Discovered forest tree species resistant to four strains of cancer

Spoon is a wood chemical found in Ha Giang, has biological activity that is toxic to lung, breast, liver, prostate cancer cells.

Scientists from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology have published the results of the study of biology and chemical composition of two species: Vietnamese wood spoon - Xyloselinum vietnamense and The spoon is made of leonid - Xyloselinum leonidii wood from the spatula of woodchips (Xyloselinum) in Ha Giang province. This is the research result of the project chaired by Dr. Nguyen Phuong Hanh, conducted in 2017 - 2018.

Spoons are woodchips sampled in Quan Ba, Ha Giang province.(Photo: VAST).

Isolation of substances from two spoon species is Vietnamese wood and spoon is leonid wood chemistry , scientists discovered falcarindiol compound from the spoon is a Vietnamese wood chemical has toxic effects on all four cell lines of lung cancer, breast, liver and prostate. Test in vitro this substance shows a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

The research team has developed biological and ecological data for two spoons, Vietnamese wood and spoon, leonid wood at Bat Dai Son Nature Reserve, Quan Ba ​​district, and limestone mountains in Sinh Lung commune. Dong Van district, Ha Giang province.

Spoons are woodchips usually distributed at altitudes 1000 - 1350m and very scattered in some places but are being exploited for commercial purposes. Therefore, their genetic resources are seriously threatened. Therefore, the results of the thesis are the scientific basis for the conservation of rare genetic resources and further research on the new characteristics and activities of the spatula in Vietnam.