Cucurbalsaminones A-C, Rearranged Triterpenoids with a 5/6/3/6/5-Fused Pentacyclic Carbon Skeleton from Momordica balsamina, as Multidrug Resistance Reversers

J Nat Prod. 2019 Aug 23;82(8):2138-2143. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b00019. Epub 2019 Jul 24.

Abstract

Three new triterpenoids, cucurbalsaminones A-C (1-3), featuring a unique 5/6/3/6/5-fused pentacyclic carbon skeleton, named cucurbalsaminane, were isolated from a methanol extract of Momordica balsamina. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and corroborated, for 1, by structure solution using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. A hypothetical biogenetic pathway for these compounds is proposed. Compounds 1-3 were evaluated for their P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB1) modulation ability, using a mouse T-lymphoma MDR1-transfected cell model by the rhodamine-123 accumulation assay, and displayed potent multidrug resistance (MDR)-reversing activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon / chemistry
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Momordica / chemistry*
  • Spectrum Analysis / methods
  • Triterpenes / chemistry
  • Triterpenes / isolation & purification
  • Triterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Triterpenes
  • Carbon