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1
Ku, Jin Mo, Se Hyang Hong, Hyo In Kim, et al. "Cucurbitacin D exhibits its anti-cancer effect in human breast cancer cells by inhibiting Stat3 and Akt signaling." European Journal of Inflammation 16 (January 1, 2018): 1721727X1775180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1721727x17751809.
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Cucurbitacins are triterpenoids commonly found in Cucurbitaceae and Cruciferae and have long been used in traditional medicine. Cucurbitacins demonstrate anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. We investigated whether cucurbitacin D affects viability in breast cancer cells and its mechanism of action. An MTT assay was used to measure the viability of breast cancer cells. Western blot analysis was used to measure the expression of various modulators, such as p-p53, p-Stat3, p-Akt, and p-NF-κB. Doxorubicin and cucurbitacin D affected the viability of MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and SKBR3 cells. Cucurbitacin D and doxorubicin increased p-p53 expression in MCF7, SKBR3, and MDA-MB-231 cells. Cucurbitacin D suppressed p-Akt, p-NF-κB, and p-Stat3 expression in MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and SKBR3 cells. Doxorubicin alone did not decrease p-Akt and p-Stat3 levels. Cucurbitacin D decreased p-NF-κB and p-Stat3 levels. Doxorubicin in combination with cucurbitacin D increased p-p53 levels and suppressed Akt, NF-κB, Stat3, and Bcl-2 expression more than cucurbitacin D alone. Our results clearly demonstrate that cucurbitacin D could be a useful compound for treating human breast cancer.
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Wang, Xiaojuan, Mine Tanaka, Herbenya Silva Peixoto, and Michael Wink. "Cucurbitacins: elucidation of their interactions with the cytoskeleton." PeerJ 5 (May 30, 2017): e3357. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3357.
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Cucurbitacins, a class of toxic tetracyclic triterpenoids in Cucurbitaceae, modulate many molecular targets. Here we investigated the interactions of cucurbitacin B, E and I with cytoskeletal proteins such as microtubule and actin filaments. The effects of cucurbitacin B, E and I on microtubules and actin filaments were studied in living cells (Hela and U2OS) and in vitro using GFP markers, immunofluorescence staining and in vitro tubulin polymerization assay. Cucurbitacin B, E and I apparently affected microtubule structures in living cells and cucurbitacin E inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro with IC50 value of 566.91 ± 113.5 µM. Cucurbitacin E did not affect the nucleation but inhibited the growth phase and steady state during microtubule assembly in vitro. In addition, cucurbitacin B, E and I all altered mitotic spindles and induced the cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Moreover, they all showed potent effects on actin cytoskeleton by affecting actin filaments through the depolymerization and aggregation. The interactions of cucubitacin B, E and I with microtubules and actin filaments present new insights into their modes of action.
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Lee, Dhong Hyun, Gabriela B. Iwanski, and Nils H. Thoennissen. "Cucurbitacin: Ancient Compound Shedding New Light on Cancer Treatment." Scientific World JOURNAL 10 (2010): 413–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2010.44.
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Cucurbitacins and their derivatives are triterpenoids found in medicinal plants known for their diverse pharmacological and biological activities, including anticancer effects, throughout human history. Although initial attention to cucurbitacin as a potential anticancer drug withered for decades, recent discoveries showing that cucurbitacin is a strong STAT3 (Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription-3) inhibitor have reclaimed the attention of the drug industry one more time. There is increasing evidence showing that some cucurbitacins not only inhibit the JAK-STAT pathway, but also affect other signaling pathways, such as the MAPK pathway, which are also known to be important for cancer cell proliferation and survival. Moreover, some reports have shown the synergistic effect of cucurbitacins with known chemotherapeutic agents, such as doxorubicin and gemcitabine. In this review, we will summarize the recent discoveries regarding molecular mechanisms of action of cucurbitacins in human cancer cells and discuss the possibilities of cucurbitacin as a future anticancer drug in clinical settings.
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Ding, Xupo, Zhuo Yang, Hao Wang, Jun Zeng, Haofu Dai, and Wenli Mei. "Aquilaria sinensis: An Upstart Resource for Cucurbitacin Production Offers Insights into the Origin of Plant Bitter (Bi) Gene Clusters." Plants 13, no. 2 (2024): 260. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants13020260.
