Health and Medicine

Title: CYTOTOXICITY OF Euphorbia milii cv. LEAF EXTRACT ON HUMAN LUNG (A549) AND COLORECTAL (HCT116) CARCINOMAS
(First Place, PSHS–CVC Local Science Fair — Health and Medicine Category; Qualifiers: PSHS System–wide Science Research Summit 2014; Champion, 9th Zonal High School Thesis Competition, Central Luzon State University)
Researchers: Agbayani, Daniella L.
Alba Alyssa Joselle B.
Guzman, Junel Christine B.
Consultants:
Dr. Sonia D. Jacinto, Director and Mr. Carlo M. Limbo, Research Associate Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines, Diliman
Adviser: Catherine Joy A. Addauan
ABSTRACT

Euphorbia milii cv., “The Crown of Thorns”, is a common species of Euphorbia that is widely distributed among different countries in Asia. Studies have indicated its toxicity against humans, and more studies have indicated its anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-tumor and anti-cancer and many more of its biological activities. The researchers have come to recognize cancer as a prevailing cause of mortality worldwide, thus, this study aimed to determine the possible cytotoxic effect of Euphorbia milii cv. leaves on lung and colorectal cancer cell lines in order to provide a basis for upcoming similar researches.

The leaves were subjected to solvent extraction using methanol and afterwards, the extract was diluted in DMSO in preparation for the MTT Assay. Through the MTT Assay, the cytotoxic activity of the extract on lung and colorectal carcinoma was determined.

The results from the MTT Assay showed that the Euphorbia milii cv. leaf extract inhibited the cell growth of HCT116 and A549 cancer cells with its IC50 values 26.281 μg/mL and 33.96647 μg/mL respectively, making it effective in killing half (50%) the population of the cancer cells. Also, it has been found out that 100μg/mL concentration of Euphorbia milii cv. is the most effective of all the concentrations. Euphorbia milii cv., having found to exhibit a cytotoxic activity against human lung and colorectal carcinoma, is recommended for extensive studies implying further purification of its extract and a live cell count before and after treatment for more accurate results and a wider understanding of it.

Engineering

Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLAR POWERED STREET LIGHT AND CHARGING STATION PROTOTYPE
(First Place, PSHS-CVC Local Science Fair – Technology and Engineering Category; Exhibited in the National Science and Technology Week in July 2015 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City)
Researchers: Bautista, Kim Wesley M.
Daquioag, Nelvinson N.
Narvadez, Patricia Nicole S.
Consultants:
Engr. Teofilo T. Sagabaen, Saint Mary’s University, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
Adviser: Mr. Ronald M. Navalta
ABSTRACT

People today use electronic machines to aid them in day to day activities. Electricity is in high demand but the major resource from which we get energy is fast depleting. This research aimed to build a self-sustaining street light and charging station that utilizes solar energy.

The device can be simplified into three parts, namely: the automatically adjusting solar panel, the LED lamp, and the charging station. The device makes use of ZDS II - Z8 Encore! Family as its program. The solar panel adjusts towards the direction of the sun every hour but it can also be manually adjusted by the user. It uses a real-time clock (RTC) and pre–calculated angles of the sun. This function helped maximize the energy gathered by the solar panel throughout the day. The LED lamp was programmed to turn on and off by 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM, respectively. The charging station can charge devices with at most 2000 mAh batteries. The energy gathered by the panel is stored in a 12V battery that the device will make use of for the charging station and the LED lamp.

The device is self-sustaining, needing only an average of 5 hours to charge the required amount of AHr to supply the street light and the charging station in 24 hours.

Biochemistry

Title: TOTAL PHENOLICS CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF THE ETHANOLIC CRUDE EXTRACTS OF Hylocereus undatus AND Hylocereus polyrhizus PEELS
(Finalist: PSHS System-wide Science Research Summit 2014; Semi-finalist, 9th Zonal High School Thesis Competition, Central Luzon State University)
Researchers: Clemente Ledger R.
Gumayagay, Kino Gabriel G.
Huggay, Rhonald Job D.
Consultants:
Mrs. Claribel A. Matias, Saint Mary’s University, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
Adviser: Genalyn Alice R. Viloria
ABSTRACT

Free radicals are atoms or molecules that have unpaired electrons which can cause numerous diseases. Antioxidants, on the other hand, are substances that inhibit the oxidation of free radicals. Lately, there is an increasing interest in antioxidants, particularly towards the antioxidant activity of Dragon fruit. Dragon fruit, which is also known as pitaya is the fruit of a night blooming cactus. The study aims to evaluate the total phenolic content and the radical scavenging activity of the white fleshed dragon fruit peel, red fleshed dragon fruit peel, and the combination of the white fleshed dragon fruit and the red fleshed dragon fruit. The dragon fruit peels were consecutively extracted with ethanol to produce dragon fruit crude extracts. The extracts were separately added with their respective reagents with 3 replicates of the three extracts each in the determination of Total Phenolics Content and DPPH free radical scavenging activity.

The results of the study indicate that White-fleshed dragon fruit yielded the highest total phenolics content and radical scavenging activity compared to Red-fleshed dragon fruit, combination of White-fleshed dragon fruit and Red-fleshed dragon fruit, and the controls (Ascorbic Acid for Total Phenolics Content and Catechin for Free radical scavenging activity).

Based on the data gathered, there is a significant difference in the antioxidant properties of the dragon fruit peel extract treatments in terms of total phenolics content but not in terms of free radical scavenging activity. It was found that the white-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) peel ethanolic extract significantly yielded the highest total phenolics content and qualitatively the highest free radical scavenging activity among the treatments followed by the 1:1 combination of the white-fleshed and red-fleshed dragon fruit peel extracts. These results imply that Hylocereus undatus peels are the best source of phenolics which can act as antioxidants but the antioxidant activities of all the dragon fruit peel extracts tested are comparable to each other and to the positive control, Catechin.