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Herbal Drug Discovery Against Inflammation: From Traditional Wisdom to Modern Therapeutics
Published in Amit Baran Sharangi, K. V. Peter, Medicinal Plants, 2023
Shalini Dixit, Karuna Shanker, Madhumita Srivastava, Priyanka Maurya, Nupur Srivastava, Jyotshna, Dnyaneshwar U. Bawankule
Cucurbitacins are extremely oxygenated, tetracyclic triterpenes containing a cucurbitane skeleton characterized by a 19-(10→9β)-abeo-10α-lanost-5-ene. These are abundant in the Cucurbitaceae family and are also known as the bitter principles, but later they can be seen in other genera also. Cucurbitanes are divided into 12 categories (Yuan et al., 2006; Jayaprakasam, Seeram, and Nair, 2003). Acetyl group position 28(C) is responsible for inhibiting COX-2 and used for inflammation. Dihydrocucurbitacin B, cucurbitacin R, cucurbitacins isolated from the roots of Cayaponia tayuya, are found to have decent anti-inflammatory activity (Recio et al., 2004). Cucurbitacins such as cucurbitacin B, D, E, and I were already reported to have significant anti-inflammatory activity.
Melons of Central Asia
Published in Raymond Cooper, Jeffrey John Deakin, Natural Products of Silk Road Plants, 2020
Ravza F. Mavlyanova, Sasha W. Eisenman, David E. Zaurov
Roots of C. melo var. agrestis collected in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan contained 1.16% tannins and up to 2% sugars. The stems contained 0.87% tannins, up to 4% sugars, 0.4% titratable organic acids and trace alkaloids. Leaves contained 1.74% tannins, 0.53% titratable organic acids and trace alkaloids. Fruits contained up to 2% sugars, 1.07% titratable organic acids, and trace alkaloids (Zaurov et al., 2013). In a phytochemical investigation of C. melo stems, Chen et al. (2009) isolated and identified 21 cucurbitane-type triterpenoids (cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, including cucurbitacin B, 28 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B, cucurbitacin A, cucurbitacin R, isocucurbitacin R, cucurbitacin G, cucurbitacin H, hexanorcucurbitacin D, arvenin I, arvenin III, and dihydroisocucurbitacin B, among others.
Epstein–Barr Virus and Treatment of Its Infection
Published in Satya Prakash Gupta, Cancer-Causing Viruses and Their Inhibitors, 2014
Tarun Jha, Amit Kumar Halder, Nilanjan Adhikari
Three prenylated chalcones were isolated from Angelica keiskei (Umbelliferae) (Akihisa et al. 2012). These compounds were converted into semisynthetic flavanones and chalcones, some of which were examined for their inhibitory effects on TPA-induced EBV-EA activation in Raji cells and found to have potencies higher than that of β-carotene. Compound 83 (Figure 6.10) was observed to have the highest potency. Another series of cucurbitane-type triterpenoids was recently isolated from a methanolic extract of the leaves of the Japanese Momordica charantia (family: Cucurbitaceae) by Zhang et al. (2012). When these compounds were examined for their inhibitory effects on EBV-EA activation induced with TPA in Raji cells, four were found have potency with IC50 values in the range of 242–264 mol ratio/32 pmol TPA; of these, compound 84 (Figure 6.10) exhibited the highest potency.
Bioanalytical method development for momordicinin and its application to long-term pharmacokinetics in diabetic rats
Published in Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2021
Prajakta Kulkarni, Sathiyanarayanan Lohidasan, Kakasaheb Mahadik
To explore a chemical constituent as a drug its pharmacokinetic profile need to establish. FDA suggests the prediction of pharmacokinetic profile depends on drug’s intrinsic solubility, intestinal permeability, and dissolution pattern. In determining drug substance permeability, the degree of drug degradation in the gastrointestinal fluid prior to intestinal membrane permeation has to be considered. Also bile secretions from gall bladder interfere in the dissolution and permeation of lipophilic compound [6]. Till date, few analytical techniques such as LC-ELSD [7], HPLC [8,9], and HPTLC [10] have been reported for determination of cucurbitane triterpenoids, glycosides, and charantin, respectively. Although there are number of techniques already been reported, there are no reports published regarding determination and quantification of MRN in clinical and preclinical studies.
A review of the ethnopharmacological significance of Momordica foetida Schumach. (Cucurbitaceae: Cucurbitales)
Published in Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2023
Yusuf Ola Mukaila, Abdulwadud Abiodun Ajao, Abdulwakeel Ayokun-nun Ajao
Despite several folkloric records of the use of M. foetida against malaria infection, available evidence suggests at best that leaf extracts only show mild antimalarial activities, this could be explained by the fact that folkloric medicine usually involves combination therapy (Polyherbal formulas) in most cases and the folkloric effect of this plant could be due to synergistic effects. On the other hand, extracts from the leaf of M. foetida have been scientifically shown to possess very strong antioxidant activities lending credence to some of its folkloric uses. In general, ethyl acetate extract seems to possess more overall activities than all other extracts. The antidiabetic potential of M. foetida requires further studies to be able to make a proper conclusion on the efficacy. Though there have been very few studies on the toxicology of various extracts of M. foetida, the available information [14] suggests that the hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts of the leaves are relatively safe. Nevertheless, it has been reported that cucurbitane triterpenoids found in most of the species of the Momordica genus including M. foetida are potentially toxic [6]. It is therefore suggested that further toxicological studies should be carried out. While there is abundant information on the foliar, petiole and stem anatomy of the plant, there was no such information on the root anatomical characteristics and this requires further studies. For the scientifically proven medicinal use of the plant, there has been no explanation on the mechanism of action of any and this is one of the major steps in developing any of these extracts into a globally accepted drug; therefore, efforts must be directed toward this area especially that of ethyl acetate, which is the most active extract.