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Cucurbitacins, oxygenated tetracyclic triterpenoids that are found mainly in the Cucurbitaceae family, play essential roles as defensive compounds, serving as allomones against herbivores and pathogens and as signals for insect–parasite recognition. These compounds also exhibit various pharmacological effects. The biosynthesis of cucurbitacins is largely regulated by the bitter (Bi) gene, encoding an oxidosqualene cyclase, which catalyzes the conversion of 2,3-oxidosqualene into cucurbitadienol, a common precursor for cucurbitacin synthesis. Previous studies focused on uncovering the Bi gene clusters in Cucurbitaceae, but their presence in other cucurbitacin-producing plants remained unexplored. Here, the evolutionary history of Bi genes and their clusters were investigated in twenty-one plant genomes spanning three families based on chemotaxonomy. Nineteen Bi genes were identified in fourteen Cucurbitaceae, four Begoniaceae, and one Aquilaria species. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the genome of Aquilaria sinensis contained the earliest Bi gene clusters in this dataset. Moreover, the genomic analysis revealed a conserved microsynteny of pivotal genes for cucurbitacin biosynthesis in Cucurbitaceae, while interspersed Bi gene clusters were observed in Begoniaceae, indicating rearrangements during plant Bi gene cluster formation. The bitter gene in A. sinensis was found to promote cucurbitadienol biosynthesis in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. This comprehensive exploration of plant Bi genes and their clusters provides valuable insights into the genetic and evolutionary underpinnings of cucurbitacin biosynthesis. These findings offer prospects for a deeper understanding of cucurbitacin production and potential genetic resources for their enhancement in various plants.
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Wan, Jiang, Xiao-Juan Wang, Nan Guo, et al. "Highly Oxygenated Triterpenoids and Diterpenoids from Fructus Rubi (Rubus chingii Hu) and Their NF-kappa B Inhibitory Effects." Molecules 26, no. 7 (2021): 1911. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules26071911.
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During a phytochemical investigation of the unripe fruits of Rubus chingii Hu (i.e., Fructus Rubi, a traditional Chinese medicine named “Fu-Pen-Zi”), a number of highly oxygenated terpenoids were isolated and characterized. These included nine ursane-type (1, 2, and 4–10), five oleanane-type (3, 11–14), and six cucurbitane-type (15–20) triterpenoids, together with five ent-kaurane-type diterpenoids (21–25). Among them, (4R,5R,8R,9R,10R,14S,17S,18S,19R,20R)-2,19α,23-trihydroxy-3-oxo-urs-1,12-dien-28-oic acid (rubusacid A, 1), (2R*,4S*,5R*,8R*,9R*,10R*,14S*,17S*, 18S*,19R*,20R*)-2α,19α,24-trihydroxy-3-oxo-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (rubusacid B, 2), (5R,8R,9R,10R, 14S,17R,18S,19S)-2,19α-dihydroxy-olean-1,12-dien-28-oic acid (rubusacid C, 3), and (3S,5S,8S,9R, 10S,13R,16R)-3α,16α,17-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-2-one (rubusone, 21) were previously undescribed. Their chemical structures and absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) analyses. Compounds 1 and 3 are rare naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoids featuring a special α,β-unsaturated keto-enol (diosphenol) unit in ring A. Cucurbitacin B (15), cucurbitacin D (16), and 3α,16α,20(R),25-tetrahydroxy-cucurbita-5,23- dien-2,11,22-trione (17) were found to have remarkable inhibitory effects against NF-κB, with IC50 values of 0.08, 0.61, and 1.60 μM, respectively.
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Shang, Yi, Yongshuo Ma, Yuan Zhou, et al. "Biosynthesis, regulation, and domestication of bitterness in cucumber." Science 346, no. 6213 (2014): 1084–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1259215.
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Cucurbitacins are triterpenoids that confer a bitter taste in cucurbits such as cucumber, melon, watermelon, squash, and pumpkin. These compounds discourage most pests on the plant and have also been shown to have antitumor properties. With genomics and biochemistry, we identified nine cucumber genes in the pathway for biosynthesis of cucurbitacin C and elucidated four catalytic steps. We discovered transcription factors Bl (Bitter leaf) and Bt (Bitter fruit) that regulate this pathway in leaves and fruits, respectively. Traces in genomic signatures indicated that selection imposed on Bt during domestication led to derivation of nonbitter cucurbits from their bitter ancestors.
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Cai, Yuee, Xiefan Fang, Chengwei He, et al. "Cucurbitacins: A Systematic Review of the Phytochemistry and Anticancer Activity." American Journal of Chinese Medicine 43, no. 07 (2015): 1331–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0192415x15500755.
