• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.191-195
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• 2001

Cucurbitacin D and F, the protostane type triterpenoid of S. sorbifolia, were isolated with chromatograpic method and used as the standard substances for quantitative analysis. The compounds were identified with $^1H$-NMR, FAB-MS and UV spectrophotometer. They were separated on YMC-Pack ODS-AQ(303)[$250{\times}4.6mm$ I.D., $S-5{\mu}m$, 120A] column by HPLC. Cucurbitacin F was detected at 10.73mg/kg in cortex of S. sorbifolia, but cucurbitacin D was not. The compounds were shown to exihibit significant cytotoxicity($ED_{50}$<$0.1{\mu}g/mL$) against several tumor cell lines and acute toxicity(cucurbitacin D: 4.7mg/kg/day, cucurbitacin F: 2.5mg/kg/day) against BDF-1 mouse.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.348-353
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• 1994

The activity fractionation upon the MeOH extract of the root of trichosanthes kirilowii led to the isolation of eight cucurbitane tritepense namely cucurbitacin .betha. (I), isocucurbitacin .betha.(II), cucurbitacin D(III), isocucurbitacin D(IV), 3-epi-isocucurbitacin .betha(V), dihydrocucurbitain .betha. (VI), dihydroisocucurgbitachin .betha. (VII) and dihydrocucurbitacin E (VIII), as active principles. All isolates were shown to exhibit significant cytotoxicity against cultured human tumor cells, including A-549, Sk-OV-3, Sk-MEL-2, XF-498 and HCT 15, with an exceptionally high potency.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.85-87
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• 1997

The activity-guided fractionation upon the MeOH extract of the aerial parts of Sorbaria sorbifolia var. stellipila led to the isolation of two cucurbitacin-compounds, cucurbitacin D and cucurbitacin F, as active principles. Two compounds were shown to exhibit significant cytotoxicity against cultured human tumor cell lines, A-549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, XF-498, and HCT 15.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 2000

In order to investigate the hepatoprotective constituents, Melonis Pedicellus was systematically extracted and fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and water Treatment of rats with ethyl acetate fraction reduced hepatic injuries induced by $\alpha$-naphthylisothiocyanate or D-galactosamine, whereas the components in water fraction showed protective effect only against D-galactosamine-induced hepatitis in rats. Two cucurbitacins and three sterols were isolated from ethylacetate fraction and their chemical structures were identified as cucurbitacin B, isocucurbitacin B, $\alpha$-spinasterol, stigmast-7-en-3-ol and stigmast-7-en-3-ol-0-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside. Cucurbitacin B at the dose of 1 mg/kg (p.o.) signifcantly increased in bile flow in rats with ANIT-induced cholestasis. Isocucurbitacin B at 5 mg/hg (p.o.) showed signilicant protective effects against ANIT-induced cholestasis. These results showed that cucurbitacin B and isocucurbitacin B from Melonis Pedicellus may have hepatoprotective effect in rats with experimental cholestasis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.4631-4635
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• 2016

Background: The plant Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which occupies an important position in traditional medicine prescriptions. It has been reported that a freeze-dried aqueous extract of E. elaterium fruits has cytotoxic effects on the AGS human stomach adenocarcinoma cell line. We here focused on anticancer effects of the main chemicals purified from E. elaterium fruits. Materials and Methods: We isolated cucurbitacins D, E, and I from chloroform, and ethyl acetate fractions of a methanolic extract of E. elaterium fruits and assessed their cytotoxic effects on the AGS cell line by MTT assay. The methanolic extract was fractionated to petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate fractions. The compounds isolated by column chromatography were identified by NMR spectroscopy. Results: After 24 h of incubation with AGS cells, the IC50 values were 0.3, 0.1, and $0.5{\mu}g/ml$ for cucurbitacins D, E, and I respectively. Conclusions: This finding suggests that because of its cucurbitacins, E. elaterium fruit may have some cytotoxic effects on gastric cancer cells. Also, compared with D and I, cucurbitacin E showed greater potency in this regard.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.701-707
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• 2016

The charantin contents of leaves, stems, female and male flowers, and fruits in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) were analyzed at different harvest seasons to investigate the availability of potential edible parts other than fruits. The charantin contents of fruits ranged from 14.7 to $16.0mg{\cdot}g^{-1}$ dry weight (DW) and those of leaves ranged from 131.4 to $138.0mg{\cdot}g^{-1}DW$, which was eight times higher than in fruits. The charantin contents of female and male flowers and stems were also significantly higher than those of the fruits. The ratio of total charantin content was highest in leaves (48%) of DW, followed by female flowers (20-21%), male flowers (14%), stems (12-13%), and fruits (5%). The charantin contents of fruits harvested 14 days after fruit setting was higher in June to mid-July (20.2 to $23.3mg{\cdot}g^{-1}DW$) than in late July to late August (13.3 to $19.4mg{\cdot}g^{-1}DW$). The higher the fruit weight, the lower the charantin contents, which showed that a negative correlation exists between fruit weight and charantin contents in bitter gourd. These results suggest that to obtain bitter gourd fruits with high charantin contents, fruits should be harvested until mid-July when fruit growth is fast and temperature is high. In addition, leaves, stems, and female and male flowers of bitter gourd can be used as for food, which are known to reduce blood sugar level.