Anti-inflammatory agent cucurbitacin

Widespread reports indicate that, in addition to their anti-inflammatory role, triterpenes have other activities. Triterpenoids have been found to possess cytotoxic, antimicrobial and interesting effects on metabolism. Triterpenoids with antitumour activity include oleanane, lanostane, lupane, friedelane, hopane and quassionoid types. Glycyrrhetinic acid has been described as an antiviral, hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic agent. Cucurbitacins B and E, and oleanolic acid possess a potent protective action on the liver, and ganoderic acid and its derivatives have been shown to be inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis. Lanostane derivatives, like suberosol, have also been found to inhibit HIV replication in H9 lymphocytes [1,3]. 

Some active species have been studied and their pharmacological activity confirmed in different experimental models. In general, the active fractions of such plants were those containing cucurbitacins, as demonstrated by Rios et al. [10] in their work with Cayaponia tayuya roots. This species is used in the Amazon region of South America as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-rheumatic agent while the extracts of this species are widely employed in the treatment of skin disorders such as dermatosis and other irritations. The chloroform fraction obtained from the active root methanol extract was found to be more active than the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions. Subsequent phytochemical analysis demonstrated that the chloroform fraction is rich in cucurbitacins, whereas the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions are principally comprised of C-glycosil flavonoids [10]. 

In a similar vein, species from Wilbrandia have been widely studied as anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, and antifertility agents [6]. Different studies have demonstrated that the pharmacological effects are principally due to the plants cucurbitacin content, as recently reported by Peters et al. [27-29]. 

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