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Cucurbitacins are highly oxidized tetracyclic triterpenoids that are widely present in traditional Chinese medicines (Cucurbitaceae family), possess strong anticancer activity, and are divided into 12 classes from A to T with over 200 derivatives. The eight most active cucurbitacin components against cancer are cucurbitacin B, D, E, I, IIa, L glucoside, Q, and R. Their mechanisms of action include antiproliferation, inhibition of migration and invasion, proapoptosis, and cell cycle arrest promotion. Cucurbitacins are also found to be the inhibitors of JAK-STAT3, Wnt, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways, which play important roles in the apoptosis and survival of cancer cells. Recently, new studies have discovered synergistic anticancer effects by using cucurbitacins together with clinically approved chemotherapeutic drugs, such as docetaxel and methotrexate. This paper provides a summary of recent research progress on the anticancer property of cucurbitacins and the various intracellular signaling pathways involved in the regulation of cancer cell proliferation, death, invasion, and migration. Therefore, cucurbitacins are a class of promising anticancer drugs to be used alone or be intergraded in current chemotherapies and radiotherapies to treat many types of cancers.
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Chen, Lili, Yunyun Liu, Yifei Li, Wu Yin, and Yongxian Cheng. "Anti-Cancer Effect of Sesquiterpene and Triterpenoids from Agarwood of Aquilaria sinensis." Molecules 27, no. 16 (2022): 5350. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165350.
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Two new guaiane sesquiterpenes, aquisinenoids A and B (1 and 2), two new eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids, aquisinenoids C and D (3 and 4), one new cucurbitacin, aquisinenoid E (5), and five known cucurbitacins (6–10) were isolated from agarwood of Aquilaria sinensis. The structures of these new compounds, including their absolute configurations, were characterized by spectroscopic and computational methods. The biological evaluation showed that compounds 3 and 9 had an anti-cancer effect on most of the cancer cells at 5 μM, especially in human breast cancer cells. Interestingly, the new compound 3 exhibited more sensitivity on cancer cells than normal cells, highlighting its potential as a novel anti-cancer agent. Mechanically, compound 3 treatment increased the ROS generation and triggered apoptosis of human breast cancer cells.
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Zhang, Xin, Wentao Lv, Yongping Fu, et al. "Hepatoprotective Activity of Ethanol Extract of Rice Solid-State Fermentation of Ganoderma tsugae against CCl4-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice." Molecules 27, no. 16 (2022): 5347. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165347.
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Ganoderma tsugae is well known as a medicinal mushroom in China and many Asian countries, while its fermentation technique and corresponding pharmacological activity are rarely reported. In this study, a wild G. tsugae strain (G42) with high triterpenoid content was screened from nine strains by rice solid-state fermentation, and 53.86 mg/g triterpenoids could be produced under optimized conditions; that is, inoculation amount 20%, fermentation temperature 27 °C, and culture time 45 days. The hepatoprotective activity of G42 ethanol extract was evaluated by CCl4-induced liver injury in mice, in which changes in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), oxidation-related factors, and inflammatory cytokines in serum or liver samples demonstrated the therapeutic effect. In addition, the ethanol extract of G42 reduced the incidence of necrosis and inflammatory infiltration, and decreased protein expression levels of phosphor-nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), interleukin-Iβ (IL-1β), and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2). The chemical composition of the ethanol extract was analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry and molecular networking. Three main triterpenoids, namely platycodigenin, cucurbitacin IIb, and ganolecidic acid B were identified. This work provided an optimized fermentation method for G. tsugae, and demonstrated that its fermentation extract might be developed as a functional food with a hepatoprotective effect.
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T, Madesh, Abhinav Raj Ghosh, Krishna K L, et al. "Anti-tumor potential of cucurbitacin triterpenoids of Momordica dioica Roxb. fruit by EAC induced ascites tumor model." International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 11, no. 2 (2020): 1793–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.26452/ijrps.v11i2.2082.
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Momordica dioicaRoxb. (Cucurbitaceae) is commonly known as spiny gourd and traditionally used as astringent, febrifuge, antiseptic, anthelmintic, spermicidal and also used in bleeding piles, urinary infection and as a sedative. Studies indicate that it possesses antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-lipid peroxidative, hypoglycaemic and analgesic properties. In this study, the anticancer efficacy of Cucurbitacins obtained from Momordica dioicaRoxb. (MDR) has been evaluated. Based on previous in-vitro studies performed, in-vivo studies were carried out on mice model. Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells were inoculated into swiss albino mice intraperitoneally to form a liquid tumor and then treated with oral administration of 50, 100, 200mg/kg. Evaluation parameters involved the mean survival time (MST), body weight, hematological parameters, Percentage increase in life span were measured in normal control, EAC control and Cucurbitacintreated groups (n = 6). Treatment with Cucurbitacins enriched fraction has shown anti-tumor effects against liquid tumor as indicated by a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in body weight. Interestingly, the enriched bio fraction restored the altered hematological parameters of tumor-bearing animals and significantly increased their life span. These data indicate the cytotoxic potential effects of MDRon tumor cells opening new opportunities for further studies on the anti-cancer effects of this agent.
