Dengue fever is one of major health problem around the world including Malaysia. It is caused by the arthropode-borne flavivirus and transmitted by the bite of the Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquito infected with one of the four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, or DENV-4). In this study, a screening exercise of various Malaysian medicinal plants showed that the extracts of Lawsonia inermis, Dryobalanops aromatica, Punica granatum, Zizyphus jujuba Lam. and Zingiber zerumbet exhibited potent inhibitory activity against NS2B-NS3 serine protease. The methanol extracts of Dryobalanops aromatica showed inhibition of 99.70 % at concentration of 200 �g/mL with IC50 value of 0.30 � 0.16 �g/mL. � 2019, Malaysian Society for Parasitology. All rights reserved.

Microencapsulation is a promising approach in drug delivery to protect the drug from degradation and allow controlled release of the drug in the body. Fucoxanthin-loaded microsphere (F-LM) was fabricated by two step w/o/w double emulsion solvent evaporation method with poly (L-lactic-coglycolic acid) (PLGA) as carrier. The effect of four types of surfactants (PVA, Tween-20, Span-20 and SDS), homogenization speed, and concentration of PLGA polymer and surfactant (PVA), respectively, on particle size and morphology of F-LM were investigated. Among the surfactants tested, PVA showed the best results with smallest particle size (9.18 ?m) and a smooth spherical surface. Increasing the homogenization speed resulted in a smaller mean F-LM particle size [d (0.50)] from 17.12 to 9.18 ?m. Best particle size results and good morphology were attained at homogenization speed of 20 500 rpm. Meanwhile, increased PLGA concentration from 1.5 to 11.0 (% w/v) resulted in increased F-LM particle size. The mean particle size [d (0.5)] of F-LM increased from 3.93 to 11.88 ?m. At 6.0 (% w/v) PLGA, F-LM showed the best structure and external morphology. Finally, increasing PVA concentration from 0.5 to 3.5 (% w/v) resulted in decreased particle size from 9.18 to 4.86 ?m. Fucoxanthin characterization before and after microencapsulation was carried out to assess the success of the microencapsulation procedure. Thermo gravimetry analysis (TGA), glass transition (Tg) temperature of F-LM and fucoxanthin measured using DSC, ATR-FTIR and XRD indicated that fucoxanthin was successfully encapsulated into the PLGA matrix, while maintaining the structural and chemical integrity of fucoxanthin. � 2016 by Japan Oil Chemists� Society.

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of fucoxanthin is more advantageous over conventional solvent extraction as it is less toxic, less hazardous to the environment and preserves the bioactivity of fucoxanthin. A face-centered central composite design (FCCCD) based on response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for SC-CO2 extraction of oils and fucoxanthin from the brown seaweed Sargassum binderi, with ethanol as a co-solvent. Three independent parameters namely, extraction temperature (A: 40, 50, 60�C), pressure (B: 2900, 3625, 4350 psig and particle size (C: 90, 500 and 1000 ?m) were investigated to optimize extraction oil yields (EOY) and fucoxanthin yields (FY). A regression model was developed, tested for quality of fit (R2) and expressed in the form of 3D response surface curve and 2D contour. The optimum extraction conditions were obtained at extraction temperature (A) 50�C, pressure (B) 3625 psig and particle size (C) 500 ?m. Under these conditions, optimal EOY and FY were 10.04 mg/g and 3188.99 ?g/g, respectively. The difference between the lowest and the highest response in EOY and FY were 5.44 - 10.04 mg/g and 2109.10 - 3188.90 ?g/g, respectively. The lowest yields were identified at 60�C, 2900 psig and 1000 ?m. The regression models generated showing interactions between the variables and EOY and FY response were significant as tested by ANOVA (p < 0.0005 and p < 0.0007, respectively) with high R2 values (0.9848 and 0.9829, respectively). Interactions between the parameters had a strong synergistic effect on EOY and FY values, as indicated by the 3D response surface curve and 2D contour. The experimental results matched the predicted results closely. This indicated the suitability of the models developed and the success of FCCCD under RSM in optimizing the S. binderi extraction conditions. � All Rights Reserved.