Kuguaglycoside Explained

A kuguaglycoside is one of several chemical compounds (cucurbitane triterpenoid glycosides) isolated from the roots of the bitter melon vine (Momordica charantia, kǔguā in Chinese) by J.-C. Chen and others.^[1]

Kuguaglycosides are glycosides of triterpene derivatives, with the cucurbitane skeleton. They are colorless solids, soluble in methanol, ethyl acetate, and butanol.^[1] They include:

• Kuguaglycoside A: 3β-hydroxy-7β-methoxycucurbita-5,24-dien-23-yl β-glucopyranoside, ^[1]
• Kuguaglycoside B: 3β-hydroxy-25-methoxycucurbita-5,23-dien-7β-yl β-glucopyranoside, ^[1]
• Kuguaglycoside C: 7β-(β-glucopyranosyloxy)-3β-hydroxycucurbita-5,23,25-trien-19-al, (colorless needles)^[1]
• Kuguaglycoside D: 3β,19,23-trihydroxycucurbita-5,24-dien-7β-yl β-glucopyranoside, ^[1]
• Kuguaglycoside E: 23-(β-glucopyranosyloxy)-3β,19-dihydroxycucurbita-5,24-dien-7β-yl β-glucopyranoside, ^[1]
• Kuguaglycoside F: 23-(β-glucopyranosyloxy)-7β-methoxycucurbita-5,24-dien-3β-yl β-allopyranoside, ^[1]
• Kuguaglycoside G: 23-(β-glucopyranosyloxy)-3β-hydroxycucurbita-5,24-dien-7β-yl β-glucopyranoside, ^[1]
• Kuguaglycoside H: 23-(β-glucopyranosyl(1→2)-β-glucopyranosyl)-3β-hydroxycucurbita-5,24-dien-7β-yl β-glucopyranoside, (colorless needles)^[1]

Kuguaglycoside B is also found in the fruit of M. charantia.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Jian-Chao Chen, Lu Lu, Xian-Ming Zhang, Lin Zhou, Zhong-Rong Li, and Ming-Hua Qiu (2008), "Eight New Cucurbitane Glycosides, Kuguaglycosides A–H, from the Root of Momordica charantia L.". Helvetica Chimica Acta, volume 91, issue 5, pages 920-928.
2. Jie-Qing Liu, Jian-Chao Chen, Cui-Fang Wang and Ming-Hua Qiu (2009), "New Cucurbitane Triterpenoids and Steroidal Glycoside from Momordica charantia". Molecules, volume 14, pages 4804-4813