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Lin, Yanfei, Yuki Kotakeyama, Jing Li, et al. "Cucurbitacin B Exerts Antiaging Effects in Yeast by Regulating Autophagy and Oxidative Stress." Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2019 (June 2, 2019): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/4517091.
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The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used as a model organism for the basic mechanism of aging, which provides useful assay systems for measuring both replicative and chronological lifespans. In the course of our screening program for substances that extend replicative lifespan, cucurbitacin B (CuB) was found as a hit compound from a compound library, which contains cerebrosides, phenols, sesquiterpenoid, triterpenoids, and sterols isolated from natural products by our research group. Importantly, it prolonged not only the replicative lifespan but also the chronological lifespan in yeast. CuB increased ATG32 gene expression, suggesting that CuB induces autophagy. Indeed, the GFP signal generated from the cleavage of GFP-Atg8, which is a signature of autophagy, was increased upon CuB treatment. On the other hand, CuB failed to increase the chronological lifespans when either ATG2 or ATG32, essential autophagy genes, was deleted, indicating that the lifespan extension by CuB depends on autophagy induction. Furthermore, CuB significantly increased superoxide dismutase (Sod) activity and the survival rate of yeast under oxidative stress, while it decreased the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production, indicating that CuB has activity to antagonize oxidative stress. Additionally, CuB did not affect replicative lifespans of sod1, sod2, uth1, and skn7 mutants with the K6001 background, indicating that aging-related genes including SOD1, SOD2, UTH1, and SKN7 participate in the antiaging effect of CuB. These results suggest that CuB exerts antiaging activity by regulating autophagy, ROS, antioxidative ability, and aging-related genes. Finally, we discuss the possible intracellular targets of CuB based on the phenotypic comparison between the CuB and global gene deletion databases.
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Kirti, Nandkishor Raut*1 Pankaj Vishnu Vyawhare2. "Formulation And Evalutions Of Muccoadhesive Buccal Patches By Using Coccinia Grandis Leaves Extract." International Journal in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2, no. 6 (2024): 746–57. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11623311.
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Coccinia grandis (Linn) Voigt belonging to family Cucurbitaceae, commonly known as “Ivy gourd, and synonym Coccinia grandis var. wightiana M poem Greb scarlet gourd” (English), “Kanduri, kundru (Hindi) and “Bimbi, tundika” (Sanskrit) is distributed throughout the hotter parts of India. In the literature, Coccinia grandis is described to have wide range of medicinal applications. Cucurbitacin’s comprise of a group of tetracyclic triterpenoids found in the Cucurbitaceae family. Plants containing cucurbitacin’s are found to possess anti- inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, anti-tumor and anti-microbial, antiulcer, wound healing), antifungal, antidiabetic activities. Indian system of traditional knowledge i.e. Ayurveda is well-known for its effective herbal treatments. The main objective of present investigation to formulate and evaluate mucoadhesive buccal patches of Coccinia grandis using solvent casting method. HPMC K100 M were used as a mucoadhesive polymer and PEG 400 used as a plasticizer as well as penetration enhancers. The formulated patches of Coccinia grandis were evaluated for their appearance, weight variation, thickness, folding endurance, surface pH, swelling index, drug content, % elongation, mucoadhesive strength, in vitro drug release, kinetic release study and stability study. The Buccal patches are drug delivery systems that adhere to the mucosal lining of the buccal cavity and release the active ingredients gradually. These buccal patches are designed to provide controlled and sustained release of bioactive compounds from the plant extract, which may have various health benefits, such as anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The mucoadhesive property of these patches ensures prolonged contact with the buccal mucosa, enhancing drug absorption and bioavailability.
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Narayana, Chinmaya K., Chandan HM, K. L. Krishna, et al. "PRE-TREATMENT WITH CUCURBITACIN TRITERPENOIDS RICH BIOFRACTION OF MOMORDI CADIOICA ROXB. FRUIT PROTECTED THE CARDIOTOXICITY INDUCED BY ISOPROTERENOL AND STRESS IN RATS." International Research Journal of Pharmacy 11, no. 3 (2020): 5–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.7897/2230-8407.110323.
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DINAN, Laurence, Pensri WHITING, Jean-Pierre GIRAULT, et al. "Cucurbitacins are insect steroid hormone antagonists acting at the ecdysteroid receptor." Biochemical Journal 327, no. 3 (1997): 643–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1042/bj3270643.
