Structures of new triterpenoids and cytotoxicity activities of the isolated major compounds from the fruit of Momordica charantia L.

Two new cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides, charantagenins D (1) and E (2), and one new sterol, 7-oxo-stigmasta-5,25-diene-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (3), were isolated from the fruit of Momordica charantia L. together with another eight known compounds. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral analysis. Cytotoxicity activities of the isolated major compounds were evaluated against lung cancer cell line A549, glioblastoma cell line U87, and hepatoma carcinoma cell line Hep3B by using a 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) in vitro assay. Results showed compounds 1 and 7 (goyaglycoside d) with an -OMe substituent group in the side chain exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against cancer cells. Impressively, the IC(50) values of the new compound 1 to A549, U87, and Hep3B were 1.07, 1.08, and 14.01 μmol/L, respectively, which were much lower than those of other tested compounds.