.4 nm were highly dispersed on the rGO. The modification of GCE by AuNPs-rGO accelerates the electron transfer process and increases the conductivity of the electrode. The AuNPs-rGO modified electrode was used to simultaneously determine PAR and CPM using the square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SQW-ASV) method. Under suitable experimental conditions, the SQW-ASV method using AuNPs-rGO-GCE showed a wide linear range from 23.7 to 140.0 µM for PAR and from 7.5 to 54.0 µM for CPM. The limit of detection of PAR and CPM was 7.12 and 2.54 µM, respectively. The proposed SQW-ASV method was applied to analyze PAR and CPM in samples of herbal medicine simultaneously, and the results were compared with those of high-performance liquid chromatography, with no statistical difference.

In the present work, we utilized Au nanoparticles /electrochemically reduced graphene oxide ( AuNPs/ErGO) as a modifier of glassy carbon electrode to detect Hg(II) in surface water by a voltammetric method. The careful execution of the fabrication of AuNPs/ErGO on a glassy carbon electrode, achieved through the electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO) and Au(III) solution using cyclic voltammetry, was a testament to our dedication and commitment. The modified electrode surface and the obtained materials were characterized by using a range of analytical techniques, including x-ray diffraction, Fourier Infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, elemental distribution maps, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results revealed the highly dispersed Au nanoparticles around 10–20 nm on the reduced graphene oxide matrix. Differential pulse-anodic stripping voltamtemtry (DP-ASV) was used for quantitative determinations, and the linear calibration curves were obtained in the Hg(II) concentration ranges of 2 to 15 ppb. The proposed DP-ASV approach offers a highly selective and sensitive method for Hg(II) determination with a limit of detection of 0.680 ppb. The study also meticulously addressed the common interfering species in aqueous solutions. Finally, the modified electrode was applied to sensitively determine Hg(II) in tap, lake, and river water samples with satisfactory results.

Nghiên cứu này được thực hiện nhằm bào chế vi nhũ tương phối hợp clindamycin 1% và curcumin 0,2% có khả năng giải phóng curcumin tối ưu qua màng cellulose acetat. Nghiên cứu tiến hành khảo sát độ tan curcumin trong các tá dược pha dầu (dầu bơ, acid oleic, isopropyl myristat, capryol 90, tocopherol), chất diện hoạt và đồng diện hoạt (tween 80, span 80, isopropyl alcol, polyethylen glycol 400, propylen glycol), chọn tá dược có khả năng hòa tan tốt curcumin để xây dựng các giản đồ pha. Từ các giản đồ pha, nghiên cứu xác định được thành phần công thức vi nhũ tương và đánh giá một số tính chất của vi nhũ tương như cảm quan, pH, độ dẫn điện, kích thước giọt, độ bền pha, khả năng giải phóng curcumin qua màng. Kết quả cho thấy vi nhũ tương phối hợp clindamycin 1% và curcumin 0,2% được xây dựng với thành phần pha dầu (isopropyl myristat : dầu bơ : capryol 90 : tocopherol (3:1:1:0,5)) 5%, hỗn hợp chất diện hoạt, đồng diện hoạt (tween 80 : span 80 : isopropyl alcol (5:1:1,5)) 35% và nước 58,8% đạt các tính chất vật lý của vi nhũ tương, có kích thước giọt 15,06 nm và cho khả năng giải phóng curcumin qua màng nhiều nhất sau thời gian 1 giờ, 2 giờ, 3 giờ, 5 giờ lần lượt là 63,36 ± 6,35; 124,06 ± 9,65; 164,00 ± 4,77; 199,47 µg/cm2.