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Two triterpenoids, cucurbitacins B and D, have been isolated from seeds of Iberis umbellata (Cruciferae) and shown to be responsible for the antagonistic activity of a methanolic extract of this species in preventing the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E)-induced morphological changes in the Drosophila melanogaster BII permanent cell line. With a 20E concentration of 50 nM, cucurbitacins B and D give 50% responses at 1.5 and 10 μM respectively. Both cucurbitacins are able to displace specifically bound radiolabelled 25-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone (ponasterone A) from a cell-free preparation of the BII cells containing ecdysteroid receptors. The Kd values for cucurbitacins B and D (5 and 50 μM respectively) are similar to the concentrations required to antagonize 20E activity with whole cells. Cucurbitacin B (cucB) prevents stimulation by 20E of an ecdysteroid-responsive reporter gene in a transfection assay. CucB also prevents the formation of the Drosophila ecdysteroid receptor/Ultraspiracle/20E complex with the hsp27 ecdysteroid response element as demonstrated by gel-shift assay. This is therefore the first definitive evidence for the existence of antagonists acting at the ecdysteroid receptor. Preliminary structure/activity studies indicate the importance of the Δ23-22-oxo functional grouping in the side chain for antagonistic activity. Hexanorcucurbitacin D, which lacks carbon atoms C-22 to C-27, is found to be a weak agonist rather than an antagonist. Moreover, the side chain analogue 5-methylhex-3-en-2-one possesses weak antagonistic activity.
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Mohammed, Firdous Sayeed, Dinesh Babu, Zainab Irfan, and Marwa A. A. Fayed. "A review on the traditional uses, nutritive importance, pharmacognostic features, phytochemicals, and pharmacology of Momordica cymbalaria Hook F." PeerJ 12 (February 27, 2024): e16928. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.16928.
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Momordica cymbalaria Hook F. (MC), belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, is a plant with several biological activities. This detailed, comprehensive review gathers and presents all the information related to the geographical distribution, morphology, therapeutic uses, nutritional values, pharmacognostic characters, phytochemicals, and pharmacological activities of MC. The available literature showed that MC fruits are utilized as a stimulant, tonic, laxative, stomachic, and to combat inflammatory disorders. The fruits are used to treat spleen and liver diseases and are applied in folk medicine to induce abortion and treat diabetes mellitus. The phytochemical screening studies report that MC fruits contain tannins, alkaloids, phenols, proteins, amino acids, vitamin C, carbohydrates, β-carotenes, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, α-eleostearic acid, and γ-linolenic acid. The fruits also contain calcium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, manganese, zinc, and phosphorus. Notably, momordicosides are cucurbitacin triterpenoids reported in the fruits of MC. Diverse pharmacological activities of MC, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, anticancer, antiangiogenic, antifertility, antiulcer, antimicrobial, antidiarrheal and anthelmintic, have been reported by many investigators. M. cymbalaria methanolic extract is safe up to 2,000 mg/kg. Furthermore, no symptoms of toxicity were found. These pharmacological activities are mechanistically interpreted and described in this review. Additionally, the microscopic, powder and physiochemical characteristics of MC tubers are also highlighted. In summary, possesses remarkable medicinal values, which warrant further detailed studies to exploit its potential benefits therapeutically.
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I.M., Rasulov, J.D.Karshiyev, and Khoshimov U.A. "THE USAGE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN CANCER TREATMENT (COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE L. (AUTUMN COLTSFOOT) & ECBALLIUM ELATERIUM L. (WILD CUCUMBER)." February 6, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14825972.
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<em>It is important to suggest that particular </em><em>scientific studies</em><em> were </em><em>carried out </em><em>in the country at present time </em><em>on the basis</em><em> of R</em><em>esolution</em><em> </em><em>of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan P</em><em>R</em><em>-4668 dated April 10, 2020 "On additional measures for the development of traditional medicine in the Republic of Uzbekistan"</em><em> and </em><em>Resolution P</em><em>R</em><em>-4901 dated November 26, 2020 "On measures to expand the scope of scientific research on the development, cultivation and processing of medicinal plants, the establishment of their seed production". The</em><em> given</em><em> article provides information on the medicinal properties and prophylactic use of medicinal plants </em><em>and </em><em>borage.</em>
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Marques, Maria Carolina Silva, Nídia Cristiane Yoshida, Eduardo Caio Torres-Santos, Fernanda Rodrigues Garcez, and Walmir Silva Garcez. "Bioassay-guided isolation of leishmanicidal cucurbitacins from Momordica charantia." Frontiers in Pharmacology 15 (July 11, 2024). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1390715.
