Blumea lanceolaria (Roxb.) Druce, a flowering plant, is used for treating cancer and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we determined the chemical composition of the EOs extracted from the leaves (LBEO), stem (SBEO), and roots (RBEO) of B. lanceolaria and analyzed their anti-inflammation potential. Overall, 30 compounds representing 99.12%, 98.44%, and 96.89% of total EO constituents of the leaves, stem, and roots, respectively, were identified using GC-MS. ELISA, Western blotting, and qRT-PCR studies showed that LBEO, SBEO, and RBEO inhibited multiple steps in the inflammatory responses in the RAW 264.7 cell model, including NO production; TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2 transcription and translation; and phosphorylation of IκBα and p65 of the NF-κB pathway. In the carrageenan-induced paw edema model, all three EOs inhibited paw edema at both early and delayed phases. Molecular docking studies indicated that the main components of B. lanceolaria EOs (BEOs) targeted and inhibited major components of inflammation-related pathways, including the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway, NF-κB pathway, and MAPK pathway. We present the first study to characterize the chemical composition of BEOs and confirm their potent anti-inflammatory effects in in vitro, in vivo, and in silico analysis. These results can facilitate the development of effective anti-inflammatory drugs with limited side effects in the future.

Accurate identification of cyanobacterial strains is an essential step for subsequent research to be performed on these organisms. The classification of cyanobacteria in Nostocaceae remains a significant challenge due to the lack of reference data for type species and robust morphological characters for each genus. This study aims to classify 38 new isolated Nostoc–like strains at the genus level. The relationship between phylogenetic classification and morphological characteristics at the genus level was also investigated. The 16S rRNA gene sequences served as primary data for phylogenetic classification, supporting the designation of 18 isolates into the Aliinostoc, 7 isolates into the Aulosira, and 13 isolates into the Desmonostoc. Subsequently, we used these isolates as living materials to discover the most distinct features at each genus level of Aliinostoc, Aulosira, and Desmonostoc. As a result, the morphological characteristics of the three genera became distinguishable when grown in the BG11₀ medium. There, the mature vegetative cells of all isolated strains in the Aliinostoc were gray or brown, the strains in the Aulosira exhibited basal heterocysts at the beginning of cultivation, and the Desmonostoc strains showed the appearance of akinetes in the life cycle as an alternative reproduction. All isolated strains exhibited heterocysts, indicating their ability to fix nitrogen and potentially improve nutrient availability in paddy soil, especially in nitrogen-deficient conditions. This study provides a dataset of 16S rRNA gene sequences and morphological characteristics of Nostoc morphotypes, contributing to cyanobacterial taxonomy.

Microalgae are primary producers, the first trophic level in the food webs of aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, they have many potential applications in aquaculture. This study aimed to create autotrophic biofilms from microalgae strains belonging to the Nostocaceae, Protosiphonaceae, and Scenedesmaceae, isolated in Vietnam and to select a microalgal biofilm capable of inhibiting Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The microalgal biofilms were created by attaching the microalgal strains (cyanobacterium and green algae) to substrates (coconut fibre, sugarcane bagasse and cheesecloth). Additionally, the inhibitory effect of the microalgal biofilm on V. parahaemolyticus was evaluated based on the reduction proportion of V. parahaemolyticus cell numbers in an environment with the microalgal biofilm (co-culture method) compared to those in an environment without microalgal biofilm. The results showed that coconut fibre and cheesecloth had higher coverage density and biomass content of microalgae after 72 hours of biofilm formation than the sugarcane bagasse. We also found that microalgal biofilms formed by the combination of a cyanobacterial strain NK1111 with a green microalgal strain MBN1 or MHN122 reduced 76.2% - 99.8% of V. parahaemolyticus in 96 - 120 hours of co-culture. Meanwhile, microalgal biofilm formed by the strain NK1111 and a green microalgal strain MHB231 inhibited 91.8% of V. parahaemolyticus bacterium as early as 24 hours and inhibited 99.4% of this bacteria at 120 hours of co-culture. Therefore, the microalgal biofilms consisting of the strain NK1111 and the strain MHB231 on cheesecloth or coconut fibre substrate are highly appreciated for their potential application in shrimp farms in Vietnam.