The lesser paper wasp, Parapolybia varia, belongs to large subfamily Polistinae and is distributed in Middle East, the Indo-Papuan region and East Asia. P. varia is known to become aggressive when disturbed for defending their colonies, resulting in fatal envenomation. Vespid chemotactic peptide (VCP) and vespakinin have recently been determined to be the top two genes most abundantly transcribed in venom glands of P. varia. To investigate the pharmacological and toxicological properties of VCP and vespakinin, their antitumor, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities were evaluated. VCP exhibited a significantly high antitumor activity against ovarian tumor cell SK-OV-3 at 100 M. VCP also showed higher hemolytic activity than vespakinin. Antimicrobial activity was only observed with VCP against yeast Candida albicans at 1 mM. Since VCP showed a relatively low hemolytic activity but a considerable level of antitumor activity, it has further merits to be exploited as a potential antitumor agent with reduced side effects on normal cells.

Background : Ancanthopanax senticosus Fruits Extracts were studied in order to develop as functional pigment. The extracts were evaluated for physicochemical properties and biological activity. Methods and Results : Ancanthopanax senticosus fruits extracts were extracted by the rate of ethanol and distilled water in 1% citric acid. The extracts were evaluated for physicochemical properties by chromaticity, total sugar content, free sugar content, acidity, total anthocyanin contents. Total sugar and acidity were 0.10 brix and 0.44% respectively. Fructose and glucose were 1.54% and 0.36% respectively. The 60% ethanol extracts showed the highest extraction yield and total anthocyanin content. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of 60% and 80% ethanol extracts higher than other extracts. Conclusion : These results suggest that Ancanthopanax senticosus fruits extracts may be useful purple pigment for anti-diabetes activity.

Background : Aerial parts of Angelica gigas were studied in order to develop as functional pigment. The extracts were evaluated for physicochemical properties and biological activity. Methods and Results : Aerial parts of Angelica gigas were extracted by the rate of ethanol and distilled water. The extracts were evaluated for physicochemical properties by chromaticity, total sugar content, free sugar content, acidity, chlorophyll and carotenoids contents. Total sugar and acidity were 0.90 brix and 2.84% respectively. Chlorophyll and carotenoids contents were 0.24 and 0.04% respectively. The extracts were evaluated for biological activity by anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetes activity. Cell viabilities were measured by MTT assay. Effect of extracts on nitric oxide (NO) production from RAW264.7 cells was accessed by Griess reagent assay. Extracts to RAW 264.7 cells reduced amounts of nitrite by 76.0%. Conclusion : These results suggest that aerial parts of Angelica gigas Nakai may be useful pigment for anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetes activity.