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IntroductionLeishmaniasis, a neglected tropical parasitic disease, is regarded as a major public health problem worldwide. The first-line drugs for leishmaniasis suffer from limitations related to toxicity and the development of resistance in certain parasitic strains. Therefore, the discovery of alternative treatments for leishmaniasis is imperative, and natural products represent a valuable source of potential therapeutic agents.MethodsThe present study aimed at finding new potential antileishmanial agents from the aerial parts of the medicinal plant Momordica charantia. This study was based on bioassay-guided fractionation of the M. charantia extract against promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. The cytotoxicity of the extract, fractions, and isolated compounds were evaluated against peritoneal murine macrophages by employing the MTT assay for assessing cell metabolic activity.ResultsAntileishmanial assay-guided fractionation of the M. charantia extract led to the bioactive cucurbitacin-enriched fraction and the isolation of four bioactive cucurbitacin-type triterpenoids, which exhibited significant antileishmanial activity, with IC50 values between 2.11 and 3.25 μg.mL−1 against promastigote and amastigote forms, low toxicity and selectivity indexes ranging from 8.5 to 17.2.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that the fractions and cucurbitacin-type triterpenoids obtained from the aerial parts of M. charantia are promising natural leishmanicidal candidates.
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Hafiz Zaudin, Muhammad Safwan, Suhaizan Lob, Fauziah Tufail Ahmad, and Nurul Faziha Ibrahim. "Identification and Quantification of Cucurbitacins B and E in Different Parts of Bitter Gourd Plants Derived from Different Planting Methods." Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 47, no. 3 (2024). http://dx.doi.org/10.47836/pjtas.47.3.15.
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Bitter gourd is a beneficial and easily accessible plant commonly utilised as a food source and medicinal herb. This plant produces numerous types of phytochemicals, especially when triggered by elicitors. It is also well known for its bitter taste, which is contributed by one of its phytochemical contents called cucurbitacin. This study determines the different levels of cucurbitacins B and E in the plants from two different planting methods, conventional and fertigation. Fruits, leaves, stems, and roots of bitter gourd plants from the two different planting methods were harvested for extraction using the sonication extraction method. The extraction solvents used were n-hexane, chloroform, and 80% ethanol. The extract’s cucurbitacins B and E content were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. A preliminary rapid test using the Salkowski’s test to detect triterpenoids showed positive results for all sample runs. Results indicate significant variations in cucurbitacin levels across plant parts and cultivation methods. This study found that the content of cucurbitacin B in leaves of the fertigation planting method was the highest (208.0±0.4 ppm). Cucurbitacin B content in fruits was notably higher in both fertigation (200.0±1.3 ppm) and conventional (200.0±5.0 ppm) methods compared to other plant parts. However, leaves in the conventional method showed a significantly lower cucurbitacin B content (122.0±5.0 ppm). All plant parts were significantly different for cucurbitacin E, with the stem from the conventional planting method having the highest level of cucurbitacin E (31.0±1.0 ppm). Thus, it is concluded that plant parts and type of planting method can affect the cucurbitacin content in bitter gourd.
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Almeida, Aldo, Lemeng Dong, Theis H. Thorsen, et al. "Metabolic engineering of cucurbitacins in Cucurbita pepo hairy roots." Frontiers in Plant Science 13 (December 5, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1021907.
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In this paper we show that metabolic engineering in Cucurbita pepo hairy roots can be used to both effectively increase and modify cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins are highly-oxygenated triterpenoids originally described in the Cucurbitaceae family, but have since been found in 15 taxonomically distant plant families. Cucurbitacin B, D, E and I are the most widespread amongst the Cucurbitaceae and they have both important biological and pharmacological activities. In this study C. pepo hairy roots were used as a platform to boost production and alter the structures of the afore mentioned cucurbitacins by metabolic engineering to potentially provide new or more desirable bioactivities. We report that the ability to induce cucurbitacin biosynthesis by basic Helix-Loop-Helix transcription factors is partially conserved within the Cucurbitaceae and therefore can potentially be used as a biotechnological tool to increase cucurbitacins in several genera of this family. Additionally, overexpression of a novel acyltransferase from cucurbitacin producing Iberis amara generates a hitherto undescribed acetylation at the C3-hydroxyl group of the cucurbitadienol backbone. While overexpression of the cytochromes P450 CsCYP88L2 and McCYP88L7 from Cucumis sativus and Momordica charantia (respectively), results in accumulation of new spectral feature as revealed by High resolution liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy analysis; the m/z of the new peak supports it might be a cucurbitacin hydroxylated at the C19 position in C. pepo hairy roots. Finally, this paper is a case study of how hairy roots can be used to metabolically engineer and introduce novel modifications in metabolic pathways that have not been fully elucidated.
