Makapuno is a natural mutant coconut cultivar with jelly-like endosperm. Here, we investigated the nutritional compositions, active ingredients, and antioxidant activities of Makapuno meat and water. The contents of macronutrients, sugars, vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids were reported. We found that Makapuno meat has higher dietary fiber with lower protein and fat content compared to normal coconut meat. Medium-chain fatty acids were the major fat component of Makapuno meat and water. Phytochemical analysis revealed that while flavonoid content was lower, the total phenolic, alkaloid, and tannin contents of Makapuno meat were comparable with those of mature coconut. However, Makapuno water contained higher alkaloid content when compared to mature and young coconuts. The antioxidant activities, as examined by DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays, showed that Makapuno meat and water had antioxidant activities, and Makapuno water exhibited protective activity against DNA damage. Hence, this research provides the nutraceutical importance of Makapuno, which could be used in the food industry.

Orchidaceae are diverse plants whose bioactive compounds have various biological activities. New hybrids of Dendrobium have been generated to gain characteristics shared with their ancestors. Dendrobium Pearl Vera (designated as DH) is derived from parents used for dermatological treatments and cosmetics. However, the phytoconstituents and biological properties of DH have not been reported. The current study investigated extracts from DH plants using four solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, or 2-propanol). The propanolic extract (DH-P) contained the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents, along with a high scavenging performance for free radicals. In total, 25 tentative constituents in the DH-P matrix were identified, consisting of amino acids, nucleotides, and three types of secondary metabolites: furan, phenolics, and alkaloids. The DH-P inhibited human tyrosinase in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner of the phenolic content. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between DH-P with 10 μg/ml phenolic content and 0.75 mM kojic acid (a commercial whitening agent) on the inhibition of human tyrosinase. Incubation with DH-P containing at least 15 μg/ml phenolic content greatly inhibited the proliferation of human melanoma; however, the cell viability was not affected by the phenolic content at 5 μg/ml or less. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of the phenolic content in DH-P on melanoma viability was 12.90 ± 1.04 μg/ml. Melanin production in vivo by human melanoma incubated with 5 μg/ml phenolic content in DH-P was reduced significantly, compared to 2.5 μg/ml phenolic content in DH-P, 100 μg/ml arbutin, and in control. The identified components, including 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde, salicylic acid, nicotinamide, acetophenone, cytidine, adenosine, proline, or valine, have been reported to be associated with depigmentation, antioxidant, and anticancer. This research revealed, for the first time, the tentative phytoconstituents of Dendrobium Pearl Vera and their biological activities, thus demonstrating the potential use of DH-P in dermal applications.

Electrolytes have been verified as a vital internal factor controlling soil aggregate stability (SAS). Several reports have focused on whether potassium promotes or demotes SAS and have shown contradictory results in different soils and clay mineralogy. Only a few studies have investigated such an effect on a soil-plant system, even though this information is critical for soil management practices to maintain soil structural stability. This research studied the dynamics of SAS as influenced by potassium in a soil-plant system. Corn as a test plant was grown on Haplic Acrisols (Typic Paleustults) in a greenhouse. The potassium adsorption ratio (PAR), cation ratio of structural stability (CROSS), and SAS were recorded on the day before planting (day 0), the day of planting (day 1), days 10, 20, 30, and the day of harvesting (day 55) at the tasseling stage. The corn growth, biomass, and potassium uptake were also examined. The relationship between soil and plant parameters was statistically tested. The results showed the existence of SAS dynamics caused by soil potassium change, with agreement among the responses for PAR, CROSS, and plant uptake. Within 24 h of soil treatment with potassium, the SAS move rapidly from 74% to 96%. It remained steady at 96–97% when the corn was in the vegetative stage and then fell significantly (α = 0.05) to 88% when the corn was in the tasseling stage, where the potassium uptake was maximized. The results implied that SAS is a sensitive index of soil physical quality associated with potassium, especially for tropical kaolinitic soils.

The cultivation of Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) has gained significant interest due to its diverse alkaloid profile, increasing its commercial and medicinal demand. Using controlled hydroponic techniques, this study investigates the effects of varying light intensity and water potential on kratom growth, mitragynine (MG) accumulation, and total alkaloid content (TAC). While the interaction between light and water potential was generally not significant, water potential emerged as the dominant factor affecting plant growth and alkaloid accumulation. The highest MG accumulation (0.63% w/w) was recorded under moderate water potential (−0.4 MPa). In contrast, the highest TAC (8.37 mg alkaloid equivalent per gram dry weight) was observed under the combined effect of low light and mild water potential (−0.4 MPa). Leaf age also played a key role, with younger leaves (second and third pairs) accumulating significantly higher MG levels (0.74% w/w) than older leaves (0.40% w/w). Additionally, leaf thickness was positively associated with MG levels, suggesting a potential link between plant morphology and alkaloid biosynthesis. However, low water potential (−0.7 MPa) significantly reduced both growth and MG content, highlighting the importance of optimizing environmental conditions for sustained bioactive compound production. These findings demonstrate the physiological adaptability of kratom to variable environmental stresses and their influence on alkaloid accumulation. This knowledge can be applied to precision cultivation strategies to enhance the sustainability of kratom farming while optimizing the production of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications.

Dendrobium species are used in folk medicines due to their medicinal properties by acting as antioxidants and anticancer agents. Derived from parent plants used in dermatological treatments and cosmetics, Dendrobium Pearl Vera hybrid (DH) was extracted and investigated for its inhibitory effects on free radicals and skin cancer cell proliferation. Based on colorimetric spectrophotometry, the propanolic extract (DH‑P) from the whole plant contained flavonoids, phenolics and alkaloids at 80.11±0.69, 50.51±0.44 and 38.75±1.77 µg/g fresh weight, respectively. Using high‑resolution mass spectrometry, eight compounds involved in skin protection were annotated: Fuanosine, L‑glutamine, threonic acid, quercetagetin, shikimic acid, mannose, p‑coumaric acid and L‑malic acid. DH‑P scavenged free radicals in a concentration-dependent manner and inhibited the activity of collagenase and hyaluronidase, but not in a concentration‑dependent manner. Treatment using DH‑P for 96 h significantly decreased the proliferation of SK‑MEL‑28 melanoma cells in a dose‑dependent manner, with a half‑maximal inhibitory concentration of 20.23±1.04 µg/ml. Thus, DH‑P at 20 µg/ml was used in further studies. Cell migration was not inhibited by DH‑P. However, DH‑P may induce SK‑MEL‑28 cell death through apoptosis, as nuclear condensation and fragmentation was observed after 48 h DH‑P treatment. Gene expression analysis was performed to evaluate key signaling molecules involved in cell apoptosis, such as bax, bcl‑2, cytochrome c, caspases (cas)‑3 and ‑9 and p53. The expression levels of cas‑3 and cas‑9, executors in the apoptosis pathway, were significantly upregulated in the SK‑MEL‑28 cells treated with DH‑P for 48 h, further confirming that cell death may occur through an apoptosis mechanism.