The project was carried out with the objective of researching and developing organic active compounds and natural polymers oriented toward applications in agriculture and biomedicine. Depending on the type of natural active compounds and the specific objectives, the research focused on the following directions:

• Investigating and screening selected natural bioactive compounds (volatile compounds, essential oils, insect attractants, etc.) for the development of products serving agricultural and biomedical applications.

• Synthesizing selected polycyclic organic compounds with natural product–derived structures for biomedical applications.

• Developing applications of natural polymers as carrier materials for bioactive compounds in order to protect and enhance their effectiveness, as well as incorporating natural colorants for rapid evaluation of food quality deterioration.

• Established extraction, fractionation, and chemical characterization procedures for agricultural by-products, namely coffee husk and cactus stems, obtaining multiple extracts and purified compounds exhibiting anti-inflammatory and anticancer cytotoxic activities.

• Isolated and structurally identified 10 natural compounds from coffee husk and 10 compounds from cactus stems, including the identification of one new compound.

• Successfully synthesized insect pheromones containing double bonds and methyl branches with high yields and excellent stereoselectivity; optimized trap parameters and bait dosages through field trials on coconut rhinoceros beetles and sweet potato weevils.

• Synthesized novel curcumin analogues with targeted biological activities and evaluated structure–activity relationships using in vitro models.

• Successfully fabricated polysaccharide-based nanocomposite systems for curcumin delivery, significantly improving solubility, stability, biosafety toward normal cells, and controlled release behavior of the active compound.

• Developed polysaccharide-based biopolymer films incorporating natural anthocyanins with pH-responsive behavior, enabling quantitative evaluation of protein degradation in foods through colorimetric signals and TVB-N indices.

 

• The project proposed effective strategies for valorizing agricultural by-products and Vietnamese medicinal resources into high-value biological raw materials for applications in agriculture, biomedicine, and food systems.

• The synthesized pheromone systems and field-tested traps demonstrated strong potential for practical application in biologically based, environmentally friendly pest management.

• The developed polymeric and nanocomposite carrier systems open new avenues for the development of therapeutic support products, smart packaging, and food quality monitoring technologies.

• The research outcomes provide a solid scientific foundation for scale-up, technology transfer, and the development of practical application-oriented products.

• For the first time, systematically established and standardized processes for valorizing agricultural by-products, namely coffee husk and cactus stems, to obtain bioactive compounds and natural polymers oriented toward applications in biomedicine and food systems.

• Isolated, structurally elucidated, and clarified the biological activities of numerous natural compounds belonging to alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, triterpenoids, and glycosides; notably, several compounds were reported for the first time, contributing to the expansion of natural product chemical databases for Vietnamese resources.

• Developed efficient synthetic methods for insect pheromones containing double bonds and methyl branches with high yields and excellent stereoselectivity; field validation demonstrated strong attraction efficiency, providing a scientific basis for replacing chemical pesticides with environmentally friendly biological solutions.

• Successfully synthesized and designed novel curcumin analogues with targeted biological activities, expanding structural diversity and elucidating structure–activity relationships of naturally derived polycyclic compounds.

• Proposed and demonstrated the effectiveness of a combined strategy integrating chemical structure modification with polysaccharide-based nanomaterial technology for curcumin delivery, significantly improving solubility, stability, safety, and controlled-release performance.

• Developed polysaccharide-based biopolymer films incorporating pH-responsive natural anthocyanins, for the first time demonstrating the quantitative assessment of protein degradation in foods through correlations between colorimetric signals and TVB-N indices.

• Established an interdisciplinary research approach integrating organic chemistry, materials chemistry, nanotechnology, and applied biology, providing a new scientific and methodological foundation for the development of sustainable bio-based materials and products for agriculture, biomedicine, and food applications.

1. Thi–Dan Thach, Le–Kim–Thuy Nguyen, T. Duy–Nguyen Nguyen, T. My–Thao Nguyen, Van–Su Dang, Dinh Tri Mai, Van–Dung Le, Chi–Hien Dang*, Quynh Nguyen Nhu Le, Phuong Thuy Viet Nguyen, Minh Nam Nguyen, Van Kieu Thuy Nguyen, Nguyen–Nguyen Pham–Tran, Thanh–Danh Nguyen*, Novel sulfonylurea fluorescence probes for antiproliferative activity, detection and imaging of fluoride ions in living cells, Microchemical Journal, 2024, 207, 111760 (SCIE, Q.1, IF = 5.2).

2.  Thi-Ngoc-Mai Tran, Nguyen-Trung-Tien Dieu, Thi-Hong-No Nguyen, Van-Dung Le, Dinh-Tri Mai*, Chi-Hien Dang, Cao-Hien Nguyen, Huynh Trong Phat and Thanh-Danh Nguyen*, Waste robusta coffee husk pectin: ultrasound-assisted extraction and applications in roselle flower marmalade and fruit coating, RSC Advances, 2025, 15, 36625-36641 (SCIE, Q1, IF = 4.6).