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Liu, Jingke, Xiao Zhang, Haixia Yang, Chenhui Zhu, Daidi Fan, and Jianjun Deng. "Preliminary investigation of the anti‐colon cancer activity of cucurbitacin C from cucumber: A network pharmacological study and experimental validation." Food Frontiers, October 8, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fft2.317.
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AbstractColon cancer (CC) is a prevalent malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract and ranks among the leading causes of death in cancer patients worldwide. Cucurbitacin, a group of tetracyclic triterpenoids widely found in Cucurbitaceae plants, exhibits diverse pharmacological activities. However, the pharmacological activity of cucurbitacin C (CuC), a cucurbitacin derivative exclusively present in cucumbers, remains unclear. To investigate CuC's action targets and potential targets for CC, we utilized a database to obtain relevant information. Additionally, we identified differentially expressed genes in CC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas and discovered 64 crossover targets formed through the intersection of drug‐disease targets. Through the construction of a protein‐protein interaction network, we identified 20 central genes. Enrichment analysis revealed that the cross‐targets were significantly enriched in four signaling pathways, namely, the PI3K‐Akt, Ras, MAPK, and IL‐17 signaling pathways. Correlation and expression analysis of the enriched central genes led to the identification of 7 key targets, among which matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)‐1, MMP‐3, and MMP‐13 demonstrated a significant association with poor prognosis in patients. Furthermore, we validated the network pharmacology results with in vitro and in vivo experiments. CuC can effectively inhibit the proliferation and migration of HCT‐116. CuC also can suppress the colon tumor growth in vivo, while reducing the expression of placental growth factor, MMP‐1, MMP‐3, MMP‐9, and MMP‐13 both in vitro and in vivo, consistent with the predicted results. Together, our results demonstrated that CuC holds promise as a potential agent for CC treatment.
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Tra, Nguyen Thanh, Ba Thi Cham, Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Le Thi Tu Anh, Nguyen Van Tuyen, and Ninh The Son. "Antioxidant Constituents from the Stem and Leaf of Helicteres hirsuta Loureiro." Natural Products Journal 10 (July 28, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2210315510999200728131328.
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Background: Helicteres hirsuta has been used traditionally as a useful agent for hepatoprotective treatment. The aim of the current study is to isolate chemical constituents from the EtOAc extract of Helicteres hirsuta stem and evaluate the capacity of the isolated compounds against hydroperoxide damaged rat liver cells Methods: Column chromatography was used for phytochemical isolation whereas MTT method was applied for intracellular antioxidative assay Results: Phytochemical analysis of the EtOAc extract of Helicteres hirsuta stem led to the isolation and determination of four triterpenoids betulin (1), bentulinic acid (2), alphitolic acid (3), and oleanolic acid (4), together with two steroids stigmast-4-ene-6β-ol-3-one (5), and β-sitostenone (6), whereas EtOAc extract of its leaf composed of three steroids cucurbitacin D (11), cucurbitacin I (12), and simiarenol (13), four flavonoids tiliroside (14), potengriffioside A (15), kaempferide (16), and isokaempferide (17), along with two carotenoids lutelin (18), and β-carotene (19). Isolated compounds 3, 5, 6, 16, and 17 were found in genus Helicteres for the first time, while carotenoids 18, and 19 were never isolated from family Sterculiaceae before. Phytochemicals derived H. hirsuta species are also useful agents for antioxidative drugs, e.g, flavonol 17 induced the significant EC50 value of 22.24 ± 0.14 μg/mL, as compared with that of positive control curcumin (EC50 19.33 ± 0.77 μg/mL), against hydroperoxide damaged rat liver cells Conclusion: Antioxidative activity of the EtOAc extract of Helicteres hirsuta stem against hydroperoxide is mostly based on the role of flavonoids.
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Bruno, Pamela, Carla C. M. Arce, Ricardo A. R. Machado, et al. "Sequestration of cucurbitacins from cucumber plants by Diabrotica balteata larvae provides little protection against biological control agents." Journal of Pest Science, October 7, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10340-022-01568-3.
