Abstract

Five new triterpenoid saponin glycosides, trichocucumerisides A-E (1-5), together with eleven known compounds (6-16) were isolated from Trichosanthes cucumerina fruit fibers. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed analysis of NMR and mass spectroscopic data as well as chemical reactions. The anti-inflammatory study against nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells shows that compounds 7 and 9 exhibited stronger NO inhibitory activity, with IC<inf>50</inf> values of 3.0 and 2.7 μM, respectively, with comparison to positive references Celecoxib and aminoguanidine (IC<inf>50</inf> values 75.7 and 75.0 μM, respectively). Compounds 7 and 9 also possessed a greater selectivity index (SI) of approximately 3-4-fold activity than that of the positive references.