3. Van-Dung Le, Minh-Vuong Phan, Nhat-Minh Phan, Nguyen-Khanh-Vu Ngo, Thi-Yen-Nghi Le, Truc-Vy Mai,   Duc-Huy Pham, Minh-Trong Tran, Minh-Ty Nguyen, Thi-Cam-Thu Nguyen, Thanh-Danh Nguyen, Dinh-Tri Mai, Thi-Ngoc-Mai Tran, Thi-Thanh-Tu Nguyen, Hoang-Nhu-Khanh Huynh and  Chi-Hien Dang*,  Fucoidan-mediated green synthesis of palladium nanoparticles as a recyclable catalyst for Heck coupling and alkyne reduction in pheromone synthesis, RSC Advances, 2025, 15, 49074-49087 (SCIE, Q1, IF = 4.6).

4. Thi-Hong-No Nguyen, Cong-Binh Tran, Thi-Kieu-Oanh Vu, Van-Khoa Nguyen, Minh-Ty Nguyen, Thanh-Chi Mai, Chi-Hien Dang, Dinh-Tri Mai, Huu-Trung Nguyen, Thanh-Danh Nguyen*, Anthocyanin incorporated Pectin/Sericin Biofilms for Food Packaging and Shrimp Freshness Monitoring, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026, 341, 150250 (SCIE, Q1, IF = 8.5). 

5. Thi-Hong-No Nguyen, Minh-Truong Truong, Minh-Ty Nguyen, Quynh-Nhu Pham, Dinh-Tri Mai, Thi-Quynh-Nhu Ngo, Thi-Ngoc-Mai Tran, Ngoc-Bich-Tuyen Nguyen, Chi-Hien Dang, Huu-Trung Nguyen, Cao-Hien Nguyen, Thanh-Danh Nguyen*, Biodegradable Alginate-Sericin Biofilm: A Colorimetric Indicator Using Mangosteen-Peel Anthocyanins for Protein Food Freshness, Sustainable Food Technology, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5FB00753D (Q1, IF = 5.3).

6. Thi-Ngoc-Mai Tran, Duong Anh Tan, Nguyen Huu Trung, Thi-Hong-No Nguyen, Phung Van Trung, N. Trung-Tien Dieu, Van-Dung Le, Dinh Tri Mai*, Phuoc-Dat Duong, Chi-Hien Dang, Cao-Hien Nguyen, Nguyen Thi Thanh Tu, Thanh-Danh Nguyen*, Sustainable Conversion of Waste Robusta Coffee Husk into Tea: Optimization, Properties and Diffusion Kinetics, Sustainable Food Technology, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5FB00898K (Q1, IF = 5.3)

7. Van-Dung Le, Chi-Hien Dang, Thanh-Danh Nguyen, Kim-Thuy Nguyen-Le, Thi-Kim-Dung Le, Tran Thi Ngoc Mai, Thuc-Huy Duong, Thanh-Vu Nguyen, Vu Nguyen-Si, Nguyen Ngoc Huyen Tran, Tran Nguyen Minh An, and Mai Dinh Tri*, Bioactive Compounds from Coffea canephora Husks: Alpha Glucosidase Inhibition, Anti-Inflammatory Potential, Cytotoxicity, and In Silico Docking, Chemsitry and Biodiversity, 2026; 23:e03130, 1-17, (SCIE, Q3, IF = 2.5)

8. Huy-Khoa Tran, Truc-Vy Mai, Van-Dung Le, Tran Nguyen Minh An, Dinh-Tri Mai, Quoc-Tuan Tran, Thi-Quyen Vu, Thanh-Danh Nguyen, Chi-Hien Dang*, Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Molecular Dynamics Study of Asymmetric N-Isopropyl-4-piperidone Diarylpentanoids as Potential Anticancer and Anti-Inflammatory Agents, RSC Adv., 2026, 16, 22713, ISSN 2046-2069, SCI-E, IF 4.6, Q.1.

 

- 10 pure compounds isolated from coffee husk;

- 10 pure compounds isolated from cactus stem;

- 28 curcumin analogues, including 12 novel structures and 16 known compounds;

- 05 attractant compounds for coconut rhinoceros beetle;

- 01 pheromone of the sweet potato weevil;

- 01 report on the biological activity evaluation of selected curcumin analogues;

- 1000 mL of curcumin-loaded nanocomposite (20%), Curcumin@HPCD/Alginate;

- 1000 mL of anthocyanin solution extracted from butterfly pea flowers based on sericin/pectin at a concentration of 50 mg/mL.

- Storage location: Functional Compounds Laboratory – Institute of Advanced Technology

- Other products: Training support: 01 Master student (Tran Cong Binh, Decision No. 1101/QĐ-HVKHCN, dated October 02, 2023), 01 PhD candidate (Tran Huy Khoa, Decision No. 2017/QĐ-HVKHCN, dated November 30, 2022).