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AbstractCucurbitaceae plants produce cucurbitacins, bitter triterpenoids, to protect themselves against various insects and pathogens. Adult banded cucumber beetles (Diabrotica balteata), a common pest of maize and cucurbits, sequester cucurbitacins, presumably as a defensive mechanism against their natural enemies, which might reduce the efficacy of biological control agents. Whether the larvae also sequester and are protected by cucurbitacins is unclear. We profiled cucurbitacin levels in four varieties of cucumber, Cucumis sativus, and in larvae fed on these varieties. Then, we evaluated larval growth and resistance against common biocontrol organisms including insect predators, entomopathogenic nematodes, fungi and bacteria. We found considerable qualitative and quantitative differences in the cucurbitacin levels of the four cucumber varieties. While two varieties were fully impaired in their production, the other two accumulated high levels of cucurbitacins. We also observed that D. balteata larvae sequester and metabolize cucurbitacins, and although the larvae fed extensively on both belowground and aboveground tissues, the sequestered cucurbitacins were mainly derived from belowground tissues. Cucurbitacins had no detrimental effects on larval performance and, surprisingly, did not provide protection against any of the natural enemies evaluated. Our results show that D. balteata larvae can indeed sequester and transform cucurbitacins, but sequestered cucurbitacins do not impact the biocontrol potential of common natural enemies used in biocontrol. Hence, this plant trait should be conserved in plant breeding programs, as it has been demonstrated in previous studies that it can provide protection against plant pathogens and generalist insects.
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Alafnan, Ahmed, Nasrin E. Khalifa, Talib Hussain, and Mhdia Elhadi Osman. "Cucurbitacin-B instigates intrinsic apoptosis and modulates Notch signaling in androgen-dependent prostate cancer LNCaP cells." Frontiers in Pharmacology 14 (June 28, 2023). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1206981.
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Introduction: Among numerous triterpenoids of the Cucurbitaceae family, Cucurbitacin-B (Cur-B) is being explored for its pharmacological attributes. Reports from previous studies have explicitly shown that Cur-B possesses substantial anticancer effects. The present report focuses on exploring the anticancer attributes of Cur-B against androgen-dependent PCa LNCaP cells.Methods: LNCaP cells were exposed to commercially available purified Cur-B at varying concentrations that were selected as 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 µM for some time of 24 h to perform various experimental studies.Results: Cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that Cur-B impeded the LNCaP cell’s viability at 5 µM (p &lt;0.05) which increased considerably at a concentration of 25 µM (p &lt;0.001). Cur-B was also efficacious in inducing the changes within nu-clear morphology followed by a concomitant increase in the activities of key caspases including caspase-3, -8, and -9 intriguingly in a dose-dependent trend. Cur-B treatment not only resulted in the augmentation of intracellular ROS levels within LNCaP cells at 5 µM (p &lt;0.05) but also in-creased significantly at 25 µM concentration (p &lt;0.001). Elevation in the ROS levels was also found to be correlated with dissipated mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) which culminated in the onset of significant apoptosis at 25 µM concentration (p &lt;0.001). Cur-B exposure also resulted in the downregulation of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) followed by amplified levels of p21Cip1 mRNA. Importantly, exposure of Cur-B competently reduced the expression of the Notch signaling cascade which may be the plausible cause behind Cur-B-instigated apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest in LNCaP cells.Discussion: These observations thus, explicitly indicated that Cur-B could be plausibly further explored as potent therapeutics against androgen-dependent PCa.
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Ogunyemi, Oludare M., Gideon A. Gyebi, Femi Olawale, et al. "Identification of promising dipeptidyl pepti-dase-4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors from selected terpenoids through molecular modeling." Bioinformatics Advances, December 19, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioadv/vbae205.
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Abstract Motivation Investigating novel Drug-target interactions is crucial for expanding the chemical space of emerging therapeutic targets in human diseases. Herein, we explored the interactions of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B with selected terpenoids from African antidiabetic plants. Results Using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, Molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation free energy, and density functional theory analyses, the study revealed dipeptidyl peptidase-4 as a promising target. Cucurbitacin B, 6-oxoisoiguesterin, and 20-epi-isoiguesterinol were identified as potential dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors with strong binding affinities. These triterpenoids interacted with key catalytic and hydrophobic pockets of dipeptidyl peptidase-4, demonstrating structural stability and flexibility under dynamic conditions, as indicated by dynamics simulation parameters. The free energy analysis further supported the binding affinities in dynamic environments. Quantum mechanical calculations revealed favorable Highest occupied molecular orbital and Lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy profiles, indicating the suitability of the hits as proton donors and acceptors, which likely enhance their molecular interactions with the targets. Moreover, the terpenoids showed desirable drug-like properties, suggesting their potential as safe and effective dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors. These findings may pave the way for the development of novel antidiabetic agents and nutraceuticals based on these promising in silico hits.
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Patra, Sucharita, Ranabir Majumder, Shreya Banerjee, and Mahitosh Mandal. "Exploring the potential of Cucurbitacin analogs as HMGB1 inhibitors in glioblastoma multiforme: Insights from molecular docking and MD simulation of various triterpenoids." Journal of Molecular Liquids, April 2025, 127555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2025.127555.
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