Cucurbitane triterpenoids

These cucurbitane triterpenoids have been well known as bitter principles in Cucurbitaceous plants, but compound 114 had a strong sweet taste. The cytotoxic activities of several cucurbitane triterpenes have already been reported, but the anti-tumor-promoting activities of these triteijienoids have not been reported thus far. Therefore, there is quite a possibility that novel chemopreventive agents will be developed from cucurbitane glycosides. 

Konoshima, T., Takasaki, M., Kozuka, M., Nagao, T., Okabe, H., Irino, N., Nakatsu, T., Tokuda, H., and Nishino, H., Inhibitory effects of cucurbitane triterpenoids on Epstdn-Bair virus activation and two-stage carcinogenesis of skin tumor II. Biol. Pharm. Bull., 18, 284 (1995), and references cited there in. 

Mogroside V (2) is a cucurbitane-type triterpenoid glycoside isolated from the fhiits of Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle) C. Jeffrey... 

From the rhizomes of Hemsleya panacis-scandens and H carnosiflora (Cucurbitaceae) and the leaves of Cowania mexicana (Rosaceae), nineteen cucurbitane type triterpenoids (109 - 127) had been isolated and their structural elucidation had been reported [56-58]. 

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