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

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.57 no.4
• /
• pp.389-396
• /
• 2012

Melon (Cucumis melo) is an annual herbaceous plant of the family Cucurbitaceae. Phytophthora rot, caused by Phytophthora capsici is a serious threat to cucurbits crops production as it directly infects the host plant, and it is difficult to control because of variable pathogenicity. This study investigated the resistance of 450 accessions of melon germplasm against Phytophthora rot by inoculating the seedlings with sporangial suspension ($10^{5\;or\;6}$ zoosporangia/ml) of P. capsici. Disease incidence of Phytophthora rot was observed on the melon germplasm at 7-day intervals for 35 days after inoculation. Susceptible melon germplasm showed either severe symptoms of stem and root rot or death of the whole plant. Twenty out of 450 tested accessions showed less than 20% disease incidence, of which five accessions showed a high level of resistance against Phytopthtora rot. Five resistant accessions, namely IT119813, IT138016, IT174911, IT174927, and IT906998, scored 0% disease incidence under high inoculum density of P. capsici ($10^6$ zoosporangia/mL). We recommend that these candidate melon germplasm may be used as genetic resources in the breeding of melon varieties resistant to Phytophthora rot.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.32 no.1 s.124
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the antitoxic components in the water extract of the roots of Trichosanthes kirilowii (Cucurbitaceae). The results were as follows: Generally, detoxication effects by the water extract of T. kirilowii increased in proportion to the concentrations. Experimental animals were treated with cadmium and T. kirilowii water extract by oral administration. When 40 mg/kg dosage of T. kirilowii extract was administrated it showed the highest antitoxic effects in metallothionein induction. After the water extract treatment, body weights did not increase in proportion to the extract concentrations. These results suggest that T. kirilowii extract increased metallothionein concentration and decreased the toxicity of cadmium in rats. In vitro the antitoxic activity of water extract of T. kirilowii on NIH 3T3 fibroblasts was evaluated by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) and SRB (sulforhodamine B protein) assays. The light microscopic study was carried out to observe morphological changes of the treated cells. These results were obtained as follows; The concentration of $10^{-2}\;mg/ml$ of T. kirilowii extract was shown significant antitoxic activity. The number of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts were increased and tend to regenerate. These results suggest that T. kirilowii extract retains a potential antitoxic activity.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.17-22
• /
• 2007

Fresh unripe whole fruits of Luffa tuberosa (Roxb.) or Momordica tuberosa (Roxb.) Cogn. (Cucurbitaceae) were evaluated for the antidiabetic and hyperlipidemic potential in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by administration of intra-peritoneal injection of streptozotocin at a dose of 55 mg/kg body weight. After the induction of diabetes aqueous extract of L.tuberosa (AELT) was administered orally at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg. body weight/day for a period of 14 days. The Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, serum insulin levels, changes in body weight, food and liquid intake were measured. In diabetic rats, the AELT exhibited significant reduction in blood glucose levels. Biochemical assay of plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), glycogen content and glucose-6-phosphatase activity in liver were assessed. Antihyperlipidemia in diabetic rats after the extract supplementation was confirmed by significant reduction in the levels of above mentioned hyperlipidemic indicators. This study focus on the efficacy of L.tuberosa fruits for the management of experimental STZ induced diabetic rats and provides the scientific basis of ancient herbal therapy and use of these fruits as vegetable.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.5
• /
• pp.477-484
• /
• 2008

The present study was aimed at investigating the hypouricemic and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of the various fractions of the hydromethanolic extract of the leaves of Coccinia grandis L. Voigt (Cucurbitaceae). The leaves of this species was used in traditional medicinal system for the treatment of gout, rheumatism, jaundice, bronchitis, fever, skin eruptions, wounds, etc. The degree of xanthine oxidase inhibition was determined in vitro by measuring the increase in absorbance at 295 nm associated with uric acid formation. Among the fractions tested, the chloroform fraction exhibited highest potency ($IC_{50}$ $17.8\;{\mu}g/ml$). This was followed by the pet-ether ($IC_{50}$ $29.7\;{\mu}g/ml$), ethyl acetate ($IC_{50}$ $41.2\;{\mu}g/ml$) and residual ($IC_{50}$ $47\;{\mu}g/ml$) fractions. The $IC_{50}$ value of allopurinol was $6.1\;{\mu}g/ml$. In addition, the hypouricemic and hepatic xanthine oxidase (XO)/xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) inhibitory activities of the fractions were examined in vivo using oxonate (280 mg/kg, i.p.) induced hyperuricemic mice. At a dose of 200 mg/kg orally for 7 days, the pet-ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions produced a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in serum urate level and also inhibited hepatic XO/XDH activities when compared to hyperuricemic mice. These inhibitory effects were weaker than that observed for the standard drug, allopurinol (10 mg/kg, p.o.). Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the enzyme kinetics indicated that the mode of inhibition was of a mixed type. These results suggest that the use of Coccinia grandis leaves for the treatment of gout could be attributed to its XO inhibitory activity.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.141-148
• /
• 2016

Oriental melon (Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa) is one of six subspecies of melon and is cultivated widely in East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. Although oriental melon is economically valuable in Asia and is genetically distinct from other subspecies, few reports of genome-scale research on oriental melon have been published. We generated 30.5 and 36.8 Gb of raw RNA sequence data from the female and male flowers, leaves, roots, and fruit of two oriental melon varieties, Korean landrace (KM) and Breeding line of NongWoo Bio Co. (NW), respectively. From the raw reads, 64,998 transcripts from KM and 100,234 transcripts from NW were de novo assembled. The assembled transcripts were used to identify molecular markers (e.g., single-nucleotide polymorphisms and simple sequence repeats), detect tissue-specific expressed genes, and construct a genetic linkage map. In total, 234 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 25 simple sequence repeats were screened from 7,871 and 8,052 candidates, respectively, between the KM and NW varieties and used for construction of a genetic map with 94 F2 population specimens. The genetic linkage map consisted of 12 linkage groups, and 248 markers were assigned. These transcriptome and molecular marker data provide information useful for molecular breeding of oriental melon and further comparative studies of the Cucurbitaceae family.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.247-253
• /
• 2006

The antitumor activity of crude saponin mixture obtained from Luffa tuberosa (Roxb.) (Fam; Cucurbitaceae) hairy roots (CSLT) in mice transplanted with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) was investigated. The EAC-bearing mice receiving 150 and $300{\mu}g/kg$ body weight, (i.p) of CSLT have shown a dose dependent elevation in tumor-tree survival and a highest number of survivors were observed after administration of CSLT $(300{\mu}g/kg)$, which was considered as an optimum dose for its antineoplastic action. The mean survival time (MST) for this dose was approximately $47.1{\pm}0.74d$, when compared with $19.0{\pm}0.36d$ of untreated control. Administration of $300{\mu}g/kg$ CSLT resulted in 130% long-term increased survival time. The measurement of body weight, tumor volume, packed cell volume, viable and non-viable count indicated the efficacy of CSLT in tumor-bearing mice, there was a significant recovery in hematological profiles, and there was depletion in lipid peroxidation levels, and the antioxidant enzyme activities such as GSH, SOD and CAT were restored to near the normal levels. The CSLT was found to be devoid of conspicuous short-term toxicity in the mice when animals were intraperitoneally injected with 250, 500, 750 and $1000{\mu}g/kg$ bodyweight. The treated mice showed conspicuous toxic symptoms only at a dose of $1500{\mu}g/kg$. Mortality of the animals was monitored up to 14 d post drug treatment, $1/7^{th}$ of the $LD_{50}$ dose has been considered for the optimal antineoplastic activity.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.82-87
• /
• 2007

The genetic diagnostic method of virion capture (VC)/RT-PCR was developed for the simultaneous detection of three rod shaped viruses of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus(KGMMV) and Zucchini green mottle mosaic virus (ZGMMV) transmitted by seed in Cucurbit. Out of 12 primer combinations for the three tobamoviruses, a primer set of CGMMV-C724, KGMMV-K513 and ZGMMV-Z407A was useful for mono and triplex VC/RT-PCR. The triplex VC/RT-PCR for the three tobamovirus in Cucurbit could detect specifically without interference among primers and/or plant species of watermelon, gourd, cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash and Nicotiana benthamiana.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.71-80
• /
• 1994

Nepal, with its unique geographical and ecological features due to its abrupt rise in altitude, plays significant role in biological evolution. Existence of numerous wild relatives of the present-day cultivated agricultural crop plants in this small Himalayan nation may serve as a potential source of several yet unidentified desirable genes that are needed for future incorporation in the improvement of cultivated crop plants. This report includes 82 different wild relatives of 41 genera under 19 families of 37 agricultural crops of Nepal(Table 1). It serves as the sample of the glossary of these wild relatives of crop plants in Nepal. Under food grain crop plants of gramineae, leguminoceae and polygonaceae families, 16 different wild species namely wild rices(7 species), wild relatives of wheat plant(3 species), wild arhar(3 species), wild fingermillets(1 species) and wild buckwheat(2 species) have been identified in different parts of the country. Similarly, under vegetable crop plants of Araceae, Amaranthaceae, Crucifereae, Cucurbitaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Labiteae, Leguminosae, Liliaceae, Malvaceae, Polygonaceae, Solanaceae and Umbellifereae, 37 different wild species-wild colocasia(1 species), wild amaranths(3 species), wild leafy vegetables(2 species), wild gourds(3 species), wild cucumber(1 species), wild yams(4 species), wild mints(3 species), wild fenugreeks(4 species), wild pea(1 species), wild beans(3 species), wild garlics(2 species), wild spinach(3 species), wild lady's finger(1 species), wild spinach(3 species), wild eggplants(2 species) and wild carrot(one species) have also been identified. In case of wild relatives of cultivated orchard plants, 11 different wild species namely wild mango(one species), wild banana(one species), wild strawberry(one species), wild pear(one species), wild cherries(2 species), wild apple(one species) and wild grapes(3 species) have been identified, Among 19 different wild species of economic crop plants, five wild species of sugarcane, one species of wild sunhemp, two wild relatives of cotton, three wild relatives of rose, two wild species of tobacco, four wild species of turmeric and two wild species of tea have also been identified. This report includes only sample of the total wild species of the present-day cultivated agricultural crop plants. Further exploration on this economic botany will help the country in cataloging the wild relatives of cultivated crop plants and their future use in crop improvement.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.379-387
• /
• 2015

Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) was recently identified on watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) in Korea, displaying as large necrotic spots and vein necrosis on the leaves and stems. The average occurrence of MNSV on watermelon was found to be 30-65% in Hapcheon and Andong City, respectively. Four isolates of the virus (MNSV-HW, MNSV-AW, MNSV-YW, and MNSV-SW) obtained from watermelon plants in different areas were non-pathogenic on ten general indicator plants, including Chenopodium quinoa, while they infected systemically six varieties of Cucurbitaceae. The virus particles purified by 10-40% sucrose density gradient centrifugation had a typical ultraviolet spectrum, with a minimum at 245 nm and a maximum at 260 nm. The morphology of the virus was spherical with a diameter of 28-30 nm. Virus particles were observed scattered throughout the cytoplasm of watermelon cells, but no crystals were detected. An ELISA was conducted using antiserum against MNSV-HW; the optimum concentrations of IgG and conjugated IgG for the assay were $1{\mu}l/ml$ and a 1:8,000-1:10,000 dilutions, respectively. Antiserum against MNSV-HW could capture specifically both MNSV-MN from melon and MNSV-HW from watermelon by IC/RT-PCR, and they were effectively detected with the same specific primer to produce product of 1,172 bp. The dsRNA of MNSV-HW had the same profile (4.5, 1.8, and 1.6 kb) as that of MNSV-MN from melon. The nucleotide sequence of the coat protein of MNSV-HW gave a different phylogenetic tree, having 17.2% difference in nucleotide sequence compared with MNSV